Head Coach Dan Kreiger of Bloomsburg University joined Pinnacle Volleyball Education for a brief interview to talk about his program, the recruiting process, advice for parents, and a little bit about his own history with the game. Coach Kreiger will be joining us at PVE’s Elite Prospect Camp this summer as a court coach.
Pinnacle Volleyball Education (PVE): Can you share a little info about your school? Where is it located, what type of campus is it, and what are some of the things that attract students to your school?
Dan Kreiger: Bloomsburg University is located in Bloomsburg, PA. Our enrollment is just under 10k total students. Campus is spread out over 350+ acres and offers incredible scenic views. We offer more than 50 undergraduate majors and 20 graduate programs that cover a wide array of interests. The strong academic reputation, beautiful campus, and size of our school are attractive to prospective students. The people that work at BU make it a great choice!
PVE: Tell us a little bit about what you envision for your program? What is most important to you as a coach?
Kreiger: Our program is very unique in that we just completed our first ever season of competition in 2018. We feel like we have an opportunity to develop into a very competitive program in the PSAC. Our vision is to use the correct principles and values to establish a foundation for this program that will allow us to build toward and sustain long term success. The most important thing to me is that the young women in this program earn their degree and develop into outstanding human beings in their time at BU.
PVE: Obviously each position is different, but what are some of the academic, athletic, and/or personality traits that you look for when you recruit a player?
Kreiger: We are looking for good people that are driven to perform academically and athletically. Academically, we like to see that there is a plan for the future. Athletically, we look for a desire to change and improve on a daily basis. Because we are in the infancy of our program, we are also looking for individuals that are willing and able to carry the responsibility of laying the groundwork for our future.
PVE: Tell me a little bit about what your timeline is in the recruiting process. When do you try and identify players, begin communication, have visits, get commitments, etc...
Kreiger: Every recruiting process is different. There is never a strict timeline of when things have to happen. We are trying to move things further ahead as we move forward, but hopefully we are identifying players in their freshman and sophomore years. Outside of summer camp information, communication will begin during the summer prior to their junior year. It is great if we can get some kids at our camps when they are younger, but we definitely want to get a closer look the summer before their junior season. Ideally, we will be able to make offers to kids during their junior year. This is the ideal situation. There are always situations where you get in contact with a recruit late and it works out perfectly.
PVE: What is your preferred method of communication when it comes to recruiting?
Kreiger: Email is typically the best way to get things started. Our view is that we will communicate with the preferred method of the recruit and their family.
PVE: What advice do you have for prospective student-athletes and their parents when they go on a college visit?
Kreiger: Communicate things well in advance. Be open-minded and prepared. Do some research about the institution you are visiting. We love when a recruit comes with a list of questions. Don’t be afraid to ask the tough question.
PVE: If you had to give prospective student-athletes and their parents one piece of advice as they start their college search, what would it be?
Kreiger: First, the parents should be guiding and facilitating. Please don’t to the work for your daughter. Make a list of academic interests. Search schools within your geographic limits and research who offer what you are searching for academically. Decide what your “must-haves” are in addition to academics and location. Pick the schools that check the most boxes. Athletically speaking, be realistic.
PVE: What kind of financial aid is available at your school?
Kreiger: We have athletic and academic money available to those who qualify. There is also aid available determined by the FAFSA.
PVE: Freshman year can be difficult for a lot of student-athletes. What recommendations or advice do you have for incoming freshmen and their parents?
Kreiger: Go in completely open-minded about the opportunity. As a volleyball student-athlete, you will get to move in for preseason before the general student population. Use this time to familiarize yourself with campus and get comfortable being away from home. If you are feeling homesick, communicate with your teammates and coaches. More than likely, you aren’t alone in your feelings. Parents, be excited for your daughter and her opportunity.
PVE: What is your most memorable volleyball experience as a player or coach?
Kreiger: The greatest thing this sport has given me is an amazing number of relationships that mean the world to me. Former teammates, former players, coaching friends, current players, it is incredible the rewards that this silly game has given me! The first home match in the history of the Bloomsburg Volleyball program was pretty special. Winning a conference championship in 5, winning our first-round NCAA match in 5 and advancing to the Elite 8 as an assistant with the Juniata College men’s team was really exciting! There really are too many to list.
PVE: What led you to a career coaching volleyball?
Kreiger: I was immediately drawn to the intensity of volleyball. I also really enjoyed coaching younger kids when I was in high school. The thought of making coaching into a career never really came to my mind until I was a student assistant coach at Penn State Altoona. The women’s coach there suggested that I pursue coaching and helped me make some connections to get that started. I started coaching a club team and then got my first paying collegiate job at DII school in NC. That first opportunity to coach full time sold me on wanting that for my career. In my mind, it is the best job in the world.
PVE: What's one thing you wish everyone knew about your school or program?
Kreiger: I wish everyone could see what it’s like to be around our team every day. They are an incredible group of young women and I am proud to be able to coach them.
PVE: This question is for the parents of PSA's. What advice would you give parents when it comes to helping their child navigate the recruiting process?
Kreiger: My advice would be to do just what this question says, help them navigate. Don’t steer the process. As college coaches, we want to hear from the person we are going to be coaching. Ensure they are being thorough and basing decisions on good information, but don’t make decisions for them.
PVE: This one is also for the parents. What advice would you give to parents when their child gets to college and they go from being a team leader in HS and a regular or key contributor in club to maybe not earning a whole lot of playing time right away? How can parents help their child get through that time stronger?
Kreiger: Hopefully, failure has been allowed to be a part of their life before this moment, so this won’t be a devastating situation. Be positive and encouraging. Don’t be an enabler for the negativity that can come up in those situations. Reinforce that nothing will be handed to them, they have to earn the things they want. Encourage them to speak to their coach. Coaches use a lot of information to make decisions. Speculating about that reasoning will not help.
Many thanks to Coach Kreiger for taking the time to speak with us today. Coach Kreiger will be joining us at PVE’s Elite Prospect Camp this summer as a court coach.