For Some High School Athletes, the Season Never Ends

AS CLUB VOLLEYBALL BECOMES A KEY PART OF PLAYERS’ DEVELOPMENT, MANY HIGH SCHOOLERS ARE TASKED WITH BALANCING YEAR-ROUND TRAINING.

*Khudja Kandji was a student in the College Now Introduction to Journalism class at the City College of New York.

As club volleyball becomes a key part of players’ development, many high schoolers are tasked with balancing year-round training. 

For many high school volleyball players, the season does not end when the final whistle blows. Instead, athletes head straight into club volleyball, where practices, tournaments, and travel continue throughout the year. What was once considered an off-season has become another opportunity to train, compete, and improve.

Club volleyball has become an important part of the sport for athletes hoping to sharpen their skills and, for some, earn the chance to play in college. The extra training, stronger competition, and exposure to college recruiters can create opportunities that many high school seasons cannot. However, year-round participation can also bring physical exhaustion, mental stress, and financial challenges that often go unnoticed.

As more athletes commit to club programs, some players and sports medicine experts are asking whether playing volleyball all year has become an expectation instead of a choice.

For many athletes, club volleyball provides opportunities that extend beyond the high school season. Players compete against stronger opponents, receive specialized coaching, and continue developing their skills throughout the year.

Olivia, a rising 10th grader, told me, “I like club volleyball because it keeps me active, and I feel like I’m always getting better throughout the year.”

For Olivia, the additional training is a chance to challenge herself and prepare for future seasons. Competing against stronger players helps athletes develop skills that may not always be possible during a shorter school season.

Club volleyball gives athletes more opportunities to practice, compete, and learn from experienced coaches. For players hoping to play in college, club tournaments can also provide exposure to recruiters and higher levels of competition. However, the commitment required for club volleyball can also become difficult to manage. Practices, tournaments, travel, and schoolwork often compete for an athlete’s time.

Balancing volleyball with academics and other responsibilities can be challenging for many young athletes. While some players see year-round training as an opportunity, others feel pressure to continue because they worry taking time away from the sport could put them behind their competition.

Sports medicine experts have studied the effects of intense year-round training on young athletes. In a position statement published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Dr. John P. DiFiori and colleagues wrote that “such an excessive focus on early intensive training and competition at young ages rather than skill development can lead to overuse injury and burnout.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics has also discussed concerns surrounding overuse injuries, overtraining, and burnout among young athletes. Their research emphasizes the importance of rest and recovery because athletes who train continuously without enough breaks may increase their risk of physical and mental exhaustion.

A review of youth sport specialization research published in Translational Pediatrics also found that specializing in one sport for most of the year can be connected to higher risks of overuse injuries and burnout. The research suggests that young athletes benefit from proper recovery time and a balanced approach to training.

Volleyball can be especially demanding because the sport requires repeated jumping, quick movements, and overhead motions. While these skills help athletes improve, performing the same movements repeatedly without enough recovery can place stress on the body.

The pressure surrounding club volleyball is not only physical. For athletes who hope to compete at the college level, tournaments, rankings, and training sessions can feel extremely important. Some players may feel like stepping away from volleyball, even temporarily, could hurt their future opportunities.

Another challenge facing athletes and families is cost. Club volleyball often requires expenses beyond team fees, including travel, hotels, uniforms, equipment, and tournament costs. These expenses can add up quickly and may limit access for some athletes who want to participate.

Despite these challenges, many athletes believe club volleyball is worth the commitment. 

For Olivia, the ability to continue improving throughout the year is one of the biggest benefits of playing club volleyball. For another rising 10th grader, Ally, the commitment can also come with stress and pressure.

“It can get stressful sometimes,” she told me, “because you’re always practicing, traveling, and trying to keep up.”