Volleyball is one of the most rapidly growing sports in the U.S. today, ranking as the No.1 girls high school sport and experiencing a 12% increase in youth participation over the past year (according to The Youth Volleyball Association). However, along with this increase also comes a risk of burnout, overtraining and injury at a much younger age. According to USA Today, 70% of youth athletes quit playing their sport by age 13. So, how can coaches, athletes and parents remedy these stats while still fostering a love for sports in kids?
Renee DeRoy, a sophomore at Blue Valley North, has been playing volleyball since fourth grade and has noticed a change in competition since she started.
“When I first started, club volleyball wasn’t even a thing quite yet. I mean, it was all rec[reation],” DeRoy said. “Versus now, fourth graders are in clubs that go all around the country to play.”
All of these new pressures put on youth athletes can also play a role in their mental health. Senior Ainsley Belford is a varsity volleyball player at North who expressed her concerns for burnout and how it affects athletes on every level.
“The team that won the NCAA championship last year, their star setter just dropped out because of mental health issues this year,” Belford said. “It definitely is a big thing and it affects a lot of people.”
DeRoy agreed and shared some of her observations from a club perspective.
“I think the pressures can become a lot, especially for girls who play really high-level volleyball. When you’re in those environments and clubs, there’s always somebody better than you. You always have to be better than the person beside you,” DeRoy said.
Popular volleyball clubs, like MAVS, offer a variety of levels, with varying practice frequency, competition level and travel commitment.
“Overall, the expectation and experience is going to change depending on what level you are at,” Belford said.
Typically, in competitive club volleyball, players can move up and down the ranks during pre-season tryouts. Additionally, some clubs, like MAVS, offer players the chance to be pulled up mid-season if they outperform others, which creates a highly competitive practice environment and potential for mental strain, according to Belford.
Belford talked about her personal struggles with the mental aspect of the game and how it can play a role in her performance.
“I’ve definitely gotten into my head multiple times. Like, ‘Am I good enough?’ because the competition is so high,” Belford said. “Pressure motivates me, but some pressure definitely makes me feel like I’m walking on thin ice. It just depends on how you view it.”
DeRoy agreed with Belford, stating that pressure is a common feeling among volleyball players.
“At some point, every girl in their volleyball life, or in their sports career in general, feels like it’s been too much,” DeRoy said. “It really just depends on the person. I know people who have gotten these pressures put on them and they’ve quit volleyball completely because they can’t handle it. And that’s valid. But then, I’ve also run into people who rise to the occasion with those pressures.”
As the competition level continues to rise throughout all aspects of youth athletics, DeRoy stressed the importance of maintaining a positive relationship with sports.
“I think nowadays, people put so much pressure on themselves to be the best. We need to remember that the whole reason we’re playing sports is because we want to have fun,” DeRoy said.
