We hope you are all staying safe and healthy at home. Like other local businesses and schools, we were extremely sad to close our doors during the quarantine, but we know it’s the right (and only!) thing to do. There are bigger forces at work here, and we hope that volleyball can continue to be a bright spot for you all in a dark time. We will certainly be grateful for every minute of training and time with our wonderful community when we’re back!
If you haven’t yet seen (or attempted) our 50 Ways to Volley On or our #setandsitchallenge, check out those links for some fun ways to train at home!
In addition to our at home training, we wanted to provide resources for at-home workouts, volleyball videos, college recruiting, and more. Check it out below...
1. At Home Workouts
We’ve put together a Youtube Playlist of some of our favorite At-Home Workouts. Many of these focus on jumping and increasing vertical, as we get asked that question A LOT! This is actually a great time for you all to improve your vertical without risking overuse as you’re not jumping repeatedly in practice and at matches.
We also created a Youtube playlist of our favorite mobility exercises, most of which require either no equipment or a resistance band and a wall or doorway. Get creative here! For all attackers, the shoulder mobility exercises are a game changer in terms of both injury prevention and arm speed.
For any yogis out there (or anyone looking to get into yoga!), here is a Youtube Playlist of some of our favorite at home yoga classes.
Upper Deck Fitness, our fitness partner, is ramping up their livestream workouts during this time, with more classes and times offered. The first class is FREE for all members, so we highly recommend trying this out! Parents can join for these as well - you can try or purchase one class and have the whole family join on one device.
Nike Training Club, one of our favorite workout apps, is currently offering their premium workouts for FREE on the NTC app. Just download the latest version from the App Store and sign up for Premium through the app. Any of the classes from the Master trainers (Joe Holder is our favorite!) are awesome, and you can filter by level/time or equipment (none, dumbells only, etc).
Please note that some of these workouts and exercises are not for beginners, so please be mindful of your ability and level when choosing at-home workouts and move into the exercises slowly and mindfully!
2. Watch Volleyball
There are literally THOUSANDS of full volleyball matches to watch on Youtube at all levels. We’ve made a Youtube playlist of some of our favorite EPIC volleyball matches for you to watch college, professional, and Olympic level volleyball. Get your home movie set-up ready, pop some popcorn, and get pumped for some great volleyball! Watching and studying high level volleyball is a highly effective learning tool - and good entertainment.
We’ve also compiled some of our favorite volleyball technique videos on Youtube to keep up with your technical and mental training at home. There are a lot of good footwork exercises and patterns in this video that you can work on at home (blocking trips, setter footwork, approaches, shuffle to pass).
For the NEVBC teams that have Hudl accounts, watch it! Make playlists of you passing/setting/attacking/etc, add comments or questions, and share your playlists with your directors and coaches. We can be your virtual coaches during this time.
3. College Recruiting
If you guys have been following us on Instagram, you’ve likely seen the NCAA rule changes that have come into effect as a result of the quarantine. In order to limit contact, the NCAA has enacted a “dead period” through at least April 15, which means no in-person visits or recruiting. I know this might make you feel as though you’re falling behind, but remember that everyone across the country is in the same situation!
During this time, NEVBC Athletes can set up meetings with our Recruiting Director Cat over Facetime/Hangouts to talk about the recruiting process, review college lists or video, or discuss any other recruiting needs. Feel free to set up a meeting here!
Here is a quick review of what you CAN be doing right now by year! This applies to DI/DII schools, as the same rules and dates (June 15/Aug 1) do not apply to DIII schools. Check this article out for a quick refresh of the rules and timing.
2020 Seniors & 2021 Juniors
1. Send emails, and remember that you can receive emails from college coaches in return and start building a relationship.
2. Pick up the phone and call coaches – they are allowed to either answer OR call you back!
3. Text and direct-message coaches.
4. Ask about camp this summer (this is more for juniors!). 2022 Sophomores
1.Email coaches and fill out questionnaires! Remember that they can’t email you back until June 15, 2020, but you can leave them Cat’s contact info (cat@northeastvbc.com / 949-533-8032).
2. Make a list of camps you’re interested in and reserve a spot before they fill up! Remember that you can ask coaches about their camps before June 15, either via phone or email.
3. Get ready for June 15, 2020. This is a big date for you, as this is when you can directly communicate with DI/DII college coaches, receive recruiting materials, and start building relationships with coaches (calling, texting, and emailing).
4. Starting August 1, 2020, you can take an official or unofficial visit to universities. As you start narrowing your list, think about where you might want to visit in the fall.As you all can see, there are a lot of ways to stay involved and stay sharp with your training, fitness, and recruiting while at home. Stay healthy, and we will be back!