Sometimes, the process for earning volleyball scholarships can be very confusing. I wanted to outline the process and steps that parents and athletes can take to increase their chance of playing college volleyball. Volleyball can be a great option to pay for your college education.
The first thing you must understand is that there are a very limited number of scholarships available per team. Division 1 colleges have 4.5 scholarships for men’s teams and women’s teams have 12. With division 2 schools, it is 4.5 for men and 8 for women.
Why is there a difference? It is all because of Title IX. Title 9 says that there must be an equal number of scholarships for both men and women for sports. Since there are sports like wrestling and football for men that offer a lot of scholarships unavailable to women, volleyball is one sport where men and women do not have the same opportunity.
So, what can you do to put yourself in the best position to receive one of these volleyball scholarships?
Step 1 – Know your options – You need to know which schools offer scholarships for their volleyball programs. Do a little research on this NCAA website to see what schools offer volleyball scholarships.
Step 2 – Get it done in the classroom – All programs have a minimum GPA requirement. Although it has very little to do with your on court performance, coaches would prefer to have student-athletes that they do not have to worry about making grades.
Step 3 – Prepare a video – You need to assemble some video footage of you playing in games. Coaches will want to see how you play in match situations. For a great list of what to include in the video, take a look at this list.
Step 4 – Send the videos to the coaches with a cover letter – Make sure you include on the cover letter why you want to play there. Has your family played there? You have a love for that school? Also write about any special achievements or awards you won.
Step 5 – Attend games and camps – Take the opportunity to attend matches and volleyball camps that the school offers. This will allow you to see if you would like to play there and it will get you some “face time” with the coach. This is an important step towards volleyball scholarships.
Step 6 – Take a tour of the university campus – I have seen some players skip this step, and then they learn that they did not like the university. Do your due diligence to ensure that it is a good fit for what you are looking for.
That is about it. These steps will help you secure volleyball scholarships. Not only is volleyball an awesome sport, but it can also be a great way to have someone else pay for your education. Best of luck!
