Molly there were quite a few girls that did not make the volleyball team last year that made it this year. and never say never. as long a you keep hope and strive to do something and be the best person you can be then anything is possible
I am a former D3 soccer player. I wouldn’t change my choice to go D3 for anything. I loved the teammates and coaches I got to meet through college soccer. I did get free clothes, but not much other free equipment. The demanding schedule is HUGE! Even at the D3 level, it is extremely demanding! You will barely have time for yourself while you are in season. Being a college athlete at any level is super tough and I am forever thankful I chose to be one. BTW your Ted Talk will forever be my favorite talk. I’ve watched it millions of times and shared it with many others. We even watched it at a seminar with all the athletes at my school! (I saw it before that of course lol)
aww Kayla!!! my heart!!! Thanks for this fantastic comment! And you've got that right... when I go speak at DIIIs I can see they are under very similar stress and pressure, regardless of how people perceive the divisions.
I played D1 tennis at Utah State University and transferred because of my coach! I definitely think having a good coach could be a pro, but if you end up with a bad coach it could really ruin your college experience.
*a few things:* 1. the camera quality is amazing! 2. this is a perfect video for me! even though i play volleyball for fun as of now, i am still deciding weather i should join our school's highschool varsity team. thank you so much!
@@Deletedaccount36 i completely forgot about this comment lol, its been 2 years but im proud to say that i actually did make our varsity team! the thing that really helped me decide was attending vball camps held by our coaches, and it gave me a taste of what we do in training, and i seemed to enjoy it so yes thats that! ^^
I'm a little late to the party on this one, but just wanted to chime in and say my advice for people debating NCAA athletics in college would be to try it out for a semester or two and decide from there. We had so many athletes on my team (D1) who quit over the course of their first 2 years, and we still remained friends with all of them. A lot of them even maintained connections with our coaches as mentors and friends. Even if it's not something you're sure if you could commit to your whole college career, there's a benefit in getting that community and seeing what it's like, and then making the most well-informed choice you could make for your situation.
Mental health really hits me hard. Every year i question myself and capabilities because i envy others to the point i'm forcing myself to be like them but i always fail. I don't trust myself whenever i'm inside a court. There's this game when i made a lot of errors and feel that i am the person who let my team lose, i cry for days and the feeling that i'm not interested anymore. As time flies i realize that i should've embracw what i am and realize that i can correct mistakes and make me grow and learn to be a better person and trully trust myself. thank you victoria❤️
@@jobimonono904 Canadian college athletics doesn't have near the amount of funding the NCAA and other American athletics has so you're not going to get the free stuff here. Also I'm not sure that college players can be given free things as that would potentially move them to a "professional" status but don't quote me on that one.
being a collegiate student athlete is one of the best decision i’ve ever made! it gave me my life long friends, giving you a very structured schedule, and you keep doing the sport you love the most! it’s really the best thing ever i wouldn’t trade it for the world
it just depends where you play etc. USC is a top dog volleyball school so it is EVERYTHING if you are on the team. Whereas a DIII or a club team in college will have a lot more flexibility. Regardless, the hours and time you'd have to put into both will be a LOT. Just keep doing everything you love right now and you'll cross that bridge when you get there :)
I love this!!! I decided to try out & walk on to the D1 rowing team at my school as a novice (w/ no experience), & even only through sophomore year I can 100% say it’s been the best decision of my life
I really want to play volleyball in college, but I'm worried it will interfere with the career path I'm planning on taking.... but at the same time I really really don't want to stop playing! This video was very helpful and I love you Victoria your videos are great!!!
This in a way made me have som hope because I am going into my senior year of high school and emailing coaches for university but because of the covid-19 all of my volleyball has been canceled and my mental health is at an all time low just want to thank you for this
Just wanted to let you know I did make a D2 team looking back at this it definitely gave me more drive to want to make a team and I did and it started with your videos thank you
I played D3 Volleyball at The University of Texas at Dallas and while some of the pros/cons are a little different I agree with everything you said! And I 100% do not regret it one bit. As D3 (at least for my sport/school) we did not get much free stuff pretty much just practice shirts, kneepads and shoes. But on the other side of that we were probably less busy/demanding schedule than playing top D1. Still a crazy schedule without much time for yourself, but I have to imagine it's bit less at D3 than at D1. Personally, I loved that though. There was a huge focus at my school that as Student-Athletes we were students first, athletes second. And while we didn't have free tutoring, there was a huge emphasis on making sure school work was done and you had time for both -- which was a plus. Especially since I knew I wasn't going pro and would have a working career for 40 years after college, I wanted to be able to study what I wanted for that career. One "con" for D3 is that they cannot give any athletic scholarships which for me was okay because my school gave generous academic scholarships, but that is a downside for D3 if you need a scholarship for college. I also liked it because it meant we weren't tied to the school. I had one girl I knew from high school who went D2 and hated it after her first year, but had to stay because she couldn't afford the school without her athletic scholarship. One last pro for going D3 is since all sport schedule were a little less hectic, all the other sport teams supported each other during their games as much as we could. We would often have many of the women's and men's soccer and basketball teams at our games and after our games our team would go support men's soccer, etc. So it really was a "student athlete community" and I really appreciated that. It was definitely challenging and at times I wish I had had a more "normal" college experience, but overall I was SO glad I was student athlete both while in college and now having that experience being out of college too. I would highly recommend anyone who is thinking about it to at least try it out - you can always quit if it's not what you wanted.
I had a conversation with an athlete that I coached in High School. She was a single sport athlete since middle school, and was on the varsity team as a freshman. In her senior year, she was facing this decision. She was a sought after outside hitter that had several options. Your video reminds me of our conversation, vividly, so thank you for your time in posting this. I would only add that D1=full year round commitment, D2=3/4 time or more (but less paid for maybe), and D3=about half time (but much less or nothing paid for). Could do a video on that to check my opinion. Her struggle was that she felt burned out. I agree with your pros and cons (very well presented by the way), and remember sharing most of them with her. I emphasized that playing in college will be the end, and she would likely not make a career out of her sport (but great fun after). She did not take a scholarship, and did not play. I think she dreaded 4 more years of it. She reconnected with her setter the 2nd year at a D3, and likely enjoyed it. I would have liked to see her try the scholarship route, but happy that she did not cave to the pressure of her club coaches. Lastly, you prompted me to go find Sarah and check in with her (it's been 10 years). That conversation will be a gift, and though we have never met I am very grateful to you for your video. Sharing your experience to help others is a big "pro"... I think you will realize that later in life.
This is an amazing video! I’m deciding where I want to commit to right now because I am a Highschool junior and I want to be a lawyer, so this is really insightful and honestly makes me question a lot:) Thank you for what you do without you And watching your USC travel vlogs I probably would have even started my recruiting process and you are literally my mentor along the way;)
I am a D1 volleyball player and I would say that I 100% agree with what Victoria said. Especially her third pro playing at the highest level, it's something that you can't really even grasp until you get there and once you get to it you never want to let it go.
I am a current D3 volleyball player at Wentworth Institute of Tech, entering my sophomore season. In my opinion, D3 is the perfect balance of competitive academics, athletics, and social life for me. A con is no scholarships obviously, but there is the FAFSA and scholarships you can apply for. You will be busy (in a good way!). Every player on our team majors in Engineering, Construction, Architecture, and Design. We have semesters where we go on mandatory co-ops/internships. I'm so grateful to play at a school that is so career-focused and has great athletics. I've also played club with girls who are at D1 and D2 schools, so I have a general knowledge about the differences. If anyone is interested in what the D3 experience is like, please feel free to ask questions! I love to help others. Our volleyball program is going live tomorrow for a takeover and live Q&A at 3PM EST, so please feel free to join in at @witvb on Instagram!
I played D1 tennis at Idaho state university. I agree with a lot of your pros and cons! Disclaimer: My opinions might be sport specific or school specific. Although the student-athlete schedule can be very demanding I was fortunate to have a coach that worked with me and allowed me to be able to get an electrical engineering degree and some of my teammates have nursing degrees. She would often let us make up missed practice on our own time. I also think the sacrifices may prevent you from having it all but for me it helped me focus on the things I valued most and appreciate the opportunities I did have. I was also lucky to be able to do a summer internship since you can train at home individually with tennis. I think everything can be very situational as Victoria mentioned and when considering playing a college sport it important to research and ask a lot of people in your sport for their opinions and experiences. Hope this helps ❤️
Also love you Victoria thanks for always putting out helpful content! I think it’s really important to discuss what college sports is like and you brought up some really good points!
i have some good questions 1. how nervous were you your first day? 2. how did you get recruited 3. how often do you travel? 4. what’s a good age to start emailing collage coaches? 5. how tall are typical outside hitters at a d1 school ? 6. how do people react to you playing on a d1 school 7. how hard to you guys work everyday 8. how good do ur grades have to be?
Hey Victoria! Your new camera really makes a huge difference! The quality looks amazing, almost professional. I hope you're doing well and everything is good! Also, i sent emails to some coaches over a month ago and I haven’t heard back from any of them yet, what should I do?
Thanks I'm glad you noticed and like it!! :) Just keep emailing. They are probably all up to their necks in work because of quarantine complications, most might have put recruiting on hold currently, just keep emailing and don't take it personally right now.
Thanks so much for getting back to me! That’s true, that’s true. Especially with the ncaa giving seniors another year of eligibility so yeah I can imagine. Ok sounds good, what should I say tho, cuz I don’t wanna day the wrong thing? Thanks for helping!
Hey Victoria! Just wanted to thank you for everything you do, you are such a big inspiration and role model to me. I know I want to play in college, probably at Division 2 or 3, and I just love how you're educating people about what it's like. Also, in my AP Language and Composition class we're doing a project where we show two points of view on a topic, and I'm doing the pros and cons of playing sports in college, so I thought it was super funny that you just posted this haha. I am using your Ted Talk as a source, and I think I might use this video too! Sorry this was so long! I just love you and your channel
I'm only in middleschool (this is my 7th grade year) but I've been wanting to get into volleyball and join my school's team since my first year. Very honestly, volleyball is what I wanna do with my life! It makes me super happy, a lot happier than doing theatre. So I've basically found myself spending all my time watching your videos, practicing, and studying/binging tons of different games! Hoping and praying I get onto my school's team next year! Thank you for being such a huge inspiration Victoria!
5 hours of volleyball 5 days a week sounds like an absolute dream. I only just started (Dec 2019) and I've barely been able to play thanks to quarantine.
As a high school educator I think that this a very good real perspective. I think it's really good for those that have the option. I think the not getting to major in what you want was good perspective they don't hear.
i’m moving as an international student athlete next year to play D2 Football/soccer and this video has helped me to know a bit of what to expect when i make the big transition, thank you for this and good luck for the future
I remember you visited my school in October 2019- I've been following you ever since. You are quite inspirational. So far my favorite post of yours was the one where you threw the scale that said "not good enough" into the trash can. To me, weight is just a number. I used to actively try to gain weight but now I don't really care. My family still tells me I don't eat enough. It's not a eating disorder, but I simply forget to eat!!
I want to say that once you graduate high school you don’t necessarily have to stop playing the sport that you love. You can join intramurals, yes, but you can also join highly competitive club teams as well. They travel, get uniforms, and practice often as well. Of course it’s nowhere near NCAA commitment, but that’s kind of the point. I highly recommend that everyone looks into club athletics. Most have Instagram pages and official websites. I left an NCAA D2 lacrosse school for a a school that’s a better fit for me with WCLA club lacrosse, and I’ve never been happier.
I’m in 6th grade starting middle school and so I decided that it was time to pick a sport to play and I went through a lot but then one of your tik toks popped up on my fyp and something about volleyball just spoke to me and I have tryouts tomorrow and I just love watching ur videos so thank you (wish me luck for tryouts tomorrow)
I love your videos!! My dream school has always USC for basically my whole life since I’ve had family go there. But your videos help so much because I want to play volleyball during college as well. Your videos encouraged me to keep going and never give up! Your videos are so right even at a high school level it is so demanding and I’ve had to sacrifice all my other sports and arts for volleyball. However, if it means I can have those brief moments on the court doing what I love I think it is 100% worth it. Volleyball is my passion and apart of me because of you and I wouldn’t have it any other way. So thank you so much you’ve had such a big impact on me!!! Much love!!
Love that you’re making more content and it’s getting better!! Been watching your videos and following along and you’re so awesome! I’m a libero too and I agree with everything you say, say safe Victoria 💓🥺
I think these videos are very helpful for upcoming college athletes but also for younger people like me who is doing high school sports dreaming of doing it in college! 💛💛🏐🏐🏐💛💛
Hello! Division 2 softball player here. Unfortunately, I have to disagree/don’t have the experience with a majority of the pro points. It’s just the location of the school (Pennsylvania), the money given by the state since we aren’t a private school, and so many other things. At our school, our facilities are completely lopsided compared to men’s sports. There was actually a Title IX lawsuit a few years ago.... In any case, I am so glad you got to have all of these experiences! It truly is the dream for a lot of athletes. D1 definitely has a lot more advantages, but I wouldn’t give up my schedule I have at D2! I personally knew that I wanted a bit more time with academics since I want to pursue law school, so great point there! It’s totally a choice what division people want to play and where they go, I support every level! It just isn’t as equal at every level.
thanks Jillian! I'm pumped about the camera :) and the editing I WISH! hahaa that was done by a talented girl named Emily who is helping me now :) I'll give her the compliment!
Oh oh oh Tom Brady@14:44 "Wear and tear on the body". Tom just touched on that subject... "playin through Pain" & PREVENTATIVE INJURY TRAINING: He has a "preventative injury" trainer he works with. His first 10yrs (High school & College) he dealed with excruciating pain w hip, knee, etc.. until another Pro Willie McGinnis told him to get this "Preventative strength training coach". Since then he plays "pain free". So Tom has roughly got 26 years of Athletics on his body and still going strong 💪🏽 thanks to this preventative injury training.
Thank you for this a lot. I want to play for a college one day. And btw I’ve had a similar experience as you had in college about being a student athlete but at a very younger age. I really appreciate you for talking about mental health because most volleyball players don’t talk about it which makes it unreal because at some point it becomes something hard for your mentality.
Notification squad!!!! I love your videos so much you’re literally my inspiration AND motivation for trying my very best in volleyball and I have a poster of you on my door so every morning it reminds me to push through
i am (was) training as a professional dancer while in college. for my classes attendance wasn't mandatory and I was mostly in charge of both school and training. it as a great life lesson as a 17/18 yo. I had no free time or social life but i got to do the things i love and i think it is absolutely worthed.
I loved this video and agree with you on everything!# FACTS I'm thinking of making a RUclips channel to document my experiences as a student athlete as well. Thank you so much for inspiring me and serving as a great role model!! side note: CAN WE TALK ABOUT THOSE AMAZING EDITS. WOW LOVED THEM!!
Hey, I’m currently a freshman in high school looking to play tennis in college. I did competitive gymnastics when I was younger, so I started later than a lot of girls my age. I’ve done a pretty good job catching up but I most likely will not be highly recruited. I was wondering how the walk-on experience was for you? How does it differ from being recruited and was it hard to become a walk-on? Love the video by the way! Very helpful!
totalllllyyy agree see i had a back disc cuz of being in the volleyball team and the amount of work we put on court during practices and games but eventually with being patient and hard work i managed to heel from it💪🏼and i don’t and i won’t ever regret this part of my life
I played water polo at the club level, but I really enjoy hearing about the DI life because I find it so interesting. Major props to any varsity athlete! Perhaps you could do a video with a USC club athlete and USC intramural athlete to inform younger viewers of their options. Throwing in a DII and/or DIII athlete from such universities may also help inform. Also, I definitely agree this all vaires by sport and by institution.
Brigitte Masoka go check out elevate yourself podcast she did. She said college was her “bow in the present” for volleyball and didn’t really plan on going prov
I never was so earlyyy! And could you maybe do a Libero tipps video?Sorry if you already did one😅And maybe do a fan meeting(I apologize if it's called differently,my English is not the best bc I'm from germany) after this Corona time?I love your vids.😁And how far are you in Haikyuu?☺ Oh!And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!😁💖
I definitely will do the libero tips as soon as I can get into a gym! And your english is great!! :) WAY better than my German (which is non existant!)
I think the competition and rivalry’s of sports is worth any struggle that come with them. I just committed to a D1 college for track but honestly it wouldn’t matter to where I went as long as I get to keep doing what I love I that’s enough for me
I’m not in college but I’m in high school and one thing I was kind of surprised about going into varsity volleyball freshman year is that people will hate you for it. Whether it be the JV players or people on your class. People at my school will find anything to report about players to get them in trouble. Maybe it’s cause we get the perks of leaving class a bit earlier, miss school some days for games and certain teachers being easier on us because they know how hard some of us work. But basically I’ve learned to watch my image very carefully and never take things for granted.
I swim in a mid-tier DIII conference for a school with a high student athlete population, and I have to say there's a large difference between divisions and even schools within divisions. We don't get athletic scholarships and have to pay a little for gear and training trip, but it's heavily subsidized. Our season is six months long but we don't have mandatory off season (but it shows if you don't keep up!). Many of my teammates are in Greek life, although they frequently have to rush from practice to events. We do get free athletic training but even in DIII we sorely need it. We're able to balance academic and social and academic--half my team is STEM majors, and I'm a music major--but it is hectic and we're sleep deprived all season. We don't get fall break, January break (4-1-4 academic schedule), or half of Christmas break. If you don't love your sport do not compete in college. It will not change your mind. I wouldn't give up my sport or my team for the world but even in mid-tier DIII it's a lot
Im so happy that u have a youtube channel where everyone can communicate with you! Sooo... i've been wanting to play volleyball so badly but i do not how do i take classes or how do i join a team especially since my school do not have volleyball but ive been practicing myself with some friends outside but not super often and the thing is.. im super short and i dont think my body wld like make it? If u get me but yeaaaah i feel like this is what i want to do but i do not know where to start for sure
From a waterpolo player in canada, this schedule is literally how i spent my entirety of highschool. Considering our highschool teams and club teams do not even relate on a demand level. Id train about 25 hours a week had no life had away tourneys, training camps, and my family was my team. So most people who leave from here to go play ncaa we kinda used to it
I am a gymnast but cant go to college for it and cheer is a possibility because it is a college sport and this video really helped even though I’m in 8th grade. thanks🥰
Hey Victoria, I'm 16 and thinking of being a walk-on for lacrosse at Jacksonville University or Duke. This video is helping me a lot to decide if I should play, At the same time I realize that things also depend on the school and coaches. Thanks for making these types of video❤.
I don’t even have the option of playing a sport in college but I just love her haha
Molly why don’t you have that option?
Madi Martin I didn’t make the volleyball team this year and it’s basically impossible to make it after a year off so 🤷♀️
Molly there were quite a few girls that did not make the volleyball team last year that made it this year. and never say never. as long a you keep hope and strive to do something and be the best person you can be then anything is possible
Madi Martin I’ve decided not to re-tryout. The coaching was bordering on abusive and the skill I gained was not close to worth it.
Molly oh well i’m sorry:/
I am a former D3 soccer player. I wouldn’t change my choice to go D3 for anything. I loved the teammates and coaches I got to meet through college soccer. I did get free clothes, but not much other free equipment. The demanding schedule is HUGE! Even at the D3 level, it is extremely demanding! You will barely have time for yourself while you are in season. Being a college athlete at any level is super tough and I am forever thankful I chose to be one.
BTW your Ted Talk will forever be my favorite talk. I’ve watched it millions of times and shared it with many others. We even watched it at a seminar with all the athletes at my school! (I saw it before that of course lol)
aww Kayla!!! my heart!!! Thanks for this fantastic comment! And you've got that right... when I go speak at DIIIs I can see they are under very similar stress and pressure, regardless of how people perceive the divisions.
@@victoriabrowne do you even have time for a job?
I played D1 tennis at Utah State University and transferred because of my coach! I definitely think having a good coach could be a pro, but if you end up with a bad coach it could really ruin your college experience.
very true!! coaches can totally make or break the experience...
Just want you to know that the editing in this video is outstanding!!
I will tell that to Emily, my fabulous editor :)
Agreed
Emma Ogilvie I posted about it on my IG and she was one of the people who submitted her work for hiring!
*a few things:*
1. the camera quality is amazing!
2. this is a perfect video for me! even though i play volleyball for fun as of now, i am still deciding weather i should join our school's highschool varsity team. thank you so much!
aww thank you and good luck! :)
@@Deletedaccount36 i completely forgot about this comment lol, its been 2 years but im proud to say that i actually did make our varsity team! the thing that really helped me decide was attending vball camps held by our coaches, and it gave me a taste of what we do in training, and i seemed to enjoy it so yes thats that! ^^
I'm a little late to the party on this one, but just wanted to chime in and say my advice for people debating NCAA athletics in college would be to try it out for a semester or two and decide from there. We had so many athletes on my team (D1) who quit over the course of their first 2 years, and we still remained friends with all of them. A lot of them even maintained connections with our coaches as mentors and friends. Even if it's not something you're sure if you could commit to your whole college career, there's a benefit in getting that community and seeing what it's like, and then making the most well-informed choice you could make for your situation.
love this!! and agree!
Awesome advice, thanks!
I'm playing division 3 volleyball at King's College PA next year. I personally can not wait to live the life of a student athlete.
I play Divison 3 on the East Coast at Wentworth! You’ll love it. From my experience you will be less busier than what Victoria is describing
LOVE THIS ENERGY!
@@ccstars7423 who's your cousin?
@@ccstars7423 yes but what's his name? I've been in contact with the team
Just want to say Victoria. You've helped me feel better about my own ability. Thank you x
Aww
i’m not even in high school yet but i just love victoria so much!!
aww thanks Natalie!
Natalie Bauer haha me too
Ya! I wanna play in seventh grade, but I have no experience at all!!! I just bought a volleyball 🏐 so I’m gonna start practicing!
me too i will start training volleyball as soon as i can
Mental health really hits me hard. Every year i question myself and capabilities because i envy others to the point i'm forcing myself to be like them but i always fail. I don't trust myself whenever i'm inside a court. There's this game when i made a lot of errors and feel that i am the person who let my team lose, i cry for days and the feeling that i'm not interested anymore. As time flies i realize that i should've embracw what i am and realize that i can correct mistakes and make me grow and learn to be a better person and trully trust myself. thank you victoria❤️
“Pro 1: You get free stuff”... *cries in Canadian*
Me a Mexican watching this *cries in tercer mundo*
I don’t get iyb
It
@@jobimonono904 Canadian college athletics doesn't have near the amount of funding the NCAA and other American athletics has so you're not going to get the free stuff here. Also I'm not sure that college players can be given free things as that would potentially move them to a "professional" status but don't quote me on that one.
being a collegiate student athlete is one of the best decision i’ve ever made! it gave me my life long friends, giving you a very structured schedule, and you keep doing the sport you love the most! it’s really the best thing ever i wouldn’t trade it for the world
I want to be a surgeon, and this really really gave me some insight. I love volleyball, but I was worried about balancing both. This really helped.
Alex Volley same here, a dental surgeon though.
Same I wanna be in the medical field, but I also wanna play volleyball on college
Same I wanna be in the medical field, but I also wanna play volleyball on college
it just depends where you play etc. USC is a top dog volleyball school so it is EVERYTHING if you are on the team. Whereas a DIII or a club team in college will have a lot more flexibility. Regardless, the hours and time you'd have to put into both will be a LOT. Just keep doing everything you love right now and you'll cross that bridge when you get there :)
I love this!!! I decided to try out & walk on to the D1 rowing team at my school as a novice (w/ no experience), & even only through sophomore year I can 100% say it’s been the best decision of my life
I really want to play volleyball in college, but I'm worried it will interfere with the career path I'm planning on taking.... but at the same time I really really don't want to stop playing! This video was very helpful and I love you Victoria your videos are great!!!
it depends on the division your going to be on... but it will still be pretty busy
This in a way made me have som hope because I am going into my senior year of high school and emailing coaches for university but because of the covid-19 all of my volleyball has been canceled and my mental health is at an all time low just want to thank you for this
Yes Im so sorry the pandemic is definitely affecting so many recruitment plans and athletic journeys! Hang in there!
Just wanted to let you know I did make a D2 team looking back at this it definitely gave me more drive to want to make a team and I did and it started with your videos thank you
Honestly I needed this video because I am doing a report on it!! 😂also...... HAPPY BIRTHDAY VIC!!! hope you have a great day!
Ahhh glad it can help you!! Thanks so much Finley!
I played D3 Volleyball at The University of Texas at Dallas and while some of the pros/cons are a little different I agree with everything you said! And I 100% do not regret it one bit. As D3 (at least for my sport/school) we did not get much free stuff pretty much just practice shirts, kneepads and shoes. But on the other side of that we were probably less busy/demanding schedule than playing top D1. Still a crazy schedule without much time for yourself, but I have to imagine it's bit less at D3 than at D1. Personally, I loved that though. There was a huge focus at my school that as Student-Athletes we were students first, athletes second. And while we didn't have free tutoring, there was a huge emphasis on making sure school work was done and you had time for both -- which was a plus. Especially since I knew I wasn't going pro and would have a working career for 40 years after college, I wanted to be able to study what I wanted for that career. One "con" for D3 is that they cannot give any athletic scholarships which for me was okay because my school gave generous academic scholarships, but that is a downside for D3 if you need a scholarship for college. I also liked it because it meant we weren't tied to the school. I had one girl I knew from high school who went D2 and hated it after her first year, but had to stay because she couldn't afford the school without her athletic scholarship. One last pro for going D3 is since all sport schedule were a little less hectic, all the other sport teams supported each other during their games as much as we could. We would often have many of the women's and men's soccer and basketball teams at our games and after our games our team would go support men's soccer, etc. So it really was a "student athlete community" and I really appreciated that. It was definitely challenging and at times I wish I had had a more "normal" college experience, but overall I was SO glad I was student athlete both while in college and now having that experience being out of college too. I would highly recommend anyone who is thinking about it to at least try it out - you can always quit if it's not what you wanted.
I had a conversation with an athlete that I coached in High School. She was a single sport athlete since middle school, and was on the varsity team as a freshman. In her senior year, she was facing this decision. She was a sought after outside hitter that had several options. Your video reminds me of our conversation, vividly, so thank you for your time in posting this. I would only add that D1=full year round commitment, D2=3/4 time or more (but less paid for maybe), and D3=about half time (but much less or nothing paid for). Could do a video on that to check my opinion. Her struggle was that she felt burned out. I agree with your pros and cons (very well presented by the way), and remember sharing most of them with her. I emphasized that playing in college will be the end, and she would likely not make a career out of her sport (but great fun after). She did not take a scholarship, and did not play. I think she dreaded 4 more years of it. She reconnected with her setter the 2nd year at a D3, and likely enjoyed it. I would have liked to see her try the scholarship route, but happy that she did not cave to the pressure of her club coaches. Lastly, you prompted me to go find Sarah and check in with her (it's been 10 years). That conversation will be a gift, and though we have never met I am very grateful to you for your video. Sharing your experience to help others is a big "pro"... I think you will realize that later in life.
Victoria, you and Shaylee Gonzales should collab on a few videos!
yes we do!! we've talked a few times and are trying to make something happen :)
i know i'm not going to be a student athlete in college but it was still really fun seeing your perspective on it
This is an amazing video! I’m deciding where I want to commit to right now because I am a Highschool junior and I want to be a lawyer, so this is really insightful and honestly makes me question a lot:) Thank you for what you do without you And watching your USC travel vlogs I probably would have even started my recruiting process and you are literally my mentor along the way;)
awww that makes me smile and im so excited for you!! :)
i love the quality of this video- i can really tell the difference!!
SO glad to hear that! Thanks Cassie!
I love the way you gush and keep your focus at the same time!
Its not scary when someone gushes that way 🤠
I am a D1 volleyball player and I would say that I 100% agree with what Victoria said. Especially her third pro playing at the highest level, it's something that you can't really even grasp until you get there and once you get to it you never want to let it go.
I am a current D3 volleyball player at Wentworth Institute of Tech, entering my sophomore season. In my opinion, D3 is the perfect balance of competitive academics, athletics, and social life for me. A con is no scholarships obviously, but there is the FAFSA and scholarships you can apply for. You will be busy (in a good way!). Every player on our team majors in Engineering, Construction, Architecture, and Design. We have semesters where we go on mandatory co-ops/internships. I'm so grateful to play at a school that is so career-focused and has great athletics.
I've also played club with girls who are at D1 and D2 schools, so I have a general knowledge about the differences. If anyone is interested in what the D3 experience is like, please feel free to ask questions! I love to help others. Our volleyball program is going live tomorrow for a takeover and live Q&A at 3PM EST, so please feel free to join in at @witvb on Instagram!
I played D1 tennis at Idaho state university. I agree with a lot of your pros and cons! Disclaimer: My opinions might be sport specific or school specific. Although the student-athlete schedule can be very demanding I was fortunate to have a coach that worked with me and allowed me to be able to get an electrical engineering degree and some of my teammates have nursing degrees. She would often let us make up missed practice on our own time. I also think the sacrifices may prevent you from having it all but for me it helped me focus on the things I valued most and appreciate the opportunities I did have. I was also lucky to be able to do a summer internship since you can train at home individually with tennis. I think everything can be very situational as Victoria mentioned and when considering playing a college sport it important to research and ask a lot of people in your sport for their opinions and experiences. Hope this helps ❤️
Also love you Victoria thanks for always putting out helpful content! I think it’s really important to discuss what college sports is like and you brought up some really good points!
Melissa Coburn thanks for this comment Melissa!! Awesome to hear you and your teammates were able to have such prestigous majors as well 🙌
i have some good questions
1. how nervous were you your first day?
2. how did you get recruited
3. how often do you travel?
4. what’s a good age to start emailing collage coaches?
5. how tall are typical outside hitters at a d1 school ?
6. how do people react to you playing on a d1 school
7. how hard to you guys work everyday
8. how good do ur grades have to be?
Hey Victoria! Your new camera really makes a huge difference! The quality looks amazing, almost professional. I hope you're doing well and everything is good! Also, i sent emails to some coaches over a month ago and I haven’t heard back from any of them yet, what should I do?
Thanks I'm glad you noticed and like it!! :)
Just keep emailing. They are probably all up to their necks in work because of quarantine complications, most might have put recruiting on hold currently, just keep emailing and don't take it personally right now.
Thanks so much for getting back to me! That’s true, that’s true. Especially with the ncaa giving seniors another year of eligibility so yeah I can imagine. Ok sounds good, what should I say tho, cuz I don’t wanna day the wrong thing? Thanks for helping!
Hey Victoria! Just wanted to thank you for everything you do, you are such a big inspiration and role model to me. I know I want to play in college, probably at Division 2 or 3, and I just love how you're educating people about what it's like.
Also, in my AP Language and Composition class we're doing a project where we show two points of view on a topic, and I'm doing the pros and cons of playing sports in college, so I thought it was super funny that you just posted this haha. I am using your Ted Talk as a source, and I think I might use this video too!
Sorry this was so long! I just love you and your channel
Anybody else go back to watch the pros again at the end of the video so it didn’t end on a bad note. Ly btw your such an inspiration💛🥺
I'm only in middleschool (this is my 7th grade year) but I've been wanting to get into volleyball and join my school's team since my first year. Very honestly, volleyball is what I wanna do with my life! It makes me super happy, a lot happier than doing theatre.
So I've basically found myself spending all my time watching your videos, practicing, and studying/binging tons of different games!
Hoping and praying I get onto my school's team next year! Thank you for being such a huge inspiration Victoria!
5 hours of volleyball 5 days a week sounds like an absolute dream. I only just started (Dec 2019) and I've barely been able to play thanks to quarantine.
I can’t tell you how much you have helped me. I want to thank you in every way possible! Also HAPPY BIRTHDAY VIC!
aw thanks so much Ahtzire!!
As a high school educator I think that this a very good real perspective. I think it's really good for those that have the option. I think the not getting to major in what you want was good perspective they don't hear.
I really did need this because I was asking myself “is it worth it?” So this was really informative and I loved seeing your perspective on the topic.
thanks Deyja!! Appreciate this comment!
Victoria Garrick of course 💕
I agree with you! My dream is to play college volleyball and this video made me want it even more.
Wow, I have no words to say how helpful this was! Thank you SO so much! Keep making videos :)
Love the new intro!! Also you should make a video on what it was like playing with Samantha bricio
Yes! Great idea I'll text and ask her for permission
i’m moving as an international student athlete next year to play D2 Football/soccer and this video has helped me to know a bit of what to expect when i make the big transition, thank you for this and good luck for the future
I remember you visited my school in October 2019- I've been following you ever since. You are quite inspirational. So far my favorite post of yours was the one where you threw the scale that said "not good enough" into the trash can.
To me, weight is just a number. I used to actively try to gain weight but now I don't really care. My family still tells me I don't eat enough. It's not a eating disorder, but I simply forget to eat!!
I want to say that once you graduate high school you don’t necessarily have to stop playing the sport that you love. You can join intramurals, yes, but you can also join highly competitive club teams as well. They travel, get uniforms, and practice often as well. Of course it’s nowhere near NCAA commitment, but that’s kind of the point. I highly recommend that everyone looks into club athletics. Most have Instagram pages and official websites. I left an NCAA D2 lacrosse school for a a school that’s a better fit for me with WCLA club lacrosse, and I’ve never been happier.
I’m in 6th grade starting middle school and so I decided that it was time to pick a sport to play and I went through a lot but then one of your tik toks popped up on my fyp and something about volleyball just spoke to me and I have tryouts tomorrow and I just love watching ur videos so thank you (wish me luck for tryouts tomorrow)
I love your videos!! My dream school has always USC for basically my whole life since I’ve had family go there. But your videos help so much because I want to play volleyball during college as well. Your videos encouraged me to keep going and never give up! Your videos are so right even at a high school level it is so demanding and I’ve had to sacrifice all my other sports and arts for volleyball. However, if it means I can have those brief moments on the court doing what I love I think it is 100% worth it. Volleyball is my passion and apart of me because of you and I wouldn’t have it any other way. So thank you so much you’ve had such a big impact on me!!! Much love!!
Love that you’re making more content and it’s getting better!! Been watching your videos and following along and you’re so awesome! I’m a libero too and I agree with everything you say, say safe Victoria 💓🥺
Aw thank you so much Alan! Appreciate you being here from the start! :)
Love your videos! Could you please do a video about how it works to be a walk on/ what it means etc.?? Did you have to try out on campus or...?
I think these videos are very helpful for upcoming college athletes but also for younger people like me who is doing high school sports dreaming of doing it in college!
💛💛🏐🏐🏐💛💛
Hello! Division 2 softball player here. Unfortunately, I have to disagree/don’t have the experience with a majority of the pro points. It’s just the location of the school (Pennsylvania), the money given by the state since we aren’t a private school, and so many other things. At our school, our facilities are completely lopsided compared to men’s sports. There was actually a Title IX lawsuit a few years ago....
In any case, I am so glad you got to have all of these experiences! It truly is the dream for a lot of athletes. D1 definitely has a lot more advantages, but I wouldn’t give up my schedule I have at D2! I personally knew that I wanted a bit more time with academics since I want to pursue law school, so great point there! It’s totally a choice what division people want to play and where they go, I support every level! It just isn’t as equal at every level.
Happy birthday! Your new camera has this video looking so professional! You are definitely picking up your editing too!
thanks Jillian! I'm pumped about the camera :) and the editing I WISH! hahaa that was done by a talented girl named Emily who is helping me now :) I'll give her the compliment!
Victoria's intro before talking about pros and cons: Rapping faster than eminem.
Lol just kidding
Happy birthday Victoria!!! You are such a big inspiration to so many people and I hope you have a great day!!!
Thanks Savannah! So sweet :)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE INSPIRATION!!!
awwwwwww
Ty sm I love you videos, only thing keeping me awake during quarintine
happy birthday vic!!!!
We have the same birthday!!!!! Happy birthday Victoria thanks for always showing how to feel positive about myself!!!!
aww Happy birthday you april 30 baby!
Thank you for your honesty, this is amazing. I am attending USC in the fall (not an athlete) but this was so eye opening.
You inspire me sooooooo much! Thank youuuuuu! Happy Birthday!
i love volleyball with all of my heart, and i’ve always wanted to be a college volleyball playing and this helps so much!
Made my D3 decision for cross country and track
Coach changed middle my freshmen year
And it was a dumpster fire from there
Coach matters so much
Happy Birthday Victoria!!!!!!! Hope you have a great day!!!
This is a really helpful video thanks! I am deciding whether I want to do d3 vs d1, and this helped.
Oh oh oh Tom Brady@14:44 "Wear and tear on the body".
Tom just touched on that subject... "playin through Pain" & PREVENTATIVE INJURY TRAINING:
He has a "preventative injury" trainer he works with. His first 10yrs (High school & College) he dealed with excruciating pain w hip, knee, etc.. until another Pro Willie McGinnis told him to get this "Preventative strength training coach". Since then he plays "pain free".
So Tom has roughly got 26 years of Athletics on his body and still going strong 💪🏽 thanks to this preventative injury training.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Thank you for this a lot. I want to play for a college one day. And btw I’ve had a similar experience as you had in college about being a student athlete but at a very younger age. I really appreciate you for talking about mental health because most volleyball players don’t talk about it which makes it unreal because at some point it becomes something hard for your mentality.
Notification squad!!!! I love your videos so much you’re literally my inspiration AND motivation for trying my very best in volleyball and I have a poster of you on my door so every morning it reminds me to push through
Aw you do!? That's so cool thanks Kenya!
Happy birthday!! Thanks for the tips :))
Thank you so much for your advice!! Love your videos, I want to be a professional volleyball player some day and you inspire me to do my best!!
you’re literally so pretty 🥺
thank you! V kind of u to say!
i am (was) training as a professional dancer while in college. for my classes attendance wasn't mandatory and I was mostly in charge of both school and training. it as a great life lesson as a 17/18 yo. I had no free time or social life but i got to do the things i love and i think it is absolutely worthed.
I loved this video and agree with you on everything!# FACTS I'm thinking of making a RUclips channel to document my experiences as a student athlete as well. Thank you so much for inspiring me and serving as a great role model!!
side note: CAN WE TALK ABOUT THOSE AMAZING EDITS. WOW LOVED THEM!!
YES GIRL!! Do it! Share your story! :)
hehe thanks!! Emily my fantastic editor did them.
I love how to talk about mental health because me just playing highschool sports I struggle
Hey, I’m currently a freshman in high school looking to play tennis in college. I did competitive gymnastics when I was younger, so I started later than a lot of girls my age. I’ve done a pretty good job catching up but I most likely will not be highly recruited. I was wondering how the walk-on experience was for you? How does it differ from being recruited and was it hard to become a walk-on? Love the video by the way! Very helpful!
totalllllyyy agree see i had a back disc cuz of being in the volleyball team and the amount of work we put on court during practices and games but eventually with being patient and hard work i managed to heel from it💪🏼and i don’t and i won’t ever regret this part of my life
Thanks for sharing!!! Amazing 🤩
Happy Birthday!!! You are such an inspiration and a beautiful and strong gal.❤️
aww Thanks Lucie!!
Ahh i love the new intro! Also the quality is fire!!💯 Happy birthday Vic!❤
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed :)
A hug from Brazil! 😘
this was super helpful, thank you!!
I played water polo at the club level, but I really enjoy hearing about the DI life because I find it so interesting. Major props to any varsity athlete! Perhaps you could do a video with a USC club athlete and USC intramural athlete to inform younger viewers of their options. Throwing in a DII and/or DIII athlete from such universities may also help inform. Also, I definitely agree this all vaires by sport and by institution.
I absolutely love this video! But big question, did you have to do a lot of running and cardio?
love all your advice
Happy Birthday! Have a great Jordan year!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!
Thanks for sharing your experience! :)
Loved your Ted talk.. Really helped me ❤️
I have a question would you have went professional if you could? like playing on an Olympics team??
Brigitte Masoka she played pro for the US!
@@ccstars7423 Really?
Brigitte Masoka go check out elevate yourself podcast she did. She said college was her “bow in the present” for volleyball and didn’t really plan on going prov
I will make a video on this :) Already know what the title is, "Why I didn't go pro" hahaah :)
I never was so earlyyy!
And could you maybe do a Libero tipps video?Sorry if you already did one😅And maybe do a fan meeting(I apologize if it's called differently,my English is not the best bc I'm from germany) after this Corona time?I love your vids.😁And how far are you in Haikyuu?☺
Oh!And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!😁💖
As an aspiring libero, that would make me so happy!
I definitely will do the libero tips as soon as I can get into a gym! And your english is great!! :) WAY better than my German (which is non existant!)
I think the competition and rivalry’s of sports is worth any struggle that come with them. I just committed to a D1 college for track but honestly it wouldn’t matter to where I went as long as I get to keep doing what I love I that’s enough for me
I’m not in college but I’m in high school and one thing I was kind of surprised about going into varsity volleyball freshman year is that people will hate you for it. Whether it be the JV players or people on your class. People at my school will find anything to report about players to get them in trouble. Maybe it’s cause we get the perks of leaving class a bit earlier, miss school some days for games and certain teachers being easier on us because they know how hard some of us work. But basically I’ve learned to watch my image very carefully and never take things for granted.
HAPPY BIRTHDAYYY!
Yessss thank you Vic ❤️❤️❤️love ya
The new camera has arrived
I swim in a mid-tier DIII conference for a school with a high student athlete population, and I have to say there's a large difference between divisions and even schools within divisions. We don't get athletic scholarships and have to pay a little for gear and training trip, but it's heavily subsidized. Our season is six months long but we don't have mandatory off season (but it shows if you don't keep up!). Many of my teammates are in Greek life, although they frequently have to rush from practice to events. We do get free athletic training but even in DIII we sorely need it. We're able to balance academic and social and academic--half my team is STEM majors, and I'm a music major--but it is hectic and we're sleep deprived all season. We don't get fall break, January break (4-1-4 academic schedule), or half of Christmas break. If you don't love your sport do not compete in college. It will not change your mind. I wouldn't give up my sport or my team for the world but even in mid-tier DIII it's a lot
Im so happy that u have a youtube channel where everyone can communicate with you! Sooo... i've been wanting to play volleyball so badly but i do not how do i take classes or how do i join a team especially since my school do not have volleyball but ive been practicing myself with some friends outside but not super often and the thing is.. im super short and i dont think my body wld like make it? If u get me but yeaaaah i feel like this is what i want to do but i do not know where to start for sure
You are the besttt i love you so muchh❤❤
Happy Birthday!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From a waterpolo player in canada, this schedule is literally how i spent my entirety of highschool. Considering our highschool teams and club teams do not even relate on a demand level. Id train about 25 hours a week had no life had away tourneys, training camps, and my family was my team. So most people who leave from here to go play ncaa we kinda used to it
I am a gymnast but cant go to college for it and cheer is a possibility because it is a college sport and this video really helped even though I’m in 8th grade. thanks🥰
Hey Victoria, I'm 16 and thinking of being a walk-on for lacrosse at Jacksonville University or Duke. This video is helping me a lot to decide if I should play, At the same time I realize that things also depend on the school and coaches. Thanks for making these types of video❤.