Coach,
I wanted to begin by thanking you for your past advice regarding the tough spot my daughter was in with her potential volleyball program. After receiving your email response, I made one last contact with the AD, and he agreed to give her one of the walk on spots. My daughter spent the preseason ensuring that they didn't regret their decision. At the end of the preseason, the coaches told her there was no way they would ever consider cutting someone that worked as hard as she did, so I believe she earned her spot on the team. Half way through the season, she went from being a sideline player to the starting libero. Needless to say, her season went very well! So, thank you for giving us your input!
My new question to you is, now that the season is over and the coach is in the process of recruiting new players, is there an appropriate way to discuss with the coach any scholarship opportunities for my daughter? I'm not sure if it's even possible to consider, but I look forward to any insight you can give me.
Thank you for your time, J.K.
Congratulations on the first semester of our VolleyDaughter being a collegiate athlete
working out OK - Talent, Hard Work and a Positive Attitude makes good
things happen.
I think the best way to approach the possibility of a scholarship is
this - Have your daughter schedule a meeting with the coach after the
spring semester starts, and just have her simply ask to be considered
for a scholarship for the 2012/2013 academic year.
The challenge is that this coach (if I remember correctly) did not
recruit your daughter, so he/she does not have the emotional/moral
obligation to extend a scholarship and may well look at your SA as a
great bonus. Some coaches are just that way, and a walk on
starting/playing just means they have another scholarship to extend to
a new recruit.
It is important that your daughter communicates to the coach, that a
scholarship would be appreciated and she wants to be considered for
one. But, she must also be OK with not receiving a scholarship and
has to look at one coming to fruition just the icing on the volleyball
cake.
Now, come the end of next season (2012) and she is still the starting
(and statistically successful) Libero, then she has much firmer
ground to stand upon when asking for a scholarship. One year could
just be happenstance because of program transition or injuries; two
years shows a walk on is an impact player for the team.
But, but, but, don't let your daughter lose her focus. What drives
coaches crazy/nuts/bonkers/to drink too much Kool Aid, is when
returning players get the entitlement attitude. They think since they
started last year, they are entitled to start this year, that they
were the OH1 last year, they are entitled to be the OH1 this year,
that they made the team, they are entitled to a scholarship this year.
working out OK - Talent, Hard Work and a Positive Attitude makes good
things happen.
I think the best way to approach the possibility of a scholarship is
this - Have your daughter schedule a meeting with the coach after the
spring semester starts, and just have her simply ask to be considered
for a scholarship for the 2012/2013 academic year.
The challenge is that this coach (if I remember correctly) did not
recruit your daughter, so he/she does not have the emotional/moral
obligation to extend a scholarship and may well look at your SA as a
great bonus. Some coaches are just that way, and a walk on
starting/playing just means they have another scholarship to extend to
a new recruit.
It is important that your daughter communicates to the coach, that a
scholarship would be appreciated and she wants to be considered for
one. But, she must also be OK with not receiving a scholarship and
has to look at one coming to fruition just the icing on the volleyball
cake.
Now, come the end of next season (2012) and she is still the starting
(and statistically successful) Libero, then she has much firmer
ground to stand upon when asking for a scholarship. One year could
just be happenstance because of program transition or injuries; two
years shows a walk on is an impact player for the team.
But, but, but, don't let your daughter lose her focus. What drives
coaches crazy/nuts/bonkers/to drink too much Kool Aid, is when
returning players get the entitlement attitude. They think since they
started last year, they are entitled to start this year, that they
were the OH1 last year, they are entitled to be the OH1 this year,
that they made the team, they are entitled to a scholarship this year.
Having players put it into self centered cruise control is so
disheartening for all too many coaches.
Congratulations once again, and encourage your daughter to never let
up pushing to be the great player she can be.
disheartening for all too many coaches.
Congratulations once again, and encourage your daughter to never let
up pushing to be the great player she can be.
Coach
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