Head Coach Kayla Mull was the head coach of West Liberty University prior to her retirement from coaching. She joined Pinnacle Volleyball Education for a brief interview to talk about her program, the recruiting process, advice for parents, and a little bit about her own history with the game. Coach Mull was a court coach at the inaugural PVE’s Elite Prospect Camp.

Pinnacle Volleyball Education (PVE): What advice do you have for prospective student-athletes and their parents when they go on a college visit?

Kayla Mull: My advice would be to come in with some prior knowledge of our university (do we have your daughter's major, etc).  I think it is important to be open to learning about the university and volleyball program as well as asking any questions or fielding any real concerns they may have so we can talk about them to find out if we are the right fit for each other academically, athletically and overall. 

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?

Mull: For them to start thinking about what is most important to the prospective student athlete.  If she is fairly open to things then start exploring universities that she would want to visit to weigh the pros and cons of them and start narrowing or eliminating them.  There may be some "deal breaker" attributes with schools for some prospects but if she is open to still checking out universities she may not be enthusiastic to visit early in the process, those schools may really surprise her and turn out being real contenders.

PVE: What is your preferred method of communication when it comes to recruiting?

Mull: Under NCAA Division II rules I am open to all methods of communication, though I do think e-mail or text is a good way to start initial contact to set up a phone call.  

PVE: What kind of financial aid is available at your school?

Mull: We have academic and athletic scholarships available outside of what a prospect would receive from loans or grants from the FASFA.  Our academic scholarships are based off of a prospect's GPA and test scores.  Information on our academic scholarships are on our website.  Doing well in school truly helps with bottom dollar costs.  

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?

Mull: Time management is the most important attribute when it comes to being a student athlete.  You have to be able to balance your demands as a student as well as an athlete.  That means staying focused on making the most out of your time and being proactive with getting things done by not procrastinating. 

PVE: What is your most memorable volleyball experience as a player or coach?

Mull: As a player it was our team making it to the Regional semifinals and traveling to Colorado for our first tournament my freshmen year.  As a Coach it was making it to the Conference Championship in 2017 and getting our first winning season in 2016 in over two decades.  

PVE: What led you to a career coaching volleyball?

Mull: I really love the sport and want to see young women get to compete and grow through their passion for it.  I am blessed for the opportunity to be able to do something that I love and have been able to meet such talented young women along the way through this sport.  I am also very fortunate to have had exceptional role models and staff members over the years.

PVE: What's one thing you wish everyone knew about your school or program?

Mull: As for the school I wish people knew how great the people at West Liberty University are.  Not only our players but the entire community at WLU is so welcoming that it really is like a home.  I think this plus getting a quality education that is financially competitive is the entire package for any prospect.   

As for the volleyball program I wish everyone knew how great our players are as people.  They are dedicated to the classroom as well as the court, and I think this shows by their actions and even just watching them play.  

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?

Mull: Finding out what is important to both of you.  Doing the research to make sure your daughter is getting a quality education, helping to communicate timelines and giving advice to help her make her best decision while understanding it does need to be somewhere she will be happy at is important.  Realizing you do have a say and have very valuable advice to help her in making a decision that she feels is hers will make her feel better if she knows you support her and helped her really look at things realistically.  Scholarship money is a very important factor to a decision, everyone knows that.  Just make sure that is not the sole reason a decision is made because when student athletes do that, they tend to not stay at that program very long.  Retention rate is an important thing to look into for a program. 

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?

Mull: Players can come in to talk with me about these things and I will be honest with them.  Experience at this level matters.  When they talk to you remind them that they are on a TEAM and that every other player on this college team was also the big contributor from their HS or club team before they came.  Help them to be realistic with where they are from a skill perspective (that means you need to be as objective as you can be too).  In college you probably will not see them enough (everyday) to help with that assessment but help them to realize this themselves and trust the process.  Players who can't be honest with themselves on this are the ones who have a knack to complain and blame others instead of starting to look internally to themselves and their reaction to choices. Everyone progresses at different rates.  Some can contribute right away either because they came in further along or there was a void in that position sooner.  Be patient with the process and keep working hard, nothing worthwhile is ever easy.  Focus on what to GIVE not just GET.

Many thanks to Coach Mull for taking the time to speak with us today. Coach Mull will be joining us at PVE’s Elite Prospect Camp this summer as a court coach.