Why Houston Force Summer Clinics are a Must!
Written By Coach April
Summer is here, which means it's time to hit the beach, soak up the sun, and... train for volleyball? You heard that right!
Summer is the perfect time for young athletes to take their game to the next level by attending camps and clinics. Here's why:
Master the Fundamentals:
Volleyball is a complex sport with many moving parts.
It's important to have a solid foundation of fundamental skills such as passing, setting, serving, and hitting to build upon.
Volleyball clinics provide focused instruction and guidance to help you master these key skills.
Even if you are an advanced player, we have a curriculum that not only ensures your fundamentals are on point, but teaches you how and when utilize specific skills with a higher level of strategy.
"For example, you may be a great hitter, but what if you are up against even better blockers and defense? Are you looking for holes, understanding how the opposing teams defense sets up, or seeing where and when to use power versus off speed shots? We can teach you all the fundamentals, but without high volleyball iQ you can't set yourself apart."
Build Your Confidence
Do you ever feel nervous or unsure on the court?
Attending a volleyball clinic can help you build your confidence by providing a safe and supportive environment to try new techniques and improve your skills.
You'll also have the opportunity to meet new friends who share your passion for the sport.
Not only do you meet your potential teammates, but you get to check out the coaches too!
Coaches that work our clinics also will also coach for the club during our competitive season. At Houston Force, the coaches all lean on each other to give ideas and advice on players and teams. So it is a great opportunity to get to know various coaches because they all have an expertise or "style" to apply various tactics to improve your skills!
"Just like in school, sometimes it takes many times of hearing the same lesson before something finally clicks when a different person explains it. We aim to ensure consistency in the message of the skill, but all bring various drills and experience to help that skill land with different players."
Develop a Competitive Edge
Volleyball is a highly competitive and fast paced sport, and putting in the work over the summer can help you gain an edge over your opponents.
By honing your skills during the off-season, you'll be better prepared to take on the challenges of the upcoming season.
"I know that has an athlete, once I learned that the most competitive person in the room is myself, I always had someone to "beat". By being able to challenge myself throughout trainings, whether it being how many sets can I get in a row, can I do 2 more pushups than last time, all the way down to can I shag more balls than the other girl, gave me the mental ability to play for my team, but also to play for myself."
Mental toughness is built when you are the only person in the gym and have to continue to challenge yourself to get better and implore the even more difficult task of holding yourself accountable.
Accountability is something that every competitive athlete has and those athletes are going the extra mile (or inch) in everything they do.
I have seen young athletes attending our camps week after week and putting in the work to consistently get better and it truly does show overtime.
Not every player will be blessed with natural abilities, but those that put in the extra work will eventually exceed raw talent.
Prepare for Tryouts and Recruitment
If you have aspirations to play volleyball in middle school, high school, or college, attending summer clinics is a must.
College and school coaches look for athletes who are dedicated, hardworking, and committed to improving their skills.
Tryouts are intensive and if you have not prepared your body or mind just the pressure alone can change your game and ability to perform.
When you attend club, school, or college tryouts, it is a very short window of work with a lot of players to be seen.
Our camps and clinics are designed to be 1 to 2 hours of intensive, high rep, and high cardio trainings to help build you mental toughness, agility, and confidence to comprehend and perform drills quickly.
You need to have the confidence to step on the court and be the first person to try!
Although we ask for a high level of engagement, we provide a truly safe environment to ask questions, learn how to communicate, and to not be afraid of failure.
"My favorite coaching and life lesson is "What does F.A.I.L stand for?" First Attempt In Learning, this has stuck with me since college, because if you never fail, you never attempted anything new! With playing any sport, you will fail a lot, but the best athletes (and people) try again and come back the next week."
Have fun!
Last but not least, anytime you can get in the gym is a ton of fun! You'll have the opportunity to meet new people, improve your skills, and enjoy the great air conditioning all at the same time. We do live in Texas after all, indoor activities are a luxury during summer. In all seriousness though, our programs have been curated for skill, age, and enjoyment to provide our returners and future players with a productive way to spend a few hours a week during summer break.
So what are you waiting for? Register for one of our many summer programs today and unlock your full potential on the court. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned athlete, there's always room for improvement, and continuing your training over the summer is the perfect opportunity to take your game to the next level.
See you on the court!