Is college vball iuture of the really small 15

Question
Hi,
I'm fifteen and I play volleyball at my school. My coach is a professional and she told me I would have to work really hard to play volleyball at college , because I'm really small.
I have a few questions, first of all, if I can't block any balls, do I have any hope? What should I improve, my strenght, my precision,?
thank you,
Chloe

Answer
Hello Memie!

Thank you for visiting www.allexperts.com!

Here is what I tell any high school girl of any size, any position, any age, etc.  Then, I'll speak to you about your own individual questions.  

a) Go ahead and begin researching schools on the internet.  Make notes about the important stuff.....like how far from home, what you can major in, how big are they, are they out in the country or in the middle of a city, how much money it will cost to attend, etc.  

b) Make a skills tape during the end of your soph year in high school, or the beginning of your junior year.  Then send it out to the head coaches at the colleges that you researched and you like.  Yes, send it to the head coaches, not the athletic director.  You will find his/her mailing address on the school website.  You could also post this video on YouTube or another video site.

c)  Height doesn't matter a lot if you play DS/Libero.  In fact, a great libero played for Winthrop University and graduated in 2008.......I don't think she was any more than 5' tall!!

d) Follow up.  After you know the coach has received your tape, contact the coach by email/text/phone once a week and don't stop until either coach tells you, "I'm not interested," or you are no longer interested.  Yes, send your tape to the coaches and call the coaches, not the athletic directors.

e) Visit the schools.  Watch the teams play next fall.  If you're not impressed with the school, then scratch that school off your list.

f) What does the school offer academically?  If you don't like it (or you don't have the grades), then scratch it also.

g) Go to their summer camps.  Meet the coaching staff.  Get to know them.  

h)  PLAY CLUB BALL!  Then contact the coaches that want to see you where you'll be.  If you don't play club ball, send the coaches your high school schedule, but don't expect a coach to see you play school ball.  That's when those coaches are in-season as well; and they can't take 2 or 3 hours of their day to come see one girl.  

i) I have had very few "scouts" see my players. But many parents and players think scouts are at every tournament.   Maybe they are.  I don't know.  College coaches evaluate my players by what they see on DVD's and what they see in person.  That's about it.  (If you're a scout and you see me at BigSouth, Shamrock, NEQ, etc. this season, please hand me a business card. I want to meet one.)

j) Do your work in the wt. room!  Don't overdo it, but don't ignore it.  Do what the basketball players or softball players do.  No, don't try to keep up with the football players!  haha

Now for you:  There is a college vball team for every girl out there.  I'm serious.  Here in Virginia, there are some small D3 schools that barely have the talent to get the ball over the net.  Some have rookies on their team.  OH MY!  Many small school don't cut anyone. Yep, if you try out, and you never disrupt the team, then you are allowed to stay in the team.  (Just don't expect 1 minute of playing time.)  It's a pretty good deal.

I think that's about covered it.  What else can I do for you?

Please visit me at www.coachhouser.com  My staff and I give private lessons here in Virginia, and we have 8 camps scheduled for this coming summer.  But most importantly:  I think you'll like the smiling faces.

Coach Houser