Say No to FOMO: Why Our Volleyball Academy Is Built for the Long Game

Earlier this week, I came across an article by Marc Riccio, CEO of USA Lacrosse, and it hit me hard—because it’s exactly the conversation we need to be having in volleyball.

The piece was titled “Say No to FOMO,” and it urged parents not to pull their kids out of local rec programs too soon in favor of club sports. The message? Early specialization, high-cost travel teams, and fear-driven decisions are burning kids out and shrinking the long-term pipeline for the sport. Sound familiar?

As someone who’s spent over two decades in youth volleyball—as a player, coach, and now club executive—I’ve seen this play out firsthand. And it’s one of the reasons we’re building the Volleyball Academy the way we are.

We’re Not Anti-Club. We’re Pro-Development.

Let me be clear: I love club volleyball. I run one of the largest clubs in the country. But if we’re being honest, the system is starting to crack.

Parents are racing to get their 8-year-olds on the next travel team. Kids are being promised futures before they’ve even learned to enjoy the game. And somewhere along the way, we forgot what made us fall in love with volleyball in the first place: friends, fun, and skill-building.

That’s why the Volleyball Academy isn’t just a product—it’s a philosophy. We’re creating age-appropriate, community-rooted programs that focus on:

• Fundamentals over trophies

• Joy over pressure

• Access over exclusivity

And we’re doing it across multiple cities, with standardized programming and a consistent experience that’s designed to grow with the athlete.

Parents, You Are the Market

In the lacrosse article, Marc says something powerful:

“Club programs don’t want to encroach on town leagues. Parents are often driving the calendar change.”

Let that sink in. As a parent, you have more influence than you think. If you chase the hype too soon, programs will respond. But if you demand development-first experiences, clubs will have to adapt—and that’s what we’re doing.

Our Academy model is built to coexist with local rec leagues, not replace them. We see them as essential partners in growing the sport. We want your child to play with friends in the fall league and still attend an Academy session that builds their skill. We’re not here to steal players—we’re here to create a better pipeline for the sport.

Let’s Play the Long Game

I’m not interested in building the biggest volleyball empire. I want to build the most sustainable, most impactful system for youth volleyball development in America.

And that starts by saying no to FOMO. No to the pressure that forces kids into over-scheduled, high-cost pathways too soon. Yes to programs that build better athletes, better teammates, and better humans.

This is what the Volleyball Academy is about.

This is what the sport deserves.