Volleyball is truthfully an amazing sport that I personally recommend for anyone looking for a new sport, activity or hobby. However, it is not for everyone …
You might get excited by the idea, especially after watching an amazing game on TV with lots of highlights. But you still need to do a little check whether volleyball is the right sport for you.
Well, guess what?! This article will help you get through this process and to be sure whether this activity is the one you should pursue or not.
Checklist to know if volleyball is for you …
This checklist below represents the foundation that makes a great player from an average one. I invite you to get through those points to know whether they resonate with you or not, even if you don’t have those qualities on you right now … If they resonate with you, then you could develop them later one!
Team play
The most important volleyball foundation is the team play. Playing for yourself is a huge mistake, you should always play for the team and your teammates.
Helpful Tip: You need to learn the qualities and difficulties of each of your teammates, so you can play on their strengths and avoid situations where they won’t be as good.
Anyone who is not willing to do so shouldn’t play volleyball.
Composure
Being composed on the court is a huge factor. It makes your decision making easier and more rational.
Otherwise you will diffuse a bad energy which could impact your team.
Persistence
Volleyball is not an easy sport and it involves injuries, pain, tears and sweat. Only those who are willing to persist through these things are the ones who will thrive.
Otherwise, you won’t really get anywhere near to high level playing.
Flexibility
Volleyball is not soccer, in other words, you (generally) won’t stick to one position or one role on the court. The coach might ask you to switch roles at any given time during a game.
This requires a high sense of flexibility. Those who lack that, won’t represent the first choice for their coach, simply because they won’t give him the needed flexibility that the team might need, especially during difficult games that require switching techniques and strategies to be able to surprise the opposite team.
Helpful Tip: Those qualities I’ve just explained are just some of many you should have to be a good (even great) volleyball player. To learn even more about those qualities, then I highly invite you have a look at my personal favorite volleyball book. You will really get to learn those most important aspects of the game.
Indoor volleyball vs Beach volleyball – which one is right for me?
Now that you probably have decided that volleyball is a good sport for you, we are going do dive in a little bit deeper …
In fact, beach volleyball could sound more attempting for you than indoor volleyball or vice versa.
Bellow, I give you some ideas on the main differences between both sports, so you can pick and choose the right one for you:
Indeed, indoor volleyball is the most watched and most played one. Each team brings 6 players on the court.
The floor is made out of 2 possible materials. The first is PVC which is a professional court and the most common one as it provides the best possible performance.
The Second choice is vulcanized rubber which is intended to be used every day extensively. It is the choice of schools or amateur and multisport indoor facilities, like big halls.
Again, indoor volleyball is played by 6 people, with the following roles:
- The libero – Wears a different colored shirt, cannot attack or be a part of the attack, has a purely defensive role.
- Setter – The main contributor to the team. Setting the ball and communication with the rest of the team is crucial for this position.
- Outside hitter – This is the lead attacker in the offensive strategy. He needs to be able to jump high and be quick on his feet.
- Opposite hitter – This one is balanced between offense and defense. Always on the lookout for the ball.
- Middle blocker – The tallest player on the team. His role is to block all enemy balls.
- Defensive specialist – They can substitute any player on the team. Ball control and passing is crucial for them.
Beach volleyball, on the other hand, does not have any specialized positions. Indeed, players have to do it all … They need to be able to dig, set, block and hit the ball at any given time.
Beach volleyball is played only during the hot, or mild days, when the season allows it. Professional beach volleyball is played in rain and bad weather, but not during the cold winter days or in late autumn.
Indoor volleyball is much more complex than beach volleyball, but beach volleyball is a summer sport and can be played recreationally at any time, since not much people are required.
All in all, if you like playing with a full team with complex strategies and high pace, then Indoor volleyball is the one you should go for. Otherwise, beach volleyball won’t be a bad choice!
How to know if you should become professional at volleyball?
There are several factors you need to consider before jumping on a pro volleyball career …
The first one is your age. Potential professional players usually start playing seriously at the ages of 12 to 14 years. This doesn’t always mean that you cannot start at an older age!
This makes the learning process much faster and gives you enough time to gain experience.
Second factor is height. Although no specific height is needed for volleyball it is always a plus if your height is above average, or slightly above average.
It is important to note that there are people who play the sport professionally even if they are short, and they are way below the line when it comes to height.
You should definitely join a college team. College leagues are very popular in the US and several regions worldwide, but in the US College teams are the ones that open the doors to a professional career.
The road of professionalism is tough, but it is not unreachable!
Helpful Tip: One last thing I want to add, is that you need to learn how to properly recover after games and hard volleyball training sessions. A Volleyball season has, usually, a tight schedule and you might play several games during a single week. Otherwise, you might be more vulnerable to injuries.
Volleyball is not the right sport – in these cases.
Indeed, if you like sports like Tennis, Badminton, Golf or any other sport that doesn’t involve a team play, then this might be a strong sign that volleyball might not be good of a fit for you.
If you are not willing to work on your physical shape, conditions and cardiovascular abilities, then you might really struggle. Volleyball is a high pace, aerobic sport. Your shape is as important (if not more important) than your skills.
If you do not want to experience hard practices and constant physical activity during a practice, volleyball is definitely not the sport for you.
Learn how to get in top shape for volleyball …
Final Thoughts …
I am really glad that you’ve has gotten that far and checked this article! Indeed, most people don’t … They just start practicing the sport without really knowing the foundation that would make you a potentially good player in the future. Even if you are only intending to practice at a semi-pro level.
Hopefully, you’ve found out that volleyball is the best activity you can opt for right now! If that’s the case, then I truly wish you a lot of fun and success doing it.
One last remark is that some volleyball players like to wear leggings or even volley clothing made of spandex. If you are about to buy new clothing, then you might consider those …