What happened: Midland College volleyball recently hosted youth clinics to give local athletes affordable access to college-level coaching. I attended one of the sessions and spoke with head coach Kristina Gafford about how the program is working to close that gap in Midland.

The big picture: Gafford said they designed the clinics to address a common challenge for families seeking access to high-level training without the high cost.

“In Midland-Odessa, there are a lot of advanced programs, but not everyone can pay for those,” Gafford said. “That’s where we come in — our college kids teaching the youth.”

The clinics focus on fundamentals while creating an environment where athletes can learn through repetition and mistakes.

“It’s okay to make mistakes,” Gafford said. “We want them to feel comfortable in a game of errors. We’re all learning and teaching the sport of volleyball.”

Gafford added that a long-term goal of the clinics is to keep athletes engaged with the program and the sport.

“Seeing them back in our gym is success,” Gafford said. “Whether it’s camps or coming to our games, we want them to feel connected.”

Go deeper: The clinics offer smaller groups, more one-on-one instruction, and opportunities to build connections with local and international players. Midland College’s roster includes athletes from Poland, Serbia, Brazil, Argentina, Turkey, and France, giving younger players exposure to a range of playing styles and perspectives.

“My goal is to be a college volleyball player,” participant Sara Corrigan said. “I just want to get better at my skills and fundamentals, and this camp helps me get there.” Corrigan said one of the biggest takeaways has been learning how to work with teammates of different skill levels.

“They have a lot more experience, and they can relate to us,” participant Addison Sparks said. “That really helps mentally and pushes you to be like them.”

What they’re saying: Lady Chaparral players say the clinics are about more than just skill development.

“They can see there’s a whole world outside of Midland,” sophomore outside hitter from Brazil, Iasmin Araujo, said. “Volleyball can take you anywhere.” Araujo added that she loves seeing the joy on participants’ faces, which reminds her of why she started playing.

“Get out of your comfort zone and be coachable,” freshman middle blocker from Brazil, Laura Romao, said. “Skill can only take you so far. Your attitude matters more.”

“You have to focus on the little things,” freshman setter from El Paso, Mia Bell, said. “It doesn’t just happen. You have to be intentional with everything you do.”

What’s next: Clinics have wrapped for now, but they’re expected to return this fall, and we’ll let you know when they do. In the meantime, catch the Lady Chaparrals back in action when their season starts up again this fall.