Why you need to email college coaches and how to do it.

Emailing college volleyball coaches can be daunting and scary for high school volleyball players. My daughter went through the recruiting process, and emailing coaches was a huge struggle for us. One night after club practice I said to her, “You have 17 emails to get out tonight before we leave for the Spokane qualifier.” She said, “And I have to pack and do homework and…” We had not planned well, so it was a hectic and late at night!

As you can imagine, emailing coaches is time-consuming and stressful when you also have homework, club practice, weight lifting, studying ... whatever! It’s one of the hardest things about the recruiting process. If you can manage it, it’s a good sign that you can handle playing volleyball in college. Being a high school student-athlete and going through the recruiting process is like a mini-prep class for being a collegiate student-athlete.

https://www.theartofcoachingvolleyball.com/why-you-need-to-email-college-coaches-and-how-to-do-it/

School Day Volleyball Academy

Check it out.  It is time to apply to get one of the few spots available at the School Day Academy.

https://youtu.be/qTMZ4rxNKOo

School Day Academy

Each day brings me a little bit closer as we removing barriers to being able to run a success School Day Academy.  We have figured out the location, possible coaches, times, session plans and goals.

The philosophic approach will be similar to the one that has been developed for the Elite Academies evening sessions.  We want to make the School Day Academy one where genders and ages will not be separated.  The instruction will be individualized and designed to work for any level of player.  We would also like to continue to offer the flexibility for attendance of the sessions similar to the evening sessions.  Athletes should only pay for the sessions they attend which accommodates the busy lives of the present-day multi-sport athletes.

For this program to be financially possible it will require a group of approximately 20 athletes.

1. The group will target high school athletes, male and female who wish to take their volleyball skills to the next level.
2. The session will occur Monday to Friday.
3. Volleyball will occur Monday, Wednesday and Friday 1:00 - 3:00 pm
4. Speed, agility and strength training on Tuesday and Thursday. 1:30 -2:30 pm
5. Volleyball session will cost 25 dollars
6. SAS sessions will cost 20 dollars

As the head coach Dr. Darren Cannell can assist in answer questions parents might have about the challenges of freeing-up students afternoon schedule.  (Darren in his past life was the Principal of the Saskatchewan Catholic Cyber School)

We will start to accepting athletes into this program starting June 1 for the September 1 start date.  Athletes will be required to complete the Intent to Register Application and will be required to complete a 1-3 minute video which must be posted on Youtube stating their volleyball goals and reasons why they should be chosen for one of the academies the limited number of spots.

The form can be found here:

https://forms.gle/Knf5FJAtovyf5q6i9

Difference between Elite and Youth Volleyball Academy

The Elite Academy is designed to provide skill instruction for athletes who are club athletes.  Athletes who are in the first or more club year.  This allows us to start a little higher than basic instruction.

The Youth Academy is designed to provide skill instruction for athletes who are not yet club athletes.  Athletes who are just starting their volleyball playing careers.  Athletes are normally in their first or second year of playing and will allow the coaches to start at a very basic instruction level.

Session Feedback

Making the Cut Camp

Making the Cut Camp

There are two levels of camp.  The youth camp which is for pre-club players and elite camp which is for club players.

The school year is starting and then the tryouts for Junior and Senior teams begin. What will make you into the athlete that every coach wants on their team? Do you have the skills? Do you have the drive? Are you aware of what it takes to make the cut? This four-day cycle will give athletes what they need to make their school team.

Sessions will happen from 10-12pm, 2-4pm and 6-8pm each of the four days.

A total of 12 sessions
August 26-August 29 2019

Each day will have a session from 10 am -12 pm, 2 pm - 4 pm and 6 pm - 8 pm. The two-hour break in-between is so the athletes can get something to eat, shower, change and get ready for the next session. I know this might cause some issues for out of town athletes as it is difficult to figure out what to do for the two hours. My suggestion for those athletes is that they pair up with an athlete from Saskatoon so parents do not have to drive back and forth three times a day.

This registration includes a camp t-shirt and journal.

This map will help with entering the Soccer Center.

Team Mental Practices

Thanks for the email and I do appreciate the interest in the Elite Academy. In North America, we tend to shy away from the mental aspect of the game and some of the international coaches I have worked with have told me as much and I have learned a large amount from them about the ways to get a team and individuals to play to their potential.  I can set up a team session or sessions to help your team, work their ways through the challenges of higher level play and how they need to get their heads around each of their roles within a team.  These sessions are normally a two-hour block and happen in a meeting or board rooms somewhere and in the past, I have just charged like any other session.  If your team provides the room in which to conduct the session them, it greatly drops the price and I would offer it as a private lesson which is normally 125.00 dollars per hour which I can drop to 125 for the two hours.  The room has to be warm and the athletes need to bring a pillow because I also talk about relaxation techniques when trying to sleep the night before a big tournament or during times of stress and anxiety.  Coach and parents are welcome but should remain as silent observers.  The coaches are welcome to help guide the session but should not be the focus.  Athletes will be required to bring a throw pillow of some sort as we will sit on the floor and not in chairs.

Most days where I have not scheduled a session on the site I would be able to do this activity or on a day where I have scheduled a private lesson, however, most of those are already filled.  Let me know what you think and we can see if it is possible to make it happen.

The flow of the presentation is a follows:

What is mental practice?

Dealing with anxiety and nerves

Your goals of an individual

Your contribution to the team

How to make sure individual and team goals do not conflict

How you are not alone, what it means to be part of a team

Difference between good players and elite players

Making goals a reality

Types of players

Respect and commitment

The ways and rewards of pushing yourself way past what you think you are capable of achieving

Difference between confidence and arrogance

What are the roles of parents, coaches, and others in the sport aspect of your life?

Dealing with failure

Relaxation techniques