Just like dessert, a little "just for fun" volleyball can actually make your athlete better. You might think that the key to keeping kids in sports is pushing them to win, train harder, or develop elite skills. But what if the real secret is something much simpler—like making sure they're actually having fun? A study from the Journal of Physical Activity & Health found that fun—not winning, fitness, or even improvement—was the number one reason kids stick with sports. When the fun disappears, so does their desire to play. In fact, fun ranked higher than winning, skill development, or fitness as the main reason kids stay in sports.
What This Means
When we focus only on performance — club tryouts, reps, rankings, recruiting — we risk turning volleyball into a job. And just like restrictive dieting, too much "discipline" leads to burnout.
So what works better? Letting athletes "snack" on fun:
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Casual drop-ins
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King/Queen of the Court games
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Playing with friends instead of coaches
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Backyard or beach volleyball with no pressure
Just like a piece of dessert can keep a dieter on track… A dose of joy keeps an athlete motivated.
What to Try This Week
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Mix structured training with play.
Let them do drills, then finish with 15 minutes of chaos — spikeball, 2v2s, funny serving contests, etc.
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Say yes to the "just friends" days.
It's okay if they're not always with their club teammates. Different playing groups = fresh energy.
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Let go of guilt.
If your athlete skips a lesson to play beach volleyball for fun — that's not lost training. It's mental fuel.
The Takeaway
Burnout doesn't come from too little work. It comes from too little joy. Let your athlete play like it's recess again. Because sustainable growth in sport isn't built on pressure — it's built on fun that doesn't feel forced.