Student Athletes Share Experience At Green Bay College ID Camp

Abbey Sutherland and the Green Bay Phoenix Volleyball team held their College ID Camp this past Sunday at the Kress Event Center at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with over fifty athletes getting a taste of the college game at a Division 1 University.  With athletes from multiple states attending, this camp was not just about volleyball skills, but the mindset of what it takes to be a student athlete at the next level.

Athletes went through a series of drills and positional training as well as competitive games, but one of the more beneficial parts of the camp was being able to have a question and answer session with current Green Bay players.  

What does it take to be a student athlete?  Talk about a loaded question. Here are some of the thoughts from current Green Bay volleyball athletes.

“You must be able to bounce back from failure.  Whether you have a tough exam, a practice or game that didn’t go your way, you have to be able to come back from that quickly.  You cannot dwell on your mistakes.”

“It's humbling.  You are surrounded by others that are so talented and amazing.”

“Time management.  I might have class straight from 8:00-3:00 or 5:00 if you include study and labs.  I’ll go straight to practice, eat, and then head to study tables.”

“Stay focused!  Prioritize what's important.”

Throughout the entire afternoon of the camp there was plenty of buzzwords and phrases that athletes were receiving feedback on such as, “Are you giving eye contact?”, “Body Language”, and “Give feedback and energy”.  

Coach Sutherland was hired at Green Bay at the end of February after a successful stint at UW-Stevens Point, leading the Pointers to back to back Final Four appearances at the NCAA D3 level, and being a top contender in the WIAC year in and year out.  A St. Norbert alum and Wisconsin native, Sutherland spent time at Southern Mississippi as an assistant and three years as a head coach.

Not only were current players able to give advice on having a growth mindset and being able to accept feedback, but also what coaches are looking for during the recruiting process and what is expected at the college level.

One of the current Green Bay players emphasized being prepared.

“Coaches notice you on the court obviously, but also how you are acting off the court.  How do you talk to your parents? If you didn’t get your water bottle filled up are you yelling at your parents to fill it up for you?  You need to be prepared. How are you talking to your teammates? Your coach? What is your body language saying? Be really positive to everyone because it all matters.”

If players are looking to get recruited at the next level it is far beyond their sport, it's about finding the right fit.  

Current UW - La Crosse coach, Amber Dunn was one of the coaches at the camp and emphasized “best fit” no matter what level of volleyball you are looking to play.

“Whether you are looking at playing Division 1 or Division 3, it really is finding what works best for you.  Its the whole package, not just the volleyball program, you need to find the best program, school, and volleyball that works best for you.”

Coach Sutherland ended the camp by offering any players in the Class of 2019 if they wanted to talk in regards to questions about recruiting.  She also educated all players at the camp about the new rule changes that are now in effect for the Division 1 level in regards to recruiting. If you are in the Class of 2020, coaches cannot have recruiting conversations with potential student athletes until the start of their Junior year.  

Camps will be starting this summer at plenty of college and universities, and the new recruiting rules will be a change for coaches at the Division 1 level.  This may also be a change for players in their recruiting process. Once again, it all comes down to be able to adapt to new, how do you respond to change, and having a growth mindset.