Which college volleyball summer camp is right for you? College coaches are heavily marketing summer camps this time of year. This a major fundraising opportunity for the college coaches to raise money for their programs. As a parent, you will want to choose summer camps wisely. First, only target programs that are an academic and athletic fit. A great way to evaluate where your student athlete is athletically is to get on YouTube and look at the college teams competing and compare your athlete to their roster. Does he/she come close to the talent level?
Second, what areas of study are your son/daughter interested in pursuing? It doesn’t do you any good to send your student athlete to a camp where their major is not offered. Business degrees are widely available at most institutions, however Oceanography and Marine Biology are limiting. These are just examples; I would highly recommend your student athlete begin exploring potential careers in high school. Also research which colleges are best known for your student athletes area of study. It would be wise to target these programs because you need to consider life after college. How marketable will your student athlete be once they graduate?
You will want them to have a plan for college, even if it changes. College is expensive right? How nice would it be if your student athlete had a focus? I recently worked with a student athlete who wanted to pursue physical therapy. When we had her participate in a shadow program for the day, she decided it was not a fit for her because she didn’t want to touch people’s feet.
You can use summer camp as a tool in the recruiting process. This is an opportunity for your student athlete to experience the campus, including life in the college dorms, coaching staff, recruits, potential teammates and evaluate if it’s a program that is a fit.
As a college volleyball recruiting expert, I would encourage you take your time before making a decision. Camps are expensive, and time is limited so choose wisely. If you need assistance in choosing the right camps for your student athlete call me at 949-264-1454. I am happy to provide a FREE consultation with your family to evaluate your options and help you make the right choice. Helping student athletes find the perfect fit in a college is my passion!