How to Set Realistic Goals as Volleyball Parents? A Detailed Guide

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Chip Kelly

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Do you want to know how to set realistic goals as volleyball parents?

Are you in search of the steps involved in setting realistic goals for your child as volleyball parents?

If you answer yes to any or all of the questions above, then this is the post for you!

We’ll be taking a look at how to set realistic goals as volleyball parents, the steps involved in doing it successfully, some FAQs on goal setting related to volleyball and much more.

So without wasting any time, let’s get started!

Did you know? The longest volleyball match was recorded in Kingston, North Carolina. The total duration was 75 hours and 30 minutes.

How to Set Realistic Goals as Volleyball Parents

Understanding the Importance of Setting Realistic Goals

Before we look into how to set realistic goals as volleyball parents and the steps involved in the process, you need to be pretty clear on certain key points such as understanding the importance of setting goals and various frameworks followed to do it successfully. Why?

For one, it’ll aid you to move in the right direction when setting goals and two, you’ll be able to understand how things work in volleyball.

Having said that, every parent want their child to succeed in the sport they pursue. And volleyball is no exception. In fact, it is such an emotions-oriented sport and therefore, setting realistic goals is pretty important.

Here are a few critical facts that illustrate the importance of setting realistic goals as volleyball parents.

Setting proper goals provide a psychological edge to your child over others towards succeeding in the sport.
Effective goal setting enhances the overall performance of your child.
Realistic goal setting helps your child to focus with attention in order to achieve what they want from playing volleyball.
The long term and the short term goals help your child to remain focused on the bigger picture.
Goal setting aids your child in increasing the overall motivation level to achieve success in their pursued sport.

I believe that the above list will be helpful not only for volleyball parents but for the entire sports parents community in understanding the Importance of setting realistic goals.

Understanding the Various Frameworks Followed for Setting Goals

The next thing that we are going to talk about is the various frameworks followed when setting goals. If you have this knowledge as volleyball parents, it becomes that much easier to do it successfully and encourage your child to achieve them.

No, I am not going to write a 1000 word description on each goal setting framework. Rather, I’ll give you the different frameworks, their abbreviation and one critical point you need to keep in mind when adopting any one from the list.

Although there are 7 different frameworks followed to set goals, only 3 are logically effective for the sport of volleyball. Here are they.

SMART: specific, measurable, action-oriented, relevant and time-bound. Discuss with your child about their aspirations in volleyball, what they want to achieve in this sport and then go about adopting this framework. The information that your child provides will be of utmost helpful to you in determining the goals.
SCRAM: Specific, challenging, realistic, attainable and measurable. This framework is perfect to adopt if your child crossed the absolute beginner stage in volleyball. Before you go about setting goals using this framework, assess your child’s performance from a neutral perspective, note down the positive and not so positive things and then start setting goals.
RRR: Review, reevaluate and rewrite: If your child is established in a volleyball team, then this framework will be really helpful for you. Having a detailed discussion with your child and everybody involved in setting the goals would be the effective way of using this method.

These are just my observations and you can absolutely adopt the framework that suit both you and your child.

Setting Goals with Your Child’s Team Players and their Coach

Sometimes, it is best to set goals for your child with their team players and the coach. How is it so?

First, it gives a chance for every one of you to meet and discuss various things related to volleyball and set goals that help your child. Secondly, the coach will be able to provide their input and help you set the right ones.

Now that you know the benefits of including your child’s team players and the coach when setting goals for your volleyball rockstar, here are some pointers to keep in mind.

Determine your own expectations before starting the actual process.
Clearly understand the position of your child in volleyball.
Create the goals and finalize them with your child.
Once you set out the goals, assess the progress.

Help Your Child Setting the Right Goals as a Volleyball Player

Some children are independent and they’ll set goals, go after them and if only need help, reach out to their parents. It’s perfectly fine by all means.

But if your child needs your help in setting the right goals, then there is nothing wrong in providing assistance. Show them the way to setting the right goals that can propel them forward in achieving whatever they want from playing volleyball.

Here are some points to consider when helping out your child.

Don’t let your child focus too much on outcome-based goals.
Ask them to focus on the goals that are measurable and they have a greater control towards and the ones that are sure to contribute positively for the team.
Don’t encourage your child to set Mount Everest type of goals in the beginning such as making the varsity/get to the national team.
Instead, allow them to create SMART goals that’ll aid them get to the desired destination.
Never allow your child to set unrealistic goals such as workout 3 hours every single day.
Encourage your child to set step-by-step goals to achieve their big dreams in volleyball. Let them know that they have to clear each step before moving on to the next one.

Manage Your Expectations the Right Way

As parents, you have high hopes for your child. There is nothing wrong in that. But sometimes, the emotions and the attachment towards the sport grows significantly and you build up your expectations pretty high for your child.

What happens with high expectations is that it creates an unnecessary pressure on your child. Your child knows that you are working extra hard to meet their sports aspirations and this forces them to try harder than usual or give up volleyball entirely and move on to other things.

You never want that to happen to your child. Right?

Here are some points that’ll help you manage your expectations the right way.

Clearly understand what it takes to achieve something in volleyball or the favorite sport of your child.
Learn the requirements of the sport and prepare your child to meet them.
Create a healthy relationship with the coach of your child’s volleyball team and discuss often about the overall progress and improvement areas.
Have regular communication with your child about the sport and reset your expectations whenever needed.
Have a good relationship with the team members of your child and communicate often. Ask them specific questions about their goals, gather information and then move on to setting your expectations.
Never let your emotions get in the way of setting expectations for your child.

Steps Involved in Setting Realistic Goals as Volleyball Parents

Here are the steps to follow when setting realistic goals for your child as volleyball parents.

Write down your expectations and ask yourself honestly, is this a smart and achievable item? Ask this question for each one on the list.
Clearly understand the resources you can provide for your child to achieve their dreams in volleyball.
List out the circumstances that can aid your child to grow in volleyball.
List out an approximate time duration required for your child to achieve each goal. Discuss with your child when you create this list.
Follow any of the frameworks that I’ve listed above at the time of setting realistic goals.
Make sure that each goal is measurable and achievable.

Once you are done with setting goals, share the list and get your child’s opinion. After that, make changes if necessary and repeat the process until the goals are finalized.

FAQs on Setting Goals as Volleyball Parents

Why You Need to Set Some Non-sport Goals for Your Child as Volleyball Parents?

As I’ve mentioned, setting goals related to volleyball helps your child focus on them and achieving great heights in the sport. But too much emphasis on the goals/sport isn’t a good thing at all.

First, it’ll create undue pressure on your child to achieve the goals and second, it’ll lead to burnout pretty quickly.

Setting non-sport goals help to restore balance in their life. Also, it allows them to switch off from the sport and focus on some other things. Setting non-sport related goals aid your child to easily and effectively deal with the bad times in volleyball. It also helps to keep your child’s emotional wellness intact.

What are the Types of Goals You can Set for Your Child as Volleyball Parents?

Here are the types of goals you can set for your child as volleyball parents.

Process-oriented goals.
Measurable and controllable goals.
Skill-improvement related goals.
Some non-sport goals.
Discussion-based goals.

How to Motivate Your Child as Volleyball Parents?

To be honest, I can write a whole post about it. But for now, here are some pointers to motivate your child as volleyball parents.

Encouraging your child and acknowledge their talent and passion in volleyball.
Giving your child a pat on the back when necessary.
Recognize whenever your child makes a good play and acknowledge them in front of others.
Listening to your child’s thoughts and acting accordingly.
Allowing your child to make mistakes and learn from them.
Rewarding your child if they had a good match/game.
Not punishing for the bad times they go through in volleyball.
Being in the moment and supporting your child when they experience bad times in the sport.

Conclusion

Setting goals is pretty important to achieve significant things in volleyball or in any other sport. But setting realistic goals will keep everybody on the same page.

I hope that you’ve learned something out of how to set realistic goals as volleyball parents post.

Make sure to set measurable goals and follow through on them.

Share your thoughts about this post in the comments section below!

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