Youth Volleyball Safety: A Parent's Guide

Volleyball is a relatively safe sport, but young players do get hurt — most often ankle sprains at the net and overuse injuries from too much jumping. Parents can lower the risk by knowing concussion warning signs, keeping kids hydrated, making sure they get regular rest days, and choosing clubs with clear safeguarding (child-protection) rules. This page covers the basics; always follow your child's doctor for any injury.

Health note: General information, not medical advice. Young athletes should train under a qualified coach, and anyone with pain or an injury should see a doctor or physical therapist.

Most common acute injury

Ankle sprain

Concussion rule

Out for the day, back only with a provider's OK

Rest (AAP)

1–2 days off per week

Time off (AAP)

2–3 months per sport per year

Safeguarding

Ask for your club's policy

Concussions: know the signs

A concussion is a brain injury that can happen from a hit to the head — in volleyball, usually a ball to the head, a collision with a teammate or a fall. Health bodies such as the US CDC (through its HEADS UP program) list signs to watch for.

Signs you might see:

• Looks dazed, stunned or confused
• Trouble remembering or concentrating
• Moves clumsily or reacts slowly
• Mood or behavior changes

Symptoms your child might report:

• Headache or pressure in the head
• Dizziness, nausea or vision problems
• Bothered by light or noise
• Feeling foggy, slowed down or unusually tired

What to do: Remove your child from play right away. Concussion guidance used in sport around the world agrees on this. The CDC says to keep an athlete with a possible concussion out for the rest of that day and until a healthcare provider clears them. Return to sport should be gradual and guided by that provider. When in doubt, sit them out.

Back to school: The CDC says most children can return to school within 1 to 2 days of a concussion, often with short-term changes to their workload and schedule. Tell teachers and the school nurse, and ask your child's healthcare provider to fill in the CDC HEADS UP Letter to Schools.

Call your local emergency number (911 in the US and Canada, 112 across the EU) for danger signs such as passing out (any loss of consciousness), a seizure, repeated vomiting, a headache that gets worse, slurred speech, not recognizing people or places, or being very drowsy or impossible to wake.

Free resources: your national federation or health service, or (in the US) the CDC's HEADS UP resources at cdc.gov/heads-up.

Heat and hydration

Heat matters indoors as well as out: packed gyms on tournament days get warm, and summer beach or grass volleyball means hours in direct sun.

• Send a full water bottle to every practice and tournament, and encourage drinking during breaks.
• Ease into hot-weather training over the first week or two rather than starting at full intensity.
• Pack shade, a hat and sunscreen for outdoor play.
• Know the warning signs: dizziness, confusion, unusual tiredness, headache or nausea. Stop activity, move to a cool place and get help.
• A player who collapses or acts confused in the heat is a medical emergency. Call your local emergency number.

Ankle sprains

• Two feet, your side

  ✓ Correct

  Land softly on both feet, knees bent, on your own side of the center line.

• Foot under the net

  ✗ Wrong

  A foot that drifts under the net can land on another player’s foot and roll the ankle.

Ankle sprains are the most common sudden injury in volleyball. Most happen at the net, when a player lands on someone else's foot.

• Good court shoes with lateral support help: women's shoes, men's shoes.
• Balance and landing drills lower the risk. Teach kids to land softly on both feet with knees bent — see Warm-Up and Common Injuries.
• Ankle braces are commonly used for prevention, and especially after a sprain. See Ankle Braces.
• After any sprain, follow your doctor's guidance before returning to jumping.

Overuse, rest and playing one sport

Jumping and swinging the same way thousands of times can lead to overuse injuries like jumper's knee (pain below the kneecap) or shoulder pain. Pediatric and athletic training experts recommend:

• Rest days: at least 1 to 2 days off per week from volleyball training and games (American Academy of Pediatrics). The US National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) recommends at least 2 days off per week.
• Time off each year: 2 to 3 months off from each sport per year (AAP). NATA suggests not playing one sport for more than 8 months a year.
• Weekly hours: the often-used age-in-years comparison is only a broad planning guideline, not a validated safe ceiling or a training target. Count organized training and matches across teams, allow recovery, and respond to pain, unusual fatigue or loss of enjoyment even below that number.
• One team at a time: play on only one team per season.
• Sample before specializing: playing several sports when young builds overall athleticism and lowers the risk of burnout.

Watch for warning signs: pain that lasts after practice, pain that changes how your child moves, or a drop in enjoyment. Those are reasons to rest and check with a doctor. More on common injuries: Common Injuries.

Safeguarding: protecting young athletes

Good clubs have clear rules to protect children from abuse and make it easy to raise a concern. Many national federations and sports bodies require coaches and volunteers to complete safeguarding training and background checks. The exact rules depend on your country.

What to look for in any club:

• A written safeguarding (child-protection) policy and a named welfare or safeguarding contact.
• Background checks and safeguarding training for coaches and volunteers.
• One-on-one time between an adult and a minor only where others can see and walk in.
• Open communication: messages between coaches and minors include a parent or another adult.
• Clear rules for travel, overnight stays and changing rooms.

What parents can do:

• Ask the club for its safeguarding policy and how it checks coaches.
• If something feels wrong, report it to the club's safeguarding contact, your national federation or the police. If a child is in immediate danger, call your local emergency number.

US policy source: USA Volleyball 2025 MAAPP, Part II.A (training deadlines and refresher requirements). Check the current policy and your region before a new role; 45 days is not a grace period for contact with minors. USA Volleyball 2025 MAAPP. · CDC HEADS UP · AAP 2024

Deep dive: Is my child's soreness normal?

Discomfort can have several causes, and elapsed time alone cannot distinguish ordinary muscle soreness from injury. Do not diagnose from a timetable or ask a child to play through pain. Persistent, worsening or localized pain, a limp or a change in movement needs assessment by an appropriate healthcare professional. A brief record of sessions and symptoms can help that conversation.

Frequently asked questions