Collegiate Beach Volleyball Question

Hi,

I am a freshman on my high school, I was a setter on my JV Volleyball team and was captain this year. 

I started playing beach a couple months ago and I instantly fell in love. I am part of a year round beach volleyball club, I work hard at every practice and I'm hoping to improve over the years until I'm a senior. 

I have a passion to play on a D1 college beach volleyball team, I have my eyes already set on a couple of colleges with great programs. I have a deep love and passion for the sport but the problem is, I'm 5'1 but my vertical is 17 inches. I'm hoping to grow maybe another two or three inches over high school. 

Do you think if I become an excellent player I would have a chance on being recruited or is my height too much of a disadvantage? 

Thank you!

A.L.

Volleyball, beach and indoor, is a height driven sport.  Indoor uses the Libero and Defensive Specialist positions which allow for the "shorter" player to have a role within the team.  With only 2 players on the court, beach volleyball does not have this positional opportunity, as each player is expected to attack.

With your height, you would be the chase player or the player who plays defense and does not block.  Traditionally, beach volleyball will use a blocker against the other team; on some double teams, both players may block, while it seems more common that one person is the blocker and the other person is the defender.

At 5'1" with a 17" vertical, it will be a challenge to secure a beach volleyball roster position.  Players must remember that there are not a lot of universities with beach volleyball programs, when compared to indoor volleyball.  In addition, the rosters are not as big and the athletic scholarship funding is tiny.  The realistic goal for so many aspiring collegiate beach volleyball players should be just to secure a roster position.

While you can't control your height, you can control your fitness (athleticism) and your abilities.  If you are small, then you need to be very athletic and have great skill sets.  As you are just a freshman, you have time to continue to develop both of these areas!

Good luck!

Coach