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Sacramento beach Volleyball Club's Exclusive Interview
with NCVC's Robert McNutt (2007)
"Let them find their voice."
He is the hottest coach in the Sacramento area, and also one of the newest. While he may be
new to our area he is not new to volleyball. Coach McNutt is a two-time NCAA Champion,
has played for some of the best coaches in America, and has decades of experience.
When did you move to the Sacramento area?
11 years ago my family and I moved to Lincoln, Ca. from San Pedro, Ca.
How did you come to move to Auburn?
After a few years raising our young children on 20 acres we decided to move to Meadow
Vista where it is semi-rural and not quite as hot in the summer.
How did you get in to club volleyball in Sacramento?
When I first arrived I hooked up with Randy Ittner who is a former All-American from UCSB
and National Team player. We competed against each other in High School, College and
played together on the USA Junior National Team. We also coached together at Torrance
VBC in Torrance, Ca. He was coaching Placer High School and coaching for Foothill VBC
and I would come and workout and run some of the practices.
Can you describe your formative years in volleyball before attending Pepperdine?
I started indoor volleyball in 10th grade while attending San Pedro High School in Los
Angeles. I would workout with my brother's team at Harbor Junior College and that
philosophy of playing up has been with me since. While I was at the Junior College I got to
play against the University of Hawaii every year as they came to town to play the D-1
schools. I remember Coach Shoji asking me how old I was and he was stunned to find out I
was only in 11th grade. In my 12th grade year I was selected to the Los Angeles All-City 1st
team and was recruited by UCLA, Hawaii and Pepperdine. My first pick was Hawaii but my
parents thought that I might find more success at a smaller school. Little did I know we would
become the most successful group of players in Pepperdine History.
What do you attribute to your success as a player?
I really think that the coaches' attention to technique and the intensity of practices and training
with our teams was a key component. I know that we lifted, ran and trained harder then
everyone else. Also, Marv would only keep players on the team that were fully committed to
winning a National Championship. This competitive spirit amongst players is still evident today
at Pepperdine. When I arrived at Pepperdine in 1982 Marv Dunphy was just getting back to
Malibu after earning a PHD from BYU. Throughout my time in the program I was coached by
many great coaches: Kirk Kilgour, Harlen Cohen, Gary Sato, Ted Dodd, Gary Stevenson, Jim
McLaughlin, Rod Wilde and more. Each one of those coaches taught me something unique
that helped me establish myself as an all-around player.
What do you attribute to your success as a coach?
My High school coach Dick Demar always joked that the best way to be a good coach is to.
1) Open up the gym on time. 2) Turn on the lights. 3) Roll out a ball. In reality being a great
coach is very complex. Coaches need to be organized, diligent and open minded. We
challenge our coaches to study volleyball. We have sent our coaches to "Gold Medal
Squared" coaching clinics and encourage them to work outside of the club. Dave Lacoste
who works with both our boys and girls club is working this summer at Pepperdine with Marv
Dunphy. A great coach is never comfortable with what he has achieved and is always looking
to improve his coaching techniques and his ability to communicate and then reach goals.
How did you come to create NCVC?
Northern California Volleyball Club is now in it's second season but the short history is as
follows. In 2003 we started Placer VBC for local boys volleyball players. In 2005 we joined
with Ikaika VBC to create NorCal EXP which lasted one year. I know most of the Ikaika
players had played for you and Sacramento VBC beforehand.
In just your second year your boys finished fifth in the Open. That might be the highest
finish ever by a Sacramento team. What do you attribute to your success?
Actually, the team that started as NorCal EXP 17-1 became NCVC 18-1. Throughout the
year we had up to 18 different players come and go from that team. We ended JO's with a
5th in Open by playing team ball. We lost a few stars from that team and we actually played
more united at the end. I really think that the players and assistant coaches did a great job of
preparing themselves everyday at JO's. Everyone played a part in the big puzzle. It was a
great experience for everyone.
NCVC began with boys teams and added girls teams making your club the only co-ed
club in Sacramento. Was this part of a plan?
I never had any intention of starting a co-ed club but some of the parents who had both sons
and daughters wanted an alternative to what was available. I was hesitant and knew we
should start small and only offer teams if I had good coaches to fill those roles. It turned out to
be a very positive experience for myself and the girls who played for us.
Do you see advantages to having a co-ed club?
Yes, the intensity of the players has increased as well as the community spirit. At Cal Finals all
of our teams played and it was a great tournament for our club. I know my 15s girls team felt
appreciated when our boys teams watched them play. During season our boys and girls
practice against each other which makes for very intense volleyball. Also, this summer the boys
and girls workout together at clinics and I know first hand that it improves all of their games.
What are the differences between boys and girls volleyball?
We don't differ our approach toward the boys or girls. The boys have more power and the
girls have more ball control. We still teach them the same and base most of our workouts
around getting prepared for college volleyball.
What are the differences between coaching boys and girls?
I did not expect the girls to be so competitive. I was told that I might have trouble adjusting to
coaching girls but it was refreshing how hard they will work for themselves and the team.
Overall we just see them as athletes and use the same goals and standards for both.
In Northern California boys are not allowed to compete in CIF. Looking at your Southern
California volleyball roots, what is the value to boys to be able to compete in CIF volleyball?
Right now our High Schools compete in CIF but do not have a sanctioned CIF playoff.
Granite Bay and Placer were two of the top 10 schools in California last year but only could
test this by playing in tournaments down in Southern Ca, Fresno and the Bay Area. It would
definitely lift the sport locally if we had playoffs. Most boys are turned off by the fact we have
no playoff system in Sacramento.
What are your goals for NCVC?
Our first goal is to provide a positive, healthy environment to learn power indoor volleyball. I
think we have established ourselves this first year as being serious about the game of volleyball
and offering players excellent coaches who are dedicated to teaching the game. Our second
goal is to become one of the top teams in Northern California and then the USA. Our boys
have put us on the map this year with both our 18's and 16's earning Open bids for the Junior
Olympics. Our girls teams after one season have become competitive and close to being one
of the top clubs in NorCal. This year we will have 7-8 boys teams and 5-8 girls teams. We
do not plan on getting any bigger than this.
How does your extensive playing experience help with your coaching?
I do think that playing at a higher level will give a coach an advantage during competition.
You began playing on the beach in Southern California. How did this experience
contribute to your success?
After watching both of my parents playing volleyball it was natural for my brothers and sister to
play beach volleyball growing up. We spent almost everyday at the beach in summer playing
pick-up volleyball after boogie boarding or body surfing. Beach gave me the time to perfect
my game and to work on the mental aspects which later on would be everything to a
competitive indoor player.
We often hear the term ‘volleyball lifestyle,’ how would you define or describe this term?
Live it, breathe it, play it. After beach VB in the summer we would play at least three nights of
indoor VB at the drop in rec.gyms. It was always fun to play and of course there were no
coaches around to tell you how to play.
While many Sacramento area players report their coach has discouraged or banned
them from beach volleyball you have embraced the program. What would you say to
Sacramento coaches who believe their players should not play beach?
Anytime you touch a volleyball is good. If you can also play in a competitive or fun game that
is a bonus. Time on task! The more you play the better you will be. Beach turns players into
all-around players. Indoor may be getting more isolated but an all-around player will make
more points for a team than one-dimensional players.
How do you reconcile attitude of these coaches with the widely published beliefs of
Misty May, Keri Walsh, Karch Kiraly and others?
The will to win by these players you have listed is enormous. Most of the best beach players
had great indoor careers. The crossover is huge in terms of the mental aspect. I truly believe
that beach volleyball is a much tougher sport to play with all of the elements. This can only
make you a better indoor player.
What can parents expect from their children’s participation in beach volleyball?
I think parents will be overwhelmed at how much confidence and self-esteem is established
from playing Beach. There is something really pure about doubles on the sand that you do not
find on the indoor courts.
Do you see differences between volleyball in Northern and Southern California?
Not in girls volleyball but in boys. The girls indoor game is huge in Northern California and
some of the top players in the nation are coming out of here. The boys are starting to see the
gap closing by traveling to Southern Cal, and JO's around the USA.
Are there differences between the way clubs are run in NorCal versus SoCal?
I have nieces at Laguna Beach VBC and Saddleback VBC. Those clubs are very big and
have been around along time. I think they are very up front about players abilities and tend not
to promise anything. I think some of the NorCal mentality is to make people feel good and
sometimes this can mislead people about their sons/daughters ability to play in college. It takes
a lot of hard work and desire to make it into college.
How would you describe the typical SoCal volleyball player’s experience?
On the Boys side it is increasingly topsy turvy. Ever year players jump from one to team to the
next to make so called All-star teams. Our 18-1 team knocked out three Southern California
teams like this from the Gold division at JOs. There is something to be said about too much of
a good thing. I think "team" teams often do better because everyone knows their role on the
team.
As a new coach in NorCal with SoCal roots how have other coaches in our area
reached out to you or have accepted you?
I have been coaching for 5 years in NorCal and have had good experiences with almost
everyone. Of course not everyone agrees on everything but for the most part all of the
programs and directors are very good people.
How do clubs in Sacramento relate to each other compared to SoCal?
I would say that the competitive spirit between clubs is the same. Healthy rivalries are a good
thing but sometimes they can get out of control. It seems to me that boys tend to better job
than girls at leaving the rivalry on the court and being able to hang out with players from other
clubs.
What are the biggest challenges to the development of volleyball in Sacramento?
I actually think that volleyball is healthy in Sacramento and that the Clubs that exist today are
doing a great job for the most part.
If you could change three things in NorCal/Sacramento volleyball what would they be?
Boys High School Playoffs, more local tournaments during NCVA season and more co-ed
events like Cal Finals.
Much has been written and discussed on the modern relationship between parents and
coaches or directors. What is your general philosophy in dealing with parents?
We have a club manual on-line www.ncvcvolleyball.com that anyone can look at regarding
player/parent/coach/director communication. Most importantly we are trying to have the
players work directly with their coach to solve problems. We are pretty firm about the chain
of command and how parents and players should deal with any problems they have. I truly
believe the player must find a voice for himself on a team and with his/her coach and also in life.
Indoor club volleyball presents a natural conflict between the cost to participate and
playing time. Do you guarantee playing time? How do you handle this issue?
NCVC is a power volleyball club. We have a #1 team that is highly competitive and playing
time is based on many factors. Attendance, work ethic, preparedness (uniforms & equipment)
and intra squad competition. Everyone plays and all of our players are asked to train in "two
positions". The #2 team is run exactly the same. Not everyone plays the same amount of time
every tournament but all players should feel part of the team and play a role in the team's
success. We try to be as fair as possible but we are going to play the best or hottest players at
the end of a tournament or game regardless of how they started. This can happen over the
season as well. With boys we actually pick our Junior Olympic Qualifier teams after our
Power League Season from both our #1 and #2 teams.
What is the most frequent question parents ask?
What can son/daughter do to become a better player? Answer. Play more volleyball. Marv
Dunphy, the coach for Pepperdine University often reminds me. "The best way to get better at
volleyball is to play volleyball."
What question makes you most uncomfortable?
I do not have a problem with any question as long as that question is not within 24 hours of a
tournament and also that the person asking the question is the right person, at the time, to ask it.
What question do you most enjoy answering?
"Coach, what do you think my sons/daughters weaknesses are and how do we need to work
on them?"
What is the proper role of parents of volleyball players?
As a parent of a player myself I would suggest being patient. Often I think my son should be
playing more or at a higher level but when I ask him all he says is "I had fun today". I think that
is the most important thing if you want your son/daughter to continue in the sport. Don't put too
much pressure on them or they will not be playing for themselves. Listen, I know at times my
son just wants to talk about a problem and is not suggesting I solve it. Sometimes parents feel
it is there duty to fix everything. Let them find their voice.
What would you most like to see parents do more often?
I think the parents we have had at NCVC are great. They work together to get the good food
rolling at tournaments and also come with a healthy, positive and realistic outlook.
What would you like to see parents do less often?
I have seen some clubs and their parents distract other players and teams while they are
playing. Personally, I find that very disrespectful. I know some players might get into
confrontations on the court once in a while but the spectators need to find a more positive
outlet around children. I believe it is the duty of the Club Director to influence the behavior of
the parents of the club.
What has been your most challenging experience with parents?
I know that playing time is the biggest challenge for any club. We are fortunate to have a great
group of coaches who are in tune with the game and their players and are able to be as fair as
possible with playing time.
Many coaches in our area virtually guarantee a college scholarship if parents choose
their club. In your view what is the reality for both boys and girls being of receiving
scholarship offers?
I think if you are playing volleyball for a scholarship you are playing for the wrong reason.
Division 1 Men's volleyball offers only 4.5 scholarships per team. Most players that do
receive a scholarship receive a percentage of a whole scholarship. This year four of our Boys
players received scholarship money. The key is our players are looking at other options to
play. Two of these players are going to a NAIA team and not an NCAA team. As for girls,
there are a lot of opportunities for scholarships but most of them are going to come from small
schools across America. If your daughter wants to play for a top D-1 school she will have to
be one of the top 100 players in America that year or one of the top 3 players in Northern
California. The question is...Will you go out of state to get a full scholarship?
with NCVC's Robert McNutt (2007)
"Let them find their voice."
He is the hottest coach in the Sacramento area, and also one of the newest. While he may be
new to our area he is not new to volleyball. Coach McNutt is a two-time NCAA Champion,
has played for some of the best coaches in America, and has decades of experience.
When did you move to the Sacramento area?
11 years ago my family and I moved to Lincoln, Ca. from San Pedro, Ca.
How did you come to move to Auburn?
After a few years raising our young children on 20 acres we decided to move to Meadow
Vista where it is semi-rural and not quite as hot in the summer.
How did you get in to club volleyball in Sacramento?
When I first arrived I hooked up with Randy Ittner who is a former All-American from UCSB
and National Team player. We competed against each other in High School, College and
played together on the USA Junior National Team. We also coached together at Torrance
VBC in Torrance, Ca. He was coaching Placer High School and coaching for Foothill VBC
and I would come and workout and run some of the practices.
Can you describe your formative years in volleyball before attending Pepperdine?
I started indoor volleyball in 10th grade while attending San Pedro High School in Los
Angeles. I would workout with my brother's team at Harbor Junior College and that
philosophy of playing up has been with me since. While I was at the Junior College I got to
play against the University of Hawaii every year as they came to town to play the D-1
schools. I remember Coach Shoji asking me how old I was and he was stunned to find out I
was only in 11th grade. In my 12th grade year I was selected to the Los Angeles All-City 1st
team and was recruited by UCLA, Hawaii and Pepperdine. My first pick was Hawaii but my
parents thought that I might find more success at a smaller school. Little did I know we would
become the most successful group of players in Pepperdine History.
What do you attribute to your success as a player?
I really think that the coaches' attention to technique and the intensity of practices and training
with our teams was a key component. I know that we lifted, ran and trained harder then
everyone else. Also, Marv would only keep players on the team that were fully committed to
winning a National Championship. This competitive spirit amongst players is still evident today
at Pepperdine. When I arrived at Pepperdine in 1982 Marv Dunphy was just getting back to
Malibu after earning a PHD from BYU. Throughout my time in the program I was coached by
many great coaches: Kirk Kilgour, Harlen Cohen, Gary Sato, Ted Dodd, Gary Stevenson, Jim
McLaughlin, Rod Wilde and more. Each one of those coaches taught me something unique
that helped me establish myself as an all-around player.
What do you attribute to your success as a coach?
My High school coach Dick Demar always joked that the best way to be a good coach is to.
1) Open up the gym on time. 2) Turn on the lights. 3) Roll out a ball. In reality being a great
coach is very complex. Coaches need to be organized, diligent and open minded. We
challenge our coaches to study volleyball. We have sent our coaches to "Gold Medal
Squared" coaching clinics and encourage them to work outside of the club. Dave Lacoste
who works with both our boys and girls club is working this summer at Pepperdine with Marv
Dunphy. A great coach is never comfortable with what he has achieved and is always looking
to improve his coaching techniques and his ability to communicate and then reach goals.
How did you come to create NCVC?
Northern California Volleyball Club is now in it's second season but the short history is as
follows. In 2003 we started Placer VBC for local boys volleyball players. In 2005 we joined
with Ikaika VBC to create NorCal EXP which lasted one year. I know most of the Ikaika
players had played for you and Sacramento VBC beforehand.
In just your second year your boys finished fifth in the Open. That might be the highest
finish ever by a Sacramento team. What do you attribute to your success?
Actually, the team that started as NorCal EXP 17-1 became NCVC 18-1. Throughout the
year we had up to 18 different players come and go from that team. We ended JO's with a
5th in Open by playing team ball. We lost a few stars from that team and we actually played
more united at the end. I really think that the players and assistant coaches did a great job of
preparing themselves everyday at JO's. Everyone played a part in the big puzzle. It was a
great experience for everyone.
NCVC began with boys teams and added girls teams making your club the only co-ed
club in Sacramento. Was this part of a plan?
I never had any intention of starting a co-ed club but some of the parents who had both sons
and daughters wanted an alternative to what was available. I was hesitant and knew we
should start small and only offer teams if I had good coaches to fill those roles. It turned out to
be a very positive experience for myself and the girls who played for us.
Do you see advantages to having a co-ed club?
Yes, the intensity of the players has increased as well as the community spirit. At Cal Finals all
of our teams played and it was a great tournament for our club. I know my 15s girls team felt
appreciated when our boys teams watched them play. During season our boys and girls
practice against each other which makes for very intense volleyball. Also, this summer the boys
and girls workout together at clinics and I know first hand that it improves all of their games.
What are the differences between boys and girls volleyball?
We don't differ our approach toward the boys or girls. The boys have more power and the
girls have more ball control. We still teach them the same and base most of our workouts
around getting prepared for college volleyball.
What are the differences between coaching boys and girls?
I did not expect the girls to be so competitive. I was told that I might have trouble adjusting to
coaching girls but it was refreshing how hard they will work for themselves and the team.
Overall we just see them as athletes and use the same goals and standards for both.
In Northern California boys are not allowed to compete in CIF. Looking at your Southern
California volleyball roots, what is the value to boys to be able to compete in CIF volleyball?
Right now our High Schools compete in CIF but do not have a sanctioned CIF playoff.
Granite Bay and Placer were two of the top 10 schools in California last year but only could
test this by playing in tournaments down in Southern Ca, Fresno and the Bay Area. It would
definitely lift the sport locally if we had playoffs. Most boys are turned off by the fact we have
no playoff system in Sacramento.
What are your goals for NCVC?
Our first goal is to provide a positive, healthy environment to learn power indoor volleyball. I
think we have established ourselves this first year as being serious about the game of volleyball
and offering players excellent coaches who are dedicated to teaching the game. Our second
goal is to become one of the top teams in Northern California and then the USA. Our boys
have put us on the map this year with both our 18's and 16's earning Open bids for the Junior
Olympics. Our girls teams after one season have become competitive and close to being one
of the top clubs in NorCal. This year we will have 7-8 boys teams and 5-8 girls teams. We
do not plan on getting any bigger than this.
How does your extensive playing experience help with your coaching?
I do think that playing at a higher level will give a coach an advantage during competition.
You began playing on the beach in Southern California. How did this experience
contribute to your success?
After watching both of my parents playing volleyball it was natural for my brothers and sister to
play beach volleyball growing up. We spent almost everyday at the beach in summer playing
pick-up volleyball after boogie boarding or body surfing. Beach gave me the time to perfect
my game and to work on the mental aspects which later on would be everything to a
competitive indoor player.
We often hear the term ‘volleyball lifestyle,’ how would you define or describe this term?
Live it, breathe it, play it. After beach VB in the summer we would play at least three nights of
indoor VB at the drop in rec.gyms. It was always fun to play and of course there were no
coaches around to tell you how to play.
While many Sacramento area players report their coach has discouraged or banned
them from beach volleyball you have embraced the program. What would you say to
Sacramento coaches who believe their players should not play beach?
Anytime you touch a volleyball is good. If you can also play in a competitive or fun game that
is a bonus. Time on task! The more you play the better you will be. Beach turns players into
all-around players. Indoor may be getting more isolated but an all-around player will make
more points for a team than one-dimensional players.
How do you reconcile attitude of these coaches with the widely published beliefs of
Misty May, Keri Walsh, Karch Kiraly and others?
The will to win by these players you have listed is enormous. Most of the best beach players
had great indoor careers. The crossover is huge in terms of the mental aspect. I truly believe
that beach volleyball is a much tougher sport to play with all of the elements. This can only
make you a better indoor player.
What can parents expect from their children’s participation in beach volleyball?
I think parents will be overwhelmed at how much confidence and self-esteem is established
from playing Beach. There is something really pure about doubles on the sand that you do not
find on the indoor courts.
Do you see differences between volleyball in Northern and Southern California?
Not in girls volleyball but in boys. The girls indoor game is huge in Northern California and
some of the top players in the nation are coming out of here. The boys are starting to see the
gap closing by traveling to Southern Cal, and JO's around the USA.
Are there differences between the way clubs are run in NorCal versus SoCal?
I have nieces at Laguna Beach VBC and Saddleback VBC. Those clubs are very big and
have been around along time. I think they are very up front about players abilities and tend not
to promise anything. I think some of the NorCal mentality is to make people feel good and
sometimes this can mislead people about their sons/daughters ability to play in college. It takes
a lot of hard work and desire to make it into college.
How would you describe the typical SoCal volleyball player’s experience?
On the Boys side it is increasingly topsy turvy. Ever year players jump from one to team to the
next to make so called All-star teams. Our 18-1 team knocked out three Southern California
teams like this from the Gold division at JOs. There is something to be said about too much of
a good thing. I think "team" teams often do better because everyone knows their role on the
team.
As a new coach in NorCal with SoCal roots how have other coaches in our area
reached out to you or have accepted you?
I have been coaching for 5 years in NorCal and have had good experiences with almost
everyone. Of course not everyone agrees on everything but for the most part all of the
programs and directors are very good people.
How do clubs in Sacramento relate to each other compared to SoCal?
I would say that the competitive spirit between clubs is the same. Healthy rivalries are a good
thing but sometimes they can get out of control. It seems to me that boys tend to better job
than girls at leaving the rivalry on the court and being able to hang out with players from other
clubs.
What are the biggest challenges to the development of volleyball in Sacramento?
I actually think that volleyball is healthy in Sacramento and that the Clubs that exist today are
doing a great job for the most part.
If you could change three things in NorCal/Sacramento volleyball what would they be?
Boys High School Playoffs, more local tournaments during NCVA season and more co-ed
events like Cal Finals.
Much has been written and discussed on the modern relationship between parents and
coaches or directors. What is your general philosophy in dealing with parents?
We have a club manual on-line www.ncvcvolleyball.com that anyone can look at regarding
player/parent/coach/director communication. Most importantly we are trying to have the
players work directly with their coach to solve problems. We are pretty firm about the chain
of command and how parents and players should deal with any problems they have. I truly
believe the player must find a voice for himself on a team and with his/her coach and also in life.
Indoor club volleyball presents a natural conflict between the cost to participate and
playing time. Do you guarantee playing time? How do you handle this issue?
NCVC is a power volleyball club. We have a #1 team that is highly competitive and playing
time is based on many factors. Attendance, work ethic, preparedness (uniforms & equipment)
and intra squad competition. Everyone plays and all of our players are asked to train in "two
positions". The #2 team is run exactly the same. Not everyone plays the same amount of time
every tournament but all players should feel part of the team and play a role in the team's
success. We try to be as fair as possible but we are going to play the best or hottest players at
the end of a tournament or game regardless of how they started. This can happen over the
season as well. With boys we actually pick our Junior Olympic Qualifier teams after our
Power League Season from both our #1 and #2 teams.
What is the most frequent question parents ask?
What can son/daughter do to become a better player? Answer. Play more volleyball. Marv
Dunphy, the coach for Pepperdine University often reminds me. "The best way to get better at
volleyball is to play volleyball."
What question makes you most uncomfortable?
I do not have a problem with any question as long as that question is not within 24 hours of a
tournament and also that the person asking the question is the right person, at the time, to ask it.
What question do you most enjoy answering?
"Coach, what do you think my sons/daughters weaknesses are and how do we need to work
on them?"
What is the proper role of parents of volleyball players?
As a parent of a player myself I would suggest being patient. Often I think my son should be
playing more or at a higher level but when I ask him all he says is "I had fun today". I think that
is the most important thing if you want your son/daughter to continue in the sport. Don't put too
much pressure on them or they will not be playing for themselves. Listen, I know at times my
son just wants to talk about a problem and is not suggesting I solve it. Sometimes parents feel
it is there duty to fix everything. Let them find their voice.
What would you most like to see parents do more often?
I think the parents we have had at NCVC are great. They work together to get the good food
rolling at tournaments and also come with a healthy, positive and realistic outlook.
What would you like to see parents do less often?
I have seen some clubs and their parents distract other players and teams while they are
playing. Personally, I find that very disrespectful. I know some players might get into
confrontations on the court once in a while but the spectators need to find a more positive
outlet around children. I believe it is the duty of the Club Director to influence the behavior of
the parents of the club.
What has been your most challenging experience with parents?
I know that playing time is the biggest challenge for any club. We are fortunate to have a great
group of coaches who are in tune with the game and their players and are able to be as fair as
possible with playing time.
Many coaches in our area virtually guarantee a college scholarship if parents choose
their club. In your view what is the reality for both boys and girls being of receiving
scholarship offers?
I think if you are playing volleyball for a scholarship you are playing for the wrong reason.
Division 1 Men's volleyball offers only 4.5 scholarships per team. Most players that do
receive a scholarship receive a percentage of a whole scholarship. This year four of our Boys
players received scholarship money. The key is our players are looking at other options to
play. Two of these players are going to a NAIA team and not an NCAA team. As for girls,
there are a lot of opportunities for scholarships but most of them are going to come from small
schools across America. If your daughter wants to play for a top D-1 school she will have to
be one of the top 100 players in America that year or one of the top 3 players in Northern
California. The question is...Will you go out of state to get a full scholarship?
