Mentorship

Ground rules: Be nice and respectful!

General Mentor Expectations

• Mentees will be reaching out to mentorship@cbvolleyball.net to request your email address, and they will be the ones contacting you to request mentorship. You are always allowed to refuse to mentor someone, but please be respectful. If you find that you no longer want to be a mentor, or have too mentors already, contact mentorship@cbvolleyball.net to have your name removed from our Active Mentor List.
• Be available, responsible, and responsive when mentees reach out. If the mentee is a new CBVA member and/or inexperienced player, you should reach out at least once a month or more to see how they’re progressing and enjoying the league. If the mentee is a seasoned CBVA member and/or experienced player, then mentees will be encouraged to initiate more. Be communicative when you are unavailable to meet up or help a mentee.
• Maintain a degree of confidentiality and respectfulness. Do not, for instance, complain about mentees to others. If a relationship doesn’t work out, report it to the mentorship program director and look for ways to resolve conflicts, or terminate the mentorship.
• Avoid giving false information. It’s better to admit you don’t know the answer (explain that you don’t know the right way to, for instance, back set) than to give an incorrect answer! Direct mentees to other sources of knowledge if necessary (i.e. other coaches, clinics).

Foster Positive Relationships:

• Be reliable and responsive! Notify mentees if you are too busy.
• Offer praise and encouragement!
• Name ways in which players can improve (rather than criticizing what they are doing wrong).
• Be friendly and invite mentees to CBVA/non-CBVA social events!

Additional Suggestions:

• Communicate what kind of mentorship role you are able to be for your mentee (i.e. if you choose not to do one-on-one coaching, explain that so that the expectations are clear from the beginning).
• Ask mentees what their goals are, if any. Talk about what you can work with them on to meet their goals.
• Other than helping mentees directly, mentors can suggest possible clinics (and skills drills) as well.
• Familiarize yourself with what CBVA has to offer and let mentees know about them. There are programs (i.e. clinics, tournaments, socials, etc.) each season that mentees (especially new members) are not aware of.

• Be nice and respectful!
• Mentees are expected to reach out to mentors themselves to request mentorship, but can contact mentorship@cbvolleyball.net if they run into any issues. Keep in mind that the mentors you reach out to may say no (i.e. they do not have the time, currently have too many mentees, etc.). Please respect their decision and reach out to a different mentor.
• Mentees should reach out to mentors and have a conversation at the beginning to discuss any goals, expectations, and the best means of communication.