Volleyball Tryout Preparation:
What Coaches Are Looking For
Most athletes prepare for tryouts by practicing skills. The athletes who make teams prepare by understanding what coaches are actually evaluating — and then demonstrating those qualities from the first drill to the last.
What Coaches Actually Evaluate
Coaches evaluate far more than technical skills at tryouts. Here is the complete picture — with approximate weight given to each factor at the club level.
Technical Skill Level
~25%Passing accuracy, setting consistency, hitting mechanics, serving reliability. Coaches evaluate whether your current skill level matches the program's baseline. They are not looking for perfection — they are looking for coachability and a foundation they can build on.
Volleyball IQ
~20%Positioning, reading the game, transition awareness, and understanding of rotations. Athletes who are in the right place at the right time — even without elite physical skills — stand out immediately. This is something you can develop with film study and deliberate practice.
Athletic Ability
~20%Vertical jump, lateral quickness, court coverage, and physical conditioning. Coaches evaluate raw athleticism as a proxy for development ceiling. An athlete with limited skills but exceptional athleticism is a development project worth investing in.
Coachability
~15%How quickly you implement feedback, your body language when corrected, and your willingness to adjust. Coaches spend the entire tryout giving small corrections. Athletes who visibly apply feedback immediately signal that they will be easy to develop.
Competitive Attitude
~10%How you compete when you make an error, how you respond to pressure situations, and whether you compete harder when the stakes increase. Coaches are evaluating your mental game as much as your physical game.
Team Fit
~10%How you communicate with other athletes during tryouts, whether you encourage teammates, and how you handle competitive situations with other tryout participants. Coaches are building a team, not just collecting talent.
Know your competitive profile before tryouts
The PACE assessment identifies your behavioral archetype — how you compete, lead, and respond to pressure. Share it with coaches to demonstrate self-awareness and preparation before tryouts begin.
Take the Free PACE Assessment →Position-Specific Preparation
Coaches evaluate different skills depending on the position you are trying out for. Know your position and prepare accordingly.
Key skills: Passing, hitting from the left side, serving, and transition defense
Coach focus: Coaches evaluate arm swing mechanics, serve-receive accuracy, and ability to hit from multiple sets
Key skills: Blocking, quick offense, footwork in transition
Coach focus: Coaches evaluate lateral quickness, blocking timing, and ability to run quick sets
Key skills: Setting consistency, decision-making, leadership on the court
Coach focus: Coaches evaluate hand position, release consistency, and ability to manage the offense under pressure
Key skills: Passing, digging, serve-receive, court coverage
Coach focus: Coaches evaluate platform consistency, reading the server, and communication with teammates
Key skills: Hitting from the right side, blocking, serving
Coach focus: Coaches evaluate right-side hitting mechanics, blocking ability, and serving consistency
8-Week Preparation Timeline
A structured preparation plan that builds toward peak performance on tryout day.
8 Weeks Out
Identify the clubs or school teams you want to try out for
Research tryout dates and registration requirements
Begin position-specific skill work (passing, setting, hitting)
Start conditioning program — 3x per week
Take the PACE assessment to understand your competitive profile
4 Weeks Out
Increase training frequency to 4–5x per week
Practice in game-like scenarios — not just drills
Work on your weakest skill area with focused repetition
Watch film of the position you want to play
Prepare your PACE profile to share with coaches
1 Week Out
Reduce training intensity — focus on maintenance, not improvement
Sleep 8+ hours per night
Prepare your gear: clean shoes, knee pads, water bottle
Review the club's or team's style of play
Mental preparation: visualize your best performance
Tryout Day
Arrive 15–20 minutes early
Warm up properly before the session begins
Introduce yourself to coaches by name
Compete hard from the first drill to the last
Thank coaches by name before you leave
Common Mistakes to Avoid
These mistakes eliminate athletes from consideration before coaches have fully evaluated their skills.
Arriving late or underprepared
Showing negative body language after errors
Not knowing the position you want to play
Competing passively in early rounds to 'save energy'
Ignoring teammates and focusing only on personal performance
Arguing with or questioning coaching decisions during tryouts
Wearing worn-out or inappropriate footwear
Failing to introduce yourself to coaches
How Your PACE Profile Helps at Tryouts
The PACE assessment identifies your behavioral archetype — your natural competitive style, leadership tendencies, coachability signals, and energy patterns. PACE-certified coaches use this profile to make better roster decisions and provide more targeted development feedback from day one.
Sharing your PACE profile with a coach before tryouts demonstrates self-awareness and preparation. It signals that you understand how you compete — not just how you practice. For athletes trying out at PACE-certified clubs, it can be the difference between a callback and a cut.
Find Tryouts Near You
Browse club volleyball tryout schedules by state. Filter by age group, competitive level, and tryout date. For a comprehensive national tryout calendar, visit volleyballtryouts.com.