I started playing volleyball in 8th grade. I was a little nervous at first, but I soon realized this is the sport for me. Trying a new sport for the first time isn’t easy, but it isn’t impossible. I recommend trying volleyball. Volleyball comes with many benefits, including some social, mental, and physical skills.
Playing volleyball builds your confidence. Understanding that you won’t learn a skill on your first try is important. Practice is needed to make you a skilled player. Playing volleyball will allow you to recognize that failure, challenges, and hard days are going to be a part of any journey. Being the inspiration that you wished you had when starting volleyball is a trait that you should want to have. This is a way that you can build confidence and be your motivation. Having this trait can motivate your teammates to look up to you and be more confident. When you set mini goals that lead you to the overall goal of being a skilled volleyball player, the journey will seem a lot easier. Small goals that I have set for myself are learning how to overhand serve, learn how to set, learn how to bump, and learning a beneficial footwork technique that will help me maneuver on the court better. Small goals like these will set you up for success in achieving your long-term goal, and help build your confidence.
Volleyball helps build social skills and teamwork. To boost your social skills and teamwork you need to be open to suggestions, have effective communication, and learn/know how to maneuver your way around people. Some important qualities to have as a volleyball player are communication, leadership, and a positive attitude and vibe. When people show these qualities, it gives the teammates motivation and you will have a positive reputation. The benefits of playing volleyball are that you will be able to communicate effectively and you will know the concept of teamwork. My biggest advice, when playing volleyball, to you is to get to know your teammates. Knowing how your teammates move will affect the way that you move while you’re playing volleyball. Volleyball can give you some extra practice on your adaptability skills because when you’re getting to know your opponents, your judgment on them will make a difference on how you decide to proceed playing that specific game.
Knowing your opponent’s weaknesses and strengths will affect every move you and your team make. Changing your ways to benefit you, not the other team, when playing on the court is an important skill to have as well. I am always told by my father, “Learn the person, play the game.” The game never changes, but your opponents will. Everyone doesn’t move, think, or act the same. That is why knowing your opponents is important when playing on the court. and you will be able to interpret certain movements/body language quicker than others. When playing volleyball, you will be able to not let one challenge or roadblock stop you from accomplishing a specific long-term goal.
In conclusion, volleyball is a great sport to try and is beneficial to you. Always remember that you can be an inspiration to someone without you even knowing. My father always told me, “Someone is always watching you.” Even if you don’t realize it, you are most likely someone’s inspiration or motivation.
Photo Credits: AJ Guel
Jayla Cunningham- Marist-DMSF Class of 2028