58: What Does It Really Take to Play D1 Volleyball?

How much should parents actually be involved in their daughter’s volleyball recruiting process?

What does it actually take to become a Division I volleyball player, and is D1 always the right goal?

In this special episode, Susan shares a preview of her conversation with her friend Desi McPhail on Your Mental Weight Room. Desi works with athletes on the mindset and mental side of performance, and the two dig into some of the parts of recruiting and college athletics that families don’t always get to see.

Susan breaks down what she sees in athletes who reach the D1 level, including the physicality, competitiveness, drive, and mindset required to compete at that level. She also explains why being undersized doesn’t automatically take D1 off the table and what some athletes develop to overcome physical limitations. 

But reaching D1 isn’t the only definition of recruiting success. Susan and Desi talk about why athletes need to understand what they actually want from their college experience, why playing and contributing at another level may be more valuable to some athletes, and why the path doesn’t always look the way you originally expected. 

They also pull back the curtain on conversations with college coaches and why coaches may be more direct behind the scenes than they are with recruits themselves.

This is only a small piece of Susan and Desi’s full conversation. Listen to the complete episode of Your Mental Weight Room HERE. 

Chapters

00:00 –Susan introduces Your Mental Weight Room

01:40 – What does it really take to become a D1 volleyball player?

03:00 – Why physicality matters in D1 recruiting

04:30 – Can undersized athletes still play D1?

06:25 – Is D1 actually what you want?

07:30 – When D2, D3, or another path may be a better fit

10:30 – Choosing your path based on desire instead of obligation

11:30 – What college coaches say behind the scenes

14:25 – Where to hear Susan and Desi’s full conversation 

Connect with Desi:

Instagram: @thisiscoachdesi

Connect with Susan:
Check out the website: www.nxtvb.com
Follow on Instagram + TikTok: @hey.susank

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