Services Offered by Progression Volleyball Consulting

After a long weekend in California for the final AVP tournament of the year, it's time to get back to the grind! I'll be using this post to explain exactly what I'm offering with my company (as well as initial price-points).

The goal of Progression Volleyball Consulting is to educate families on how to a) properly conduct a college search so they can look at schools most compatible with their wants/needs b) help them learn how to promote themselves to the institution in a manner that will help them obtain as much merit aid as possible. I believe with just a few hours, I can help people have a better grip on the college search process that may save them thousands of dollars a year on college, all for a fraction of the cost of what recruiting agencies are charging. To clarify: I DO NOT do the college search for families - I help people learn how to do the search themselves in a time-efficient manner and help them feel comfortable knowing that they are making the right choice when signing on the dotted line!

All that being said - who am I trying to reach out to in order to help and how does it work?

1) Middle/Smaller-Sized Juniors Volleyball Clubs

Why: I realize that some clubs have College Liaisons. I think some of the larger clubs that have the financial ability hire people specifically to help get their players exposed to the college coaches around the country. However, most people tell me that their liaisons have focused primarily on sending out videos for them or contacting coaches promoting the athletes. I also know a lot of clubs don't have the ability to hire someone to provide this information, or have someone that actually has coached at various levels and has an understanding of what most coaches are looking for.

How: I have seminars I've created that run about 30-45 minutes that cover the following information:

* The difference between options players have (NCAA Division I/II/III, NJCAA, NAIA, Club, Intramurals)
* Starting the College Search Process
* How to Separate Yourself from the Pack

I'd like to come to clubs with laptop and projector in hand and sit in front of athletes/parents to give them information, as well as answer any questions they have.

2) Schools 

Why: I believe there are many players that have the ability to play in college but might not play club for various reasons - Financial hardship, other sports, other extracurricular activities. As someone who had a 3.5 GPA, was a member of the National Honors Society, participated in various clubs/sports, I still didn't have someone to educate me on the opportunities I'd have and how to utilize my profile to unlock as many financial opportunities as I should have had - and this was at a prep school with a stellar reputation!

How: I'd like to come to schools and speak in front of their volleyball teams (or entire athletic program - while I can't be quite in-depth on evaluating players and giving them an assessment on what level they'll fit best in, I can give them a lot of information on how to do their search) and educate them on how to start their process - from telling Freshmen/Sophomores about how their grades will offer more opportunities for them as athletes, to Juniors/Seniors on where they should be in their process and how to start whittling down their choices, I hope to come in and help alleviate some of their concerns on where to start, which is where most of the athletes I've worked with get anxious.

3) Families (One-on-One)

Why: I met with about 50 families last season at Top Flight, and I can tell you no two situations were alike. I was lucky enough to have a club that included my services free of charge for all traveling team players, and they were able to meet with me as necessary to look at where they were at and guide them on where to go next. With only 1-3 meetings, I was able to help families build a plan of attack to a) Figure out their wants/needs on and off the court b) how to find the schools that compliment those wants and needs c) contact the school in a manner where they could separate themselves in a positive manner.

How: I sit down with families and begin by asking where they are in the process. Once we establish that, I begin to ask the athlete questions and give feedback: What do you want on the court (what are the individual/team goals you'd like to accomplish?), what do you want off the court (field of study, school size, geographic locations), how to contact coaches and use your story as both a player/person to separate yourself from the pack. I'll also give them an assessment on what type of attention they'll get at all levels, as well as tell them what I'd recommend given on what balance of academics/athletics they said they'd like to achieve.

Also, I'll be offering:

Video Editing

Why: When I coached at Mercer, 90 percent of the videos I saw had very simple adjustments that could have promoted the player in a much more efficient fashion. I'd like to help families make sure they're putting their best foot forward with their video - you don't get a second chance at a first impression!

How: I RECOMMEND taking clips that you feel best promote the athlete and letting me choreograph how to put the video together. I can do this pretty quickly - to give you a reference point, I went to an athlete's house and in less than an hour took a 9 minute video and re-organized/condensed it to 3 and a half minutes. Videos can show great potential/ability - it can also show poor habits to people to the trained eye. You want to make sure you promote the good qualities!

If you know of clubs/schools/families that can use my services - PLEASE share this blog with them. They can contact me at ProgressionVBConsulting@gmail.com , as well as follow us on Facebook or Twitter . I'm based in Chicago but plan on traveling the country to educate as many families as possible and help them in their quest to find a school that will best help them grow as both a player and person!