THE PARENT'S GUIDE TO PACE
PACE is not just a volleyball tool — it's a framework for understanding your child as a whole person. This guide explains what PACE is, how it works, and how you can use it to support your athlete's growth on and off the court.
VOLLEYBALL.NET · FOR PARENTS
EVERY TRAIT IS AN ALL-STAR
No PACE trait is better than another. A championship team needs all four — the competitor, the energizer, the glue, and the thinker. Your child's natural personality has a role in every team they'll ever be part of.
PACE TRAITS ARE LIFE SKILLS
The qualities PACE measures don't stay on the volleyball court. Research shows that personality traits developed through sport carry directly into academic performance, career success, and interpersonal relationships. Here's what each trait means beyond the game.
Performance
On the Court
Competitive drive, goal-setting, work ethic, physical excellence
In Life
Goal-orientation, academic discipline, career ambition
For Parents
Praise your child's effort and preparation, not just results. A high-P athlete thrives when they see their hard work paying off. Help them set process goals ('I want to improve my serve accuracy by 10%') rather than outcome goals ('I want to start every game').
High-P athletes become the employees who stay late to get it right, the entrepreneurs who don't quit, the students who outwork their peers. This trait is a life advantage.
Attitude
On the Court
Team energy, emotional leadership, positivity under pressure
In Life
Leadership, resilience, social influence, emotional intelligence
For Parents
Notice and name when your child lifts others. 'I saw you encourage your teammate after that error — that's real leadership.' High-A athletes need to know their emotional contribution is seen and valued, not just their stats.
High-A athletes become the managers who build great cultures, the friends everyone calls in a crisis, the leaders who bring out the best in others. Emotional intelligence is increasingly the most valued professional skill.
Cooperation
On the Court
Unselfish play, system execution, conflict resolution, trust-building
In Life
Teamwork, collaboration, empathy, conflict management
For Parents
If your child is high-C, they may hesitate to advocate for themselves (playing time, position preferences). Encourage them to speak up: 'Cooperation isn't just following — it's working with others, including asking for what you need.' Help them practice assertive communication at home.
High-C athletes excel in collaborative work environments, group projects, and any role that requires earning trust and working within systems. These are the team players every organization desperately needs.
Endurance
On the Court
Mental focus, game reading, tactical adaptability, pressure composure
In Life
Strategic thinking, problem-solving, analytical ability, academic excellence
For Parents
High-E athletes may overthink and stress — academically and athletically. Encourage them to use their analytical skill to also schedule relaxation and fun. Help them see that balance is itself a strategic choice, not a weakness.
High-E athletes often excel academically and in analytical careers (engineering, medicine, strategy, research). Their ability to stay composed under pressure and think clearly in complex situations is a rare and valuable quality.
HOW COACHES USE PACE
PACE is designed to complement skill assessment — not replace it. The recommended weighting is clear and transparent:
Skill & Athletic Performance
70%
PACE Personality Fit
30%
This weighting ensures that physical ability remains the primary selection criterion. PACE informs coaching decisions — how to develop a player, what role suits them, how to communicate with them — but it never overrides athletic merit.
In practice, this means PACE shapes how a coach develops and communicates with each athlete — not whether they make the team. A highly-skilled athlete still earns their spot on athletic merit. PACE informs what role they play, how errors are coached, and how the team is built around them. A lower-skill athlete with a strong PACE fit does not displace a higher-skill athlete — they receive coaching that maximizes their specific development trajectory.
Roster Construction
Coaches use PACE to build teams with complementary traits — not just the most skilled players, but a balanced mix of competitors, energizers, glue players, and thinkers.
Individualized Coaching
PACE helps coaches 'speak each player's language.' A high-P player responds to direct challenges; a high-C player responds to team-framed feedback. Same message, different delivery.
Playing Time Decisions
When a coach chooses one player over another, PACE provides objective, trait-based language: 'We needed a high-Attitude presence in this role.' This reduces misunderstandings.
Captain Selection
PACE helps identify natural leaders. A high-Attitude player may be the vocal motivator; a high-Endurance player may be the strategic thinker. Both are valid leadership styles.
HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR ATHLETE
Research shows that supportive parental communication leads to higher athlete motivation and enjoyment (Harwood & Knight, 2015). Here are six practical strategies grounded in the PACE framework.
Learn the Language
Familiarize yourself with the four PACE traits so you can use the same language your coach uses. When your child says 'I'm a C player,' you'll understand what that means and can reinforce it positively.
Reinforce Strengths at Home
Notice and name PACE traits in everyday life. 'That was very Attitude of you — you kept the whole group positive.' This helps athletes see their traits as genuine strengths, not just volleyball categories.
Support Growth Areas
If your child is lower in a trait, create low-stakes opportunities to practice it at home. Lower-P? Celebrate when they push through something hard. Lower-C? Praise collaborative moments. Lower-A? Notice when they lift someone's spirits.
Ask, Don't Tell
After games, lead with questions rather than coaching: 'How did you feel about your focus today?' or 'What did you notice about the team's energy?' This builds the self-awareness that makes PACE work.
Trust the Process
PACE is a long-term development tool. Resist the urge to compare your child's profile to teammates'. Every trait combination has a role. The goal is for your child to understand themselves — and that takes time.
Model the Traits
Athletes learn from what they see. Show Performance by working hard at your own goals. Show Attitude by staying positive when things go wrong. Show Cooperation by working well with others. Show Endurance by staying calm under pressure.
PARENT FAQ
The most common questions parents ask about PACE.
Is PACE a test? Can my child fail it?
No — PACE is not a test with right or wrong answers. Every answer option maps to a valuable trait. There is no 'good' or 'bad' PACE profile. A team needs all four traits to succeed, which means every player's natural personality has a role. Your child cannot fail the PACE assessment.
Will PACE affect my child's playing time?
PACE is designed to complement skill assessment, not replace it. The recommended weighting is 70% skill and physical performance, 30% PACE trait fit. A player's personality profile should never override their athletic ability as the primary selection criterion. PACE helps coaches understand how to develop each player — it's a coaching tool, not a selection filter.
What if my child's results don't seem accurate?
PACE results reflect tendencies, not fixed truths. If your child feels their results don't fit, that's worth a conversation with their coach. It may reveal something useful — perhaps they answered how they think they should be, rather than how they actually are. Athletes can retake the assessment, and profiles can shift as players develop.
My child scored low in Performance. Does that mean they're not competitive?
Not at all. A lower Performance score simply means competitive drive isn't their most dominant natural tendency right now. It can absolutely be developed. Many great athletes have built their competitive edge through coaching and intentional practice. PACE is a starting point, not a ceiling — and every trait can grow.
How should I talk to my child about their PACE results?
Lead with curiosity, not judgment. Try: 'What did you think of your results? Does that feel like you?' Focus on strengths first — what their dominant traits mean about what they're naturally good at. Then explore growth areas as exciting opportunities, not deficiencies. The goal is self-awareness, not self-criticism.
Can I take the PACE assessment too?
Absolutely — and we encourage it. Many parents find that understanding their own dominant traits helps them communicate better with their athlete. A high-P parent coaching a high-C child may naturally push harder than the child needs; knowing this can transform the relationship. The assessment is free and takes about 8 minutes.
How does PACE help with playing time conversations?
PACE gives coaches an objective, trait-based language for explaining decisions. Instead of 'we went with another player,' a coach can say 'we needed a high-Attitude presence in that role right now.' This shifts the conversation from personal to professional, reducing misunderstandings and helping parents and players understand the full picture of what coaches are building.
PACE IS ABOUT DEVELOPING BETTER PEOPLE, NOT JUST BETTER PLAYERS.
— PACE White Paper
Athletes who understand their own motivations and how to work with others will carry those skills beyond volleyball — into every team, classroom, and career they encounter.