One of the biggest challenges for new and established clubs—or even high school programs—is the temptation to try to be everything to everyone.

As much as we want to say yes to every opportunity and be the solution for every need that comes our way, it simply isn’t realistic. At the end of the day, being good at everything often means being great at nothing. When you constantly say yes, you spread your time, energy, and resources too thin to truly excel in any one area.

This is an easy concept to understand in theory, but much harder to put into practice—especially for those of us who are wired to take on challenges and say yes.

The real work is not deciding what to add. It’s deciding what not to pursue.

Staying Focused Through Strategic Planning

During our club’s strategic planning process, we identified seven core strategic goals to guide us over the next three years. These goals became our filter for decision-making.

We committed to being hyper-focused on those seven priorities and saying no to almost everything else that didn’t align with them.

Those goals were designed to move our club in a clear direction—one that would allow us to grow intentionally and sustainably. More importantly, they helped us identify what we do best and direct our time, energy, and resources toward those strengths.

That focus also strengthened our financial stability. When your resources are aligned with a clear strategy, efficiency naturally improves.

But focus also requires sacrifice.

Letting Go of a Program

During that process, we made the difficult decision to discontinue one of our programs: our sand program.

At the time, we had been running it for three years. It was functional, but it was never more than average. We didn’t have the resources to fully invest in it, it was barely breaking even, and we weren’t fully confident in the product we were offering.

As a result, we made the decision to discontinue the program the following spring/summer and redirect our efforts elsewhere.

What Happened Next

That summer, we saw a significant increase in participation in our indoor camps and were able to launch a new satellite camp model. By shifting focus, we were able to take our summer camp programming from good to great.

Some of our strongest coaches—who had previously been tied to the sand program—were now fully invested in camp programming, which elevated the athlete experience. At the same time, our marketing efforts became more focused and effective because we were no longer splitting attention across too many offerings.

It turned out to be a win-win.

Removing Emotion from the Decision

For club directors and coaches, one of the hardest parts of this process is removing emotion from decision-making.

When we first discussed discontinuing our sand program, there was real resistance. That’s natural—coaches and staff care deeply about the work they do. But once we stepped back and evaluated the program objectively, it became clear it was not one of our strengths. And by letting it go, we created space to strengthen other areas.

Once that clarity set in, the entire staff aligned behind the decision.

We also recognized something important: none of these decisions have to be permanent.

Just because we step away from a program today doesn’t mean we can’t revisit it in the future—especially once our core strategic goals are achieved. Re-entry is always an option when the timing, resources, and alignment are right.

Staying Disciplined in Opportunity

As club directors, coaches, and people who love the sport, opportunities are always coming our way. Over the past few years, ideas have included starting a podcast, building a blog, creating a training video library, constructing indoor sand courts, and more.

And while any of these could be valuable and exciting, we’ve continued to say no.

Not because they lack potential—but because they don’t align with our current strategic focus.

We keep coming back to our seven strategic goals. They serve as our anchor and our filter, helping us stay disciplined in a world full of distraction.

The opportunity will always be there. The challenge is making sure your focus is, too.

The Academy Volleyball Club, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a member of Junior Volleyball Association, focused exclusively on junior volleyball and the needs of the club community. Since 2006, JVA has worked to improve the junior volleyball experience by supporting a growing network of nearly 1,800 member clubs while continuing its mission to ‘Better the Ball’ at every level. Built by Club Directors for Club Directors, JVA provides resources, events, education, and advocacy to help the sport grow in the right direction. Known for a more innovative and forward-thinking approach than traditional governing bodies, JVA continues to push the game forward by introducing new ideas, elevating the event experience, and creating opportunities that reflect where the sport is going, not where it’s been. Learn more at www.jvavolleyball.org or follow @jvavolleyball on all social media platforms.

Revised 7.6.2026