How to Make a Volleyball Recruiting Video That Gets Noticed

An athlete’s recruiting video is their chance to make a great first impression on a college coach. It shows the athlete’s skill level and athleticism, and it helps coaches figure out who might be the right athletic fit for their team. There’s a lot riding on an athlete’s recruiting video, so families need to take the time to really understand what coaches are looking for, how to capture the right footage and what it takes to put the finished product together.

How to make a volleyball skills video

From making a great first impression to remaining on a coach’s radar, a women’s volleyball skills video is key to getting noticed. The best part of a volleyball skills video is that it doesn’t need to be as polished as a traditional highlight video.

According to former D1 volleyball coach Jason Holt volleyball recruits should include drills that demonstrate speed, power and agility to ball control, setting footwork and consistent, solid reps. And finally, your commitment to the game. “They want to see how hard you work,” he said. “Are you a hard worker? Do you show that volleyball passion about playing at the next level?”

How to use volleyball highlight videos in your recruiting

An athlete’s recruiting video—also referred to as a volleyball highlight video—should be the first thing that they send college coaches when they contact them. If the coach likes what they see, they might request full game footage or more clips. At the very least, it will encourage the coach to strike up a conversation to learn more about who the recruit is as a student-athlete if the coach’s interest is piqued by the video. 

Generally, coaches will watch the first 10–25 seconds of a recruit’s volleyball highlight video and have a good idea of if they are interested in pursuing that recruit. So, make those first 10–25 seconds extremely impactful. Families should put their best footage at the beginning to really capture the coach’s attention right away.

How long should a high school volleyball highlight video be?

A volleyball highlight video should be no more than three to five minutes long. It should focus on showing multiple repetitions of a few specific skillsets based on the athlete’s position—and it needs to make the recruit look like an all-star! Don’t waste time with clever transitions and music; keep it to the basics and really highlight the athlete’s best plays. 

Volleyball recruiting video tips: Where to stand and what to look for

The first rule of filming a volleyball highlight video: avoid moving the camera around too much. Set up the camera on the baseline of the court on the side your athlete is playing on. Make sure you’ve set it far enough back to capture the whole court, but there won’t be people walking back and forth in front of it. Avoid filming by hand, following the ball with the camera, and zooming in and out. The smoother the video experience, the more coaches will be able to focus on the athlete—not the shaky videography. 

When editing the video, start out with a quick slide that gives a few basic pieces of information about the recruit: their name, grad year, position, jersey number, club team name and height. Recruits can also add some key stats, like vertical jump, etc. Families should also make sure that they add a drop shadow, arrow or some other indicator of who their daughter is, so the coach evaluates the right athlete. From there, athletes have about 10–20 seconds to capture a coach’s attention, so put the best plays at the very beginning of the video.

What happens after a coach watches a volleyball highlight video?

The next step that the coach will take depends in part on their division level. If a D1 coach is interested in a recruiting video, they will likely add that recruit to their database and arrange a time to watch that athlete compete in person. For the other levels, if the coach is in the region, they might try to arrange a time to watch the recruit compete in person. If they aren’t in the athlete’s region, they will likely base their recruiting of that athlete entirely off video.

Coaches might also ask to see full game film, so families should make sure that they have it ready. Remove all dead times—such as side changes, time outs, substitutions, etc.—so the coach can focus on the athlete.

Volleyball recruiting video outside hitters

• Multiple repetitions of passes off a live serve from left back, middle back and right back
• Multiple repetitions of attacking on the left side, right side and middle (second tempo sets, in the middle)
• 5–7 blocks
• If there’s time, no more than 3–5 of your best serves

According to former women’s volleyball coach Sue Webber, outside hitters should incorporate hits, footwork, arm swings, blocking, passing and defense in their highlight videos, but also make sure they come across as a great, positive teammate when assisting or even when not handling the ball.

Volleyball recruiting video right-side hitters

• 5–7 blocks on the right side
• 10–15 hits, kills, back row attacks
• 10 defensive plays/digs from right back
• If there’s time, no more than 3–5 of your best serves

In the video below, former women’s volleyball college coach Sue Webber breaks down what coaches look for when evaluating opposite hitters, and what types of additional footage—passing, setting and defense—will help opposite hitters’ videos stand out.

Volleyball recruiting video middle blockers

• Multiple repetitions of middle blocking, showing footwork to block on left and right
• Multiple repetitions of blocking transition to attacking
• 10–15 hits/kills
• 5–7 attacks off serve receive
• 5–7 attacks from transition (blocking to loading to attacking)
• If there’s time, no more than 3–5 of your best serves 

There are a few key skills middle hitters need to include in their highlight videos. In the video below, former D1 athlete and college coach Sue Webber says potential recruits should include clips that display their blocking and hitting abilities, transition footwork and tempos and receive and block-to-hit attacks.

Volleyball recruiting video setters

• 15–20 setts from all the positions: middles, outside LR
• 5–7 blocks from right front
• 5–7 attacks
• 7–10 digs/defensive plays from right back
• If there’s time, no more than 3–5 of your best serves 

In the video below, Senior Volleyball Recruiting Coach and former D1 athlete and college coach Sue Webber breaks down what works and what doesn’t in a setter highlight video and offers some insider tips, like including off-the-net passes that will help setters set themselves apart from their competition.

Volleyball recruiting video liberos

• Multiple repetitions of passing in all three positions
• Multiple repetitions of defense in all three positions
• Show ability to pass the ball no matter how much of the court you need to take
• Back row attacks, if applicable
• If there’s time, up to 5 of your best serves

In the video below, Senior Recruiting Coach Sue Webber—a former D1 athlete and D1 and NAIA college coach who’s watched hundreds of highlight/skills videos—breaks down what college coaches want to see from potential women’s volleyball recruits competing for a libero roster spot.