What Does My Child Need for a First Volleyball Practice?
Your child starts volleyball next week and the sports shop has an entire aisle of gear that all looks essential. It is not. For the first few months you need four things, and the rest can wait.
What you genuinely need on day one
- Clean indoor shoes with grip. Any sports shoe that is only worn indoors and does not leave black marks will do. Facility managers are strict about this, and rightly so.
- Comfortable sports clothing. Shorts and a T-shirt. Avoid shorts with zipped pockets; they are unpleasant once kids start going to the floor.
- A water bottle. An hour and a half in a warm gym is more drinking than a child expects.
- Hair tied back, nails short. Sounds like a detail, but a long nail breaks on the first clean contact and loose hair sits exactly in the way when setting.
That is it. No ball, no club jersey, no tape.
Knee pads: yes or no, and when
The most frequently asked question, with a nuanced answer. In the youngest groups kids barely go to the floor — there, knee pads are mostly hot and awkward. As soon as children start genuinely digging and diving, usually somewhere between nine and eleven, they become useful: not so much against injuries as against the bruises and scrapes that otherwise make kids hesitate to go for the ball.
What to look for when buying: a junior size that closes around the knee without pinching, and a thin model. Thick, heavy pads tempt kids into sliding on their knees, which is exactly the habit you do not want to teach. Measure the circumference just above the knee and follow the brand's own size chart, because they differ a lot. A good pair lasts two to three seasons.
A practical detail that surprises many parents: knee pads belong above the kneecap, not on it. If they slide down during play, they are a size too big or the elastic is worn out. Have kids take them out of the bag after practice to dry, because gear stored damp starts to smell within a season and stretches out faster.
Shoes: what to look for and what you can skip
Proper volleyball shoes exist and they are worth the money from the moment there is serious jumping and lateral movement, usually around age twelve. Before that, any good indoor shoe is fine. What you do look for: a sole with grip in every direction, a firm heel, and enough room at the toes. Check the size every six months — children's feet grow in jumps and a shoe that is too small is one of the most underrated causes of complaints. What you can skip: expensive insoles bought without advice, and ankle braces when nothing has ever happened.
For coaches that last point is the whole story: one announcement in Koach reaches every parent at once, so the kit list does not have to travel through a group chat where half of them miss it. How parents get access to that information is in adding parents to your team.
What can wait (or never comes)
- Their own ball. The club has balls. Nice at home, not needed for practice — and if you buy one, buy the one that fits the age, see which volleyball by age.
- Club kit. Usually only issued once your child actually plays league matches, and often on loan.
- Ankle braces. Only on advice, after a sprain or with demonstrated instability.
- Finger tape. Belongs to recovery, not to the standard kit of a nine-year-old.
- A big sports bag. A backpack is fine and fits better in the changing room.
Roughly what it costs
| Item | Indication | When |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor shoes | €30-60 | Straight away |
| Knee pads (junior size) | €10-25 | Once they start hitting the floor |
| Ball for at home | €15-30 | Optional |
| Volleyball shoes | €60-110 | From around age 12 |
Plenty of clubs run a second-hand box or a swap event at the start of the season. Ask about it; knee pads and shoes outgrown in a growth spurt are often barely worn.
Practical things nobody tells you
- Put a name in the shoes, the bottle and the knee pads. In a changing room with twelve kids, four pairs look identical.
- Jewellery comes off, earrings included. Ask beforehand how the club handles freshly pierced ears.
- If your child wears glasses, get a sports strap, or let them take the glasses off if they can still see the ball without them.
- Be in the gym ten minutes early. Kids who arrive just in time miss the start and lose the first twenty minutes.
- Ask the coach whether parents should stay and watch the first session or not. Both happen, and it is nice to know — the background is in setting expectations with parents on the sideline.
Frequently asked questions
Are knee pads compulsory in volleyball?
They are not compulsory, but from the moment kids genuinely go to the floor they are strongly recommended. In the youngest groups, where it is mostly catching and throwing, you can safely put it off.
Do I need to buy proper volleyball shoes straight away?
No. Any clean indoor shoe with good grip is enough for the first few years. Volleyball-specific shoes become interesting around age twelve, when there is serious jumping and lateral movement.
Roughly what does the first year of volleyball cost?
Outside the club fee you usually land between 40 and 90 euros: shoes and possibly knee pads. Club kit is often issued on loan and a personal ball is not necessary.
