How to Get Recruited by a College Volleyball Team

Playing college volleyball can be a great springboard to an opportunity to play in the Olympics. However, getting that all-important scholarship to play collegiate volleyball is becoming more difficult. More than 800 million people play volleyball worldwide and NCAA Division I teams have just 4.5 scholarships for men and 12 scholarships for women.

Instructions

    • 1

      Play club volleyball. This is the best way to get recruited. More and more coaches are attending showcase tournaments to scout the best players and find the ones that fit their teams.

    • 2

      Compile a list of schools that you think might fit your play. In volleyball, the best schools tend to be in the powerhouse conferences such as the Big 12, the Big 10 and the Pac-10. Scholarships for these schools are usually reserved for elite players.

    • 3

      Have your parents or coaches create a highlight tape that you can send to prospective college coaches, as well as a resume highlighting all of your accomplishments on the court and in the classroom. Volleyball coaches are more apt to recruit well-rounded players.

    • 4

      Invite coaches of schools you are interested in to watch you play in club showcase tournaments and at your high school.

    • 5

      Attend national camps and camps put on by the teams you're interested in playing for. You might be able to get a scholarship offer while you're there.

    • 6

      Apply for eligibility with the NCAA Eligibility Clearinghouse. You can't play NCAA sports without this clearance.

    • 7

      Take some official and unofficial visits to the campus. A school might look great on paper, but you'll need to visit in person and interact with the team to make sure it's the right place for you.