Among many questions that professional volleyball players ask are what are the things they should take in consideration when they have to decide in which professional volleyball club they will continue their volleyball career.
1. WHAT IS MY LEVEL OF PLAY?
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Be realistic about your volleyball skills’ level. Don’t pretend to play for LUBE Macerata or Vakifbank if you have 20 years (unless you are not a new Nikola Grbic or Giba!). Talk to a people who has something to do with volleyball, maybe they can give you some volleyball advice so you can have a better picture.
2. VOLLEYBALL MANAGER: YES OR NO?
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Think about choosing/not choosing a volleyball manager/agency to represent you. There are pros and contros in both cases. Volleyball manager can have a very important role in your career. Read here more about this on “Do I really need a volleyball manager?“
3. AM I GOOD ENOUGH?
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Compare yourself with other volleyball players of your age or your similar skills. Compare always with players on your position and your similar age.
4. WHERE AM I GOING?
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When you get an offer from a volleyball club, ask around for information about the country, city and the place where you should go. Does the city have an airport? Are you close to the sea or in the mountain? If you leave far away from the airport, it can take hours to reach it so one or two-days trip back home can be difficult to organize. Can you leave the country whenever you want or you have to have permission? In some countries you need to ask for an exit visa, and your passport might not be with you all the time.
5. WHAT DO I WANT?
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Have in mind what is your main target: Money? Career? Winning? Progress? Family? Place? Or something else? If you are single and have a bit more experience, you can prefer money. Money is important, but doesn’t have to be the most important. If you are a family man and have some years, you can choose a calm place for your family to feel good. If you are young volleyball player, you’ll prefer to go to some team to learn how to play volleyball and build your career.
6. WHO WILL TEACH ME?
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Who will be your volleyball coach? It depends a lot about your target in your career. There are volleyball coaches who are famous about their work with young players. But if your club play European Cup’s games on Wednesday, then there will be less time to make real practice because you will travel all the time. You’ll just play, play, play.
7. WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF THE TEAM?
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Is the club making team for next year to win the championship? Cup? Or will try to enter the playoffs? Or will try not to relegate? It’s not the same if you have to play for the club where you are about to win almost all the games in the championship and point very high or you will play in a team where the whole season will be consisted in 2-3 games that you have to win in order not to desegregate in lower league and others you will lose 3:0?
8. WHAT IS THE ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY?
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What was the economic situation in the volleyball club in previous season? Did the payers get paid or not? Does the club own some money? What do ex-players say about that? Sometimes players don’t get paid and don’t have the money to pay the airplane ticket to come back home. Every detail is important. You can browse some volleyball forums or blogs to search for information.
Also economic situation in the country has to be taken in consideration.
Try to get as much info as you can. Not all of the points can have a positive result. Otherwise, that place would be a world famous volleyball Mekka yet undiscovered!!! Stick to what is important to you and think about this, even when the times become tough! Don’t be afraid, maybe you are about to make the best volleyball experience of your life!
Good luck!
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