Please Show This Post to Your Nephew (And All of His Friends and His Friends' Friends)

This is the second in a series of occasional posts in which we ask established male players to tell us (and anyone else who reads this blog) what they would tell an 11-year-old boy interested in volleyball. As before, we were very impressed with the maturity of the responses and the players' obvious passion for the game.

Parker Gross, Appleton North '08, UW-Oshkosh '12

"I would tell him to always have an open mind about the game. Volleyball can be many different things to many different people. To me it started as a way to get in shape for basketball, which later developed into a passion for the game. Did I get picked on a little bit? Yes. Did I let it bother me? No. I quickly realized that there is nothing "girlie" about a spike coming at you at upwards of 50 mph. I would encourage him to start club volleyball as soon as possible. Club is the best way for young boys to learn the game and develop crucial skills. Some 11-year-old boys get discouraged because they are unable to spike the ball like the older kids can. But the majority of volleyball is control, including serve receive, setting, controlled drives and digging. These are all skills that can be learned at age 11 and are just as, if not more, important than spiking. And finally, just have fun! I have made countless friends, kept in shape and found a game I can play for the rest of my life. High school volleyball was something I will never forget as long as I live."

Matt Hogan, Milwaukee Marquette '08, Loyola '12

"I started when I was in fifth grade and always saw it as an advantage. In grade school I started as a basketball player. I used volleyball for agility and jump training. I saw guys like Wilt Chamberlain, Vince Carter and Tosa East's Devin Harris jump and after I found out they were volleyball players I followed in the footsteps of my brother and sister. I encourage any athlete to play volleyball because, if nothing else, it keeps you active and jumping. Throughout high school, I knew plenty of players who used volleyball for off-season training. Contrary to popular belief, volleyball is an active sport that requires many of the basic skills needed for other sports. The reasons to play are simple enough. Staying active and healthy along with doing jump training can increase any athlete's chances at any sport."

Thanks to both players for participating and good luck with your seasons. If any other established players are interested in participating in this series, e-mail vbuberalles@gmail.com. Thanks.