My Daughter Didn’t Make the Volleyball Team – What Now?

As parents, we all wanna see our kids succeed and achieve their goals.

But sometimes, despite their best efforts and hard work, things don’t go as planned.

Watching our kids get disappointed can be heartbreaking, especially for something they were passionate about.

In this article, I want to share my experience as a parent when my daughter didn’t make the volleyball team and what we did to move forward, so let’s jump right in.

My Daughter Didn’t Make the Volleyball Team: Here’s What to Do!

If your child has recently experienced the disappointment of not making the volleyball team, it’s important to know how to support them through this process.

As a parent, you can help your child develop resilience, perseverance, and a positive outlook by following these tips.

By encouraging your child to set new goals, offering support and validation, and helping them build confidence, you can help them move forward from this setback and learn valuable life skills.

1. Acknowledge and Validate Their Feelings

When your child doesn’t make the team, it’s important to acknowledge and validate their feelings of disappointment, frustration, and sadness.

Let your child express their emotions, and reassure them that feeling upset about not making the team is normal.

2. Encourage Your Child to Take a Break

When my daughter didn’t make the volleyball team, I suggested she take a break.

This helped her process her negative emotions and combat sadness with other hobbies.

So, after the initial disappointment, encourage your child to take a break from volleyball and do other things they love.

This will help them gain perspective and find other things that bring them joy.

3. Help Them Set New Goals

Encourage your child to set new goals and work towards them.

This could be improving their skills, trying out for a different team, or exploring other sports or activities.

4. Offer Support and Encouragement

When my daughter didn’t make the volleyball team, I ensured she felt supported.

Let your child know you’re there to support and encourage them through this process.

Celebrate their successes and milestones. Also, remind your child that setbacks aren’t forever.

5. Teach Your Child Resilience

Use this experience as a chance to teach your child resilience.

Explain to your child that life is full of challenges and how we handle those challenges defines us.

Encourage them to keep trying and never give up on their dreams.

6. Help Your Child Build Confidence

Building confidence is crucial for kids who are trying to make the team.

Encourage your child to practice their skills, and offer constructive feedback to help them improve.

When they do well, acknowledge their hard work and praise them for their efforts.

Remember, not making the volleyball team isn’t the end of the world. There’s a wide range of other opportunities.

As a parent, your job is to support and encourage your child and help them build the skills and confidence they need to reach their goals.

7. Emphasize Effort Over Outcome

Encourage your child to focus on their effort rather than just the outcome.

Help them see that their hard work and dedication are valuable, no matter the result.

8. Teach Them to Set Realistic Goals

When my daughter didn’t make the volleyball team, we discussed goals for the future.

I told her that she must set realistic goals in the future and achieve them one by one until she’s ready for bigger challenges.

Help your child learn to set realistic goals and expectations for themselves.

This will help them avoid disappointment and frustration in the future.

9. Use Humor

Sometimes a little humor can go a long way in helping your child feel better.

If appropriate, joke or use humor to lighten the mood and remind your child that life continues.

10. Be Patient

Remember that everyone processes disappointment differently, and it may take your child some time to bounce back.

Be patient with them, and continue to offer your support and encouragement.

11. Don’t Compare Them to Others

When my daughter didn’t make the volleyball team, I never said it was because she’s less skillful than other kids.

Avoid comparing your child to others who made the team or succeeded in other areas.

This can be hurtful and make your child feel like they’re not good enough.

12. Help Them Learn from the Experience

Encourage your child to reflect on the experience and consider what they can learn. This will help them grow and develop as a person.

13. Offer Perspective

Help your child gain perspective by reminding them of the bigger picture.

Sports are just one part of their life, and there are many other things that they are good at and enjoy.

14. Focus on Improvement

Encourage your child to improve their skills for the next season or try out.

Remind them that practice makes perfect, and with dedication and hard work, they can improve their chances of making the team.

15. Don’t Place the Blame on Anyone

Avoid placing blame on anyone, including your child or the coaches.

This can be counterproductive and cause your child to feel even worse.

Extra Tip: Help Them Find Other Ways to Stay Involved

When my daughter didn’t make the volleyball team, I didn’t tell her to quit volleyball. Instead, I encouraged her to get involved in other ways.

Therefore, if your child is still interested in volleyball, help them find other ways to stay involved, such as volunteering to keep score or assisting the team.

When to Pull Your Kid Off a Team?

When my daughter didn’t make the volleyball team, I didn’t immediately pull her off.

Still, I support those who want to pull their children off a team if the play negatively influences their life.

Deciding when to pull your child off a team can be difficult and emotional.

The following factors can help you make the best decision for your child:

Safety Concerns

Suppose your child is experiencing physical or emotional harm from being on the team.

Examples include being bullied or suffering from an injury not properly addressed.

In that case, pulling them from the team may be necessary to ensure their safety.

Lack of Playing Time

If your child isn’t receiving enough playing time or opportunities to develop their skills, it can cause them frustration.

In this case, it may be worth considering whether staying on the team is in their best interest.

Poor Coaching

Suppose your child’s coach doesn’t provide effective instruction or support your child’s development.

In that case, pulling them from the team may be necessary to find a better coach.

Time Commitment

Suppose the time commitment required by the team is causing stress or interfering with your child’s daily life.

In that case, pulling them from the team may be necessary.

Lack of Enjoyment

Let’s assume that your child isn’t enjoying playing on the team or is experiencing stress or anxiety related to their participation.

In that case, it may be worth considering whether staying on the team is in their best interest.

Ultimately, the decision to pull your child off a team should be based on what is best for your child’s physical and emotional well-being.

My daughter didn’t make the volleyball team, but I didn’t pull her off immediately.

However, if you decide that it’s necessary to pull your child from the team for whatever reason, don’t just do it right away.

Instead, communicate openly and honestly with your child about your reasons.

Lastly, be supportive and encourage your child to continue pursuing their passions and interests, even if it means finding a new team or activity.

Closing Thoughts

We must remember that our children’s failures don’t define their abilities and future.

It’s okay to feel discouraged and sad, but it’s also essential to teach our children resilience, determination, and perseverance.

When my daughter didn’t make the volleyball team, we took the opportunity to explore other sports and activities that she enjoyed.

Through this process, she discovered new talents and interests that she wouldn’t have pursued otherwise.

So, if your child is experiencing disappointment, remain compassionate and supportive.

With time and effort, they will achieve their goals and find success in their unique way.