Is the COVID-19 Outbreak the Best Thing That Could Have Happened to the Class of 2021?
Everybody wants to play and everybody wants to improve their skill set and from that perspective the COVID-19 outbreak and the lock down that has gone with it have been excruciating. On the other hand, doctors have been warning for…
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Continue ReadingEverybody wants to play and everybody wants to improve their skill set and from that perspective the COVID-19 outbreak and the lock down that has gone with it have been excruciating. On the other hand, doctors have been warning for years about the danger of year-round training and competition with regards to overuse injuries in the sport. Children’s Hospital Colorado estimates that 50% of all junior volleyball athletes develop patella tendinitis (jumper’s knee) at some point during their playing career. The forced break of the COVID-19 lock down may just have provided the class of 2021 with the break their bodies needed to have the best season possible in 2020.
The top athletes from the class of 2021 will have already done the majority of the work to develop their overall skill set and volleyball IQ prior to their senior year. Unlike the underclassman who are working hard to be able to compete with bigger, stronger and more experienced competitors, the class of 2021 will go into the fall at the top of the food chain and likely healthier than they would have if they played through the entire Spring and Summer.
Knee, shoulder and lower back injuries are the most common overuse injuries in the sport of volleyball and once they happen, time is a massive component of the healing process. With the escalating costs of club volleyball and the fear of missing out mentality that is prevalent in players and their families competing for rare athletic scholarships, it is difficult to relent to the recovery time needed to fully heal these injuries. The pressure to play often results in athletes returning when the injury is good enough, rather than when it is fully healed.
Despite the desire to play and the frustration of not being able to compete during the lock down, the break from the game will likely benefit the athletes mentally when they return to the court in the fall. Experts like USA Volleyball’s former Grassroots Coordinator, John Kessell and USA Women’s National Team coach Karch Kiraly have warned against over-training leading to athletes burning out mentally.
College coaches have been touting the value of taking a break from volleyball or playing another sport as essential to an athlete’s development. Again, the fear of missing out mentality that is often presented by club and high school coaches who make their living by encouraging top athletes to play has worked against these coach’s desires. This year, there has been no travel, no qualifiers, no USAV national championships to keep the athletes schedule filled. They have been forced to find other ways to develop as individuals and as athletes.
When the class of 2021 and their underclassman teammates get into the gym to begin preparations for the high school season, there is going to be a huge sense of joy to go along with returning to the game they love. Performance in practice and on game day is likely to improve because of the added rest and the overall better health of the athletes. Without top players working through nagging injuries and mental burnout, this could be one of the most fun starts to a season these athletes have every seen. When volleyball is fun, everyone works harder and plays better. The COVID-19 break could lead to the most exciting high school season yet in the state of Washington.