Becoming a professional beach volleyball player is not an easy task. Indeed, it requires high levels of awareness of what you need to do to play at the highest level …
In this article, I breakdown what it takes to reach the pro level. I share some helpful tips that you probably should be aware of as well as some facts related to the professional life that you need to know so you won’t be surprised later on!
Hope that helps.
11 Tips to become a Professional Beach Volleyball Player
#TIP 0: Protect Yourself
A huge problem that holds back some players from perusing a professional career are injuries. So, my tip here is to learn how to play safely and, overtime, develop a playing style that won’t represent too much risk for you.
A common beach volleyball injury is often related to the knee. That’s why I highly recommend you consider playing with knee pads (Check this example Here) from time to time, even if you don’t have bad knees, this will help prevent potential injuries.
Also, if you are a beginner, think about using sand socks (like these). They will help protect your feet from sand heat and sharp objects.
You can learn more about properly protecting your feet for sand volleyball …
#TIP 1: Self-Discipline
Self-motivation and self-discipline are extremely important. Beach volleyball is a collegiate sport and as such it requires discipline and enough motivation to keep you going.
Indeed it is very easy to lose focus in collegiate sports if you are not disciplined enough.
#TIP 2: Be an Athlete
One of the key factors is to play as much sports and to have many different activities when you are “young”. Basically you need to be an athlete and by experiencing other disciplines.
This will shape your athletic abilities!
This does not mean that you need to get carried away and lose your focus. The primary goal will still be beach volleyball, but the other sports can help your overall physical and mental abilities.
You can learn more on how you can stay in the best possible shape for beach volley …
#TIP 3: The more Games the Better
Play as many games as you can and go to as many tournaments as you can. Indeed, the experience you are going to gain from playing competitive games is far better than just regular practice.
So make sure you have as many games under you belt as this will shape the great player you will, hopefully, be in the future.
#TIP 4: Move forward
Losing games in your career may be devastating to your self-discipline and self-motivation. You should know that loosing is part of the game and you will eventually lose games even if you are part of the best team out there.
Win or Lose, forget about it and move forward and think about the next game.
#TIP 5: Learn from your losses
Moving forward doesn’t mean that you should learn from your losses. Indeed, takeaways from lost games are usually more beneficial to you than winning games.
That is because when you lose a game you become more self-critical. You will start analyzing your mistakes and think about what you can do differently.
By doing so, you should rely on your coach point of view, this will certainly help!
#TIP 6: Listen to your coach
Your coaches are simply there to guide you and make you aware of your mistakes. They are the passive observer and active teacher.
Your coach will know you and your playing style more than you know it yourself. It is best to listen to his advice most of the time.
You might not agree with some of it, yet you should always consider what he is telling you. Because he has certainly seen something you probably didn’t.
You can learn more about the role of coaches in beach volleyball …
#TIP 7: Hunt for opportunities
Always be on the lookout for new opportunities that can leverage your career. It may seem like it is hard, but when you are constantly moving around in sports circles, you will eventually stumble uppon a few connections that might help you in the future.
You never know, this will lead you to the opportunity that will change your life.
#TIP 8: Be patient
You will certainly face some tought times. For example, you might join a team and have a hard time being in good terms with your new coach and new teammates …
Don’t rush and decide to leave, instead be patient, give it time to sink in. You might be dealing with a new culture or a new perspective …
Usually, all it takes is to give yourself some time to aclimate.
#TIP 9: Hunt for a contract
When you hunt down some conections, you will have opportunities for signing contracts, well, not immediatelly, but there will be opportunities eventually.
Having a club presenting you an offer with a contract is possible, but it is not usualy.
So, don’t expect somebody to present a contract for you. Instead you should literally hunt for it.
If you are able to do so, then at that time, things will start to be interesting!
#TIP 10: Smart beats Hard every day, all day!
Work smarter, not harder. Hard work is not always the one that pays off the most. If you work smarter you will not have to work harder for the goal that you want to achieve.
hat does not meant that you do not have to work at all for your goal, this means that you need to be tactical in your decisions, by making „long term investments“.
#TIP 11: Allocate TIME for Practice!
This might sound obvious! However, this is a huge trap that most people fall into, let me explain …
Indeed, there is a huge difference between saying „I will practice today for couple hours“ and saying „I will practice today for 3 hours, between 6pm and 9pm“
Your brain won’t interpret the first sentence as a time committement. Instead it interpret it as an option or possibility.
Unlike the second sentence that you brain consider as your full time and effort committement.
Approach each practice session just like that and you will do just Fine!
Best age to get started!
The best age to start beach volleyball would be, just like in the case of indoor volleyball, around 9 to 12 years of age. Indeed …
First and foremost kids are more likely to embrace new things than adults. It is easier for a kid to learn playing volleyball than it is for an adult.
Would indoor volleyball help for your beach career?
If you have an aim on becoming a professional beach volleyball player than your place is at the beach and not in an indoor court.
However, there are some parts of the year when whether doesn’t allow practicing on the beach. At that time, it is totally Ok to resume your practices in indoor courts to keep the momentum.
Can you make a living as a pro beach volleyball player?
Yes, you can make a living off of beach volleyball, but it is not as easy as you may think. Competition in beach volleyball is very high, and beach volleyball players are not „empolyed“ by anyone, and they do not have regular salaries.
There is an estimate that the yearly number is between 19.900$ and 187.000$, that number varies from player to player.
It is worth noting that sometimes, in order to make money in beach volleyball you need to win, if you win you get the money, if you lose you go empty handed.
You can learn more about the amounts of money that sand volleyball players make …
How hard is it to become a professional volleyball player?
Beach volleyball is not as popular as indoor volleyball, but that does not mean that people do not have aspirations of becoming professional players.
The college period is where the competition becomes fierce.
It may be a little easier to become a professional beach volleyball player than a professional indoor volleyball player, but that does not mean that it is easy all together.
You will need to poses a wide range of skills, good knowledge of the game, strong will and a sense for success mentality.
Countries where it is easier to become a pro beach volleyball player
Naturally there are some countries where it is easier to become a professional beach volleyball player than other. Those countries are usually the ones you would not even imagine.
The best countries to try out your luck when hunting a professional beach volleyball career are France, Brazil and Poland.
Final Thoughts …
I totally understand that becoming a pro requires hard work and great sacrifices. However, I don’t want you to worry too much on that by trying to force things …
Instead let it come naturally. Of course do the work, but don’t be attached too much emotionally …
Being too much emotionally invested in that will cause more harm than good for a potential professional career.
Finally, I highly invite you to check this list of professional beach volleyball equipment. I think you will find it very interesting …