Volleyball Video Guidance
Having the right video is key to the recruiting process. Coaches want to learn everything they can about athletes before recruiting them and the best way to do this is by watching their videos.
FieldLevel has spoken to multiple college volleyball coaches about what they want to see AND what they don’t want to see in an athlete’s video.
Here are 5 things you can do to impress college coaches and have the best video possible.
1. Create a Highlight Reel
Your highlight reel is a chance to showcase your best moments as an athlete. These are the moments that will catch a coach’s eye — without highlights, getting seen is nearly impossible. Post the highlights that you do have and continue to upload new ones as time goes on.
| Your highlight reel should … | Your highlight reel should not … |
| – Start strong and have your most impressive plays at the beginning. – Include plays showing how you react and adapt in the moment. – Show consecutive clips of a particular skill for your position. | – Be complicated — there’s no need to stop, pause, replay clips, or include music. – Include every single play where you touch the ball — choose quality plays. – Include basic plays that anyone at your position should be able to make, such as serving. |
2. Have Match Video Readily Available
After watching your highlight reel, coaches will want to study your match videos to verify that the talent they saw in your highlights is consistent throughout a match. This is where they will be able to see how you move, interact with your teammates, improve from game to game, and your overall attitude and leadership abilities. Even though you can’t upload a full match on FieldLevel, it is important to have it readily available in case college coaches requests it from you.
| Your game video should … | Your game video shouldn’t … |
| – Be as compact as possible — cut out downtime between plays to save time. – Include identifying information (ie your jersey number/color). – Be readily available, should coaches request it from you. | – Have unnecessary edits and animations throughout. – Be blurry or shaky. |
3. Showcase your Positional Skills
Coaches might also be interested in seeing clear videos of you going through drills. These videos capture game-like situations from clear angles and help showcase your mechanics and range. Upload skill videos for each position you play.
| Your skill videos should … | Your skill videos shouldn’t … |
| – Replicate fast-paced match-play as much as possible — focusing on out-of-system plays. – Include some scrimmage footage to show how you react and communicate in drills. – Include some unedited portions where you are performing continuous reps of a skill. | – Show your coach setting you up — these are not real situations and they aren’t helpful for college coaches. |
4. Feature your Athleticism
The way you play in a match always speaks the loudest, but proving your athletic ability is important in the evaluation process. Take videos that highlight your athleticism and verify specific measurements.
| Your athleticism videos should … | Your athleticism videos shouldn’t … |
| – Show you doing the following athletic performance tests: *Block touch *Vertical jump *Approach jump *Attack height – Show your agility on the court and overall explosiveness. | – Include false information — don’t inflate your numbers. |
5. Record Verified Measurables
Coaches will need to verify that your physical measurements are accurate. Measurable verification usually happens during visits or camps, but you can make it easier for coaches by verifying your measurables with video.
| Your verified measurables videos should … | Your verified measurables videos shouldn’t … |
| – Show footage that verifies your: *Height *Standing reach *Wingspan | – Include false information — film doesn’t lie. |
These 5 key things will likely impress any volleyball coach you speak with during the recruiting process. Coaches and athletes, if you would like to learn more or share the information found in this article, you can download our worksheet below.
If you have any questions about video or the recruiting process, the FieldLevel team is here to help you and support you. If there’s anything we can do, please contact us in one of the following ways:
Phone: 888-908-7124
Email: support@fieldlevel.com
Demo: Schedule a Time
