How to Earn a Volleyball Scholarship

Volleyball is a popular recreation sport in the warm weather months, when it is commonly played on beaches; however, high school and collegiate volleyball are winter sports played on a hard court. For successful high school players, collegiate play offers the opportunity to earn an athletic scholarship for college. To maximize your chance of receiving a scholarship, it is important to present yourself to potential college coaches in a positive light to highlight your skills.

Things You'll Need

  • Video camera
  • Video editing software
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Instructions

    • 1

      Practice your skills with your team as well as in your free time, being sure to develop a diverse skill set, from digging to spiking to serving. A player that can fill more roles is enticing for a coach as diverse players provide versatility when creating a lineup.

    • 2

      Speak with your coach for help with reaching out to college coaches. Your high school coach can provide a recommendation on your behalf and may even have connections with college coaches to help get your foot in the door.

    • 3

      Film your matches and games to get a reel of footage of your play on the court. A visual representation of your skill set is preferable for a coach as opposed to simply a written letter.

    • 4

      Edit your footage down to a concise film reel of no longer than three minutes, highlighting a diverse range of skills. Although it may be tempting to send a long reel to show how many great plays you have made, coaches are often busy and a short video with your best plays will allow the coach to know quickly if further scouting is desired.

    • 5

      Contact college coaches through email or written letters, with a brief paragraph explaining who you are, your best positions and a link or copy of your highlight video.

    • 6

      Register with the NCAA eligibility center, which is required for college athletes to prove they are eligible to play. Athletes who have received money to participate in a sporting event lose their amateur status and can not compete in the sport collegiately.

    • 7

      Join a club volleyball team in the offseason. The high school and college seasons overlap, so playing for a club in the spring or summer allows college coaches to more easily scout you.