National Team Development Program - For Real?

[salsolomon]

Given that they've stopped the massive, inefficient HP tryouts at every qualifier and large tournament, I would guess they're leaving a lot of money on the table by not charging families for those tryouts (run by mostly unpaid volunteer coaches).

I worked at a few HP camps in the past and they were among the most organized and intense camps I've been a part of:
- Long days with tons of instruction on the court
- Classroom presentations about very valuable stuff
- Plenty of play with good feedback

All the coaches were engaged and working hard (usually hoping to be noticed as coaches and get a chance to coach in the pipeline) and at the end of the camp every player (and coach) received incredibly detailed evaluations in writing.

Most of the players at the camps I was working had zero chance of ending up on a team (which was why they were invited to an A3 or A2 camp as opposed to playing for a national HP team) but they got better volleyball instruction and development than at any other camp I've been a part of (college, club, private) in 2 decades coaching.

[vbct3]

Also of note is because they aren't running as many camps and tryouts and all that, the coaching pool they select from to run the programs is much smaller and tends to be all NCAA D1 coaches and/or coaches who have national team playing/coaching experience.

Back in the old format with A1 Continental / A2 / A3, it was a huge mix of random club and high school coaches and a handful of college coaches working the A1 program at HP Championships.

[vbfamily]

Mar 9, 2023 16:54:51 GMT -5 wonkaman said:

Without exposure comes absence. I know that Emerson Sellman and Macaria Spears from this area got invites. Don't know if they actually went but both made the National team, Sellman as an alternate.

I'm sure USAV is being selective with you they train. I know only the best from this area get invites to NTPD.

Agree…even if it doesn’t lead to a NT program it’s a great experience to play with athletes all around the country that have been vetted to some level. Also several college coaches from all over work the camps. My kid started A2 and continued to move up after evaluation. It’s also about the same cost as most college camps. She actually never went to a college camp, even the school she ultimately played for.

[ineedajob]

Mar 9, 2023 17:17:30 GMT -5 ay2013 said:

Mar 9, 2023 16:03:11 GMT -5 Not Me said:

Aren’t college camps the same thing? Kids go because they think they are going to get instruction from the college coach and possible get recruited. But then they wind up with a player or a local club coach and they see the College coach walk by their court a few times.

The money is out there. Parents are going to spend it. Why shouldn’t the USAV get their piece of the pie.

I agree. I mean, some girl in so cal travels to Indiana every month just to play club volleyball. The money is out there, I don't see why USAV shouldn't get their piece of the pie.

And lets not pretend that the USAV is the only ones blowing smoke up these players and their families. I've heard stories of what some colleges will say to recruits to get them to sign, only for that player to never see the court.

Are you suggesting that college coaches intentionally spend time, effort, and their limited number of scholarships on players who they know will never see the court for them?