Choosing a volleyball club
There are options when it comes to choosing a volleyball club. Since no program is perfect for every player, we encourage families to do their research and make the decision that is right for them. Before deciding to play for a club, families should understand the club and coaching philosophy, as well as the expenses and commitment required.

We encourage players to attend clinics and seminars to get feel for the coaches and the culture of the program, but here are some of the elements of our program that makes us successful:

Experience
Founded in 1983, Marin Juniors Volleyball Club has been producing accomplished volleyball players and competitive volleyball teams for over twenty years. Our coaching staff is the most experienced staff in the area, and has developed age-appropriate goals and philosophies for the club. Read more about how the skills we teach, the tone and manner of our coaching, and the emphasis on winning all evolve as our players grow through our program.

Marin Juniors is a program sponsored by the San Rafael Community Services. As a result, we are able to take advantage of the city’s tremendous facilities and offer consistent practice schedules in state-of-the-art gyms. Our primary facilities will be Pickleweed Community Center and Marin Academy High School.

Balanced Approach
When our teams step on the court, we expect them to play to win and we cultivate that competitive spirit. However, our definition of success goes far beyond the scoreboard - improvement, effort, and learning are equally valued.

We demand effort and intensity, but our primary goal is to motivate players through support and inspiration, not through fear and punishment. When coaches challenge players to achieve more than they think they can achieve, frustration is natural, but you can be sure that at the end of the day, we won't lose sight of the importance of having fun.

While we offer the opportunity to practice four or even five times a week for players who fully committed to volleyball as their sport, we encourage and support players' outside interests. We feel strongly that young athletes, especially prior to high school, should not be forced to choose only one sport.

While we hope that all players aspire to earn volleyball scholarships, we recognize that only a very small percentage will actually do so. But we do hope they learn to love the sport, and continue to play for the rest of their lives - from intramurals during college to outdoor grass and sand tournaments, and recreational adult leagues. And we hope they leave the program with more than just volleyball skills, and our commitment to off-court development brings annual seminars on topics such as nutrition, mental toughness, and injury prevention and treatment.

Commitment to Improvement
Coaches are determined to see players end the season with significant improvements in all of their volleyball skills. In addition to team practice, individual, position-specific training will be offered. A strength and conditioning program will also be available for players serious about improving their speed, agility, balance, and power.

Coaches will also sit down and meet with each individual player at the beginning stages of the season to help set goals. Players will receive at least one written evaluation through the course of the season as well as a follow up, goal-review meeting.

Marin Juniors will encourage players to develop all-around skills. Far too often a player's volleyball "world" is narrowly defined by her high school team. We hope that players will play different positions, and go on to play co-ed and outdoor doubles, which will require everyone to play all positions and be capable of all skills.

Culture of Learning
We know that optimum development of teams comes from understanding three core components of learning:

First, the physiological aspects of motor learning. We understand the breakdown of every fundamental skill in volleyball and know how to apply the proper mechanics. We are students of coaching, and every year refine our methods of teaching and providing feedback.

Second, the psychological component of learning. We know that confidence is the key to player improvement. We encourage players to learn from mistakes, we celebrate accomplishments. But most importantly, we focus on the effort and the process, not just the results.

Finally, the learning environment. We strive to build a culture where effort and intensity are demanded and rewarded, where mistakes are understood to be core elements of learning and improving, and where attention to detail is relentless.

Teams will interact with other coaches and other teams, giving players the opportunity to learn from more than one expert. The access to different coaching styles and personalities can be a huge boost to individual player improvement.

Character
We all understand the value of sports and the positive impact that they can have in the development of young women. However, sports alone do not build character; only with the proper leadership and culture are traits such as teamwork, confidence, and perseverance fostered.

We believe there is an alarming trend in youth sports away from the core values of respect and sportsmanship, and we too often see fear replace desire as the primary motivation for players. Coaches and organizations are losing sight of the fact that while money, ego, and power are involved, it should be all about the players. As a result, young players are quitting organized sports at an alarming rate and we hear more and more horror stories in youth sports.

One of our objectives is to give as many young women the chance to play volleyball as possible and develop a love for the sport. While we can't create teams for all of the players, we will continue to extend our efforts to make the sport accessible through programs such as Marin Juniors Too.

We are focused on maintaining a supportive environment that provides young women the chance to reap all of the benefits that organized sports has to offer. We encourage our coaches to always strive for more, but no matter how hard our coaches push their teams, they will never belittle, embarrass, swear at, or give up on our players.

We teach respect; for the sport, the coaches, other players, parents, and referees. Safety, both physical and emotional, are top concerns. Commitment, effort, enthusiasm, and teamwork are essential elements of our successful program. Recognition, positive feedback, and encouragement are at the core of our coaching philosophy and motivational techniques. And finally, we will never lose sight of the fact that volleyball is a game, and it should be fun.

We hope to see you in our gym!