For those who love volleyball but don’t want the pressure of school teams, recreational volleyball is a great option. It provides athletes with a chance to learn the basics of the game. Avery Avila, one of the 7th grade volleyball players, shares her experience with recreational volleyball compared to school volleyball. “In school volleyball, there’s a lot of passing, setting, and hitting, but in recreational, it’s more about getting the ball over—just a free ball.”
Typically, the skill levels differ between recreational and school volleyball. School volleyball requires a tryout, but for recreational, as long as you sign up, you will be placed on a team. Dayanna Marcos also explains the difference in skill levels: “The skill level for school volleyball is more advanced than for rec.”
Recreational volleyball and school volleyball also have different time commitments. Marcos elaborates on the time commitment: “The time commitment for school volleyball is practice every day, but for rec, it’s usually once a week.”
Recreational volleyball typically has more sign-ups, which leads to smaller teams but more teams overall. Each team usually has two to five substitutes, while the school team has around seven or eight. In recreational volleyball, athletes don’t have specific positions and rotate in a circle. In school volleyball, students rotate into positions like libero or outside hitter.
Recreational volleyball is a good choice for younger players who want to learn the basic concepts of the sport before tryouts become an option. Avila explains how skill levels vary with age: “The older you get, the more competitive and skilled you become, and when you’re younger, it’s more about learning the game.” Marcos also explains the difference in skill levels: “There are differences for playing at different age levels because the younger players are usually focused on practicing and learning how to play.”
Recreational volleyball is a great option if you want to start learning the game, have fun with friends, and enjoy no pressure to try out for a team. Rec volleyball can also help level up your skills for the next season of school or club volleyball.
