What Are the Best Volleyball Court Shoes for Kids?

One of the most common questions parents ask me is whether their children should play volleyball with actual volleyball shoes or if they can get away with wearing a pair of their everyday sneakers? The answer depends on how often your child plays volleyball and the level of competition. With that said, I usually recommend providing children with actual volleyball shoes as they provide a measure of protection to your child’s feet and legs.

Understanding the Importance of Proper Footwear

Volleyball court shoes for kids are designed specifically to support their growing feet while enhancing performance on the court. If you were thinking of sending your child out to play volleyball in everyday sneakers, you might want to think again. The correct types of volleyball shoes won’t make your child a better volleyball player, but they will help enhance your child’s athletic ability and ensure time on the court is comfortable.

Key Features of Kids Volleyball Shoes

Good volleyball shoes provide maximum support where players need it most, the sides of their feet and ankles. The volleyball shoes that I recommend help support your child’s feet by providing targeted cushion and support on the landings of every jump.

1️⃣ Cushioning: The outsole of the volleyball shoes that I recommend helps attenuate the impact that your kids’ feet and legs take when they come in contact with the ground.

2️⃣ Firm Heel Counters with Targeted Heel Support: This feature helps support and protect your kids’ heels and ankles. Shoes with firm heel counters provide lateral stability and help protect the child’s ankles from side-to-side cuts. The volleyball shoes that I recommend provide targeted support right below the heels.

3️⃣ Extra Cushion around the Toe-Box Area: Jumping is the most repeated skill by volleyball players. The volleyball shoes that I recommend help absorb shock every time your child’s feet become in contact with the floor. When jumping, children take off from their toes, and land on their toes. This is why it’s so important to have extra cushion and support around the toe area.

4️⃣ Good Traction: The volleyball shoes that I recommend provide a gum rubber outsole material. This is a really important feature as volleyball shoes with good traction help keep your child’s feet from sliding around on the court.

Shoes that provide these four important features will help reduce the risk of injury such as rolling an ankle or awkwardly turning over a foot.

What Are the Best Kids Volleyball Shoe Brands?

The most popular volleyball shoe brands for kids are Asics, Adidas, and Mizuno. Which one of these 3 shoe brands will work best for your child directly depends on your child’s actual foot shape (narrow, medium, wide, extra wide, high instep).

Special Considerations: Wide Volleyball Shoes for Kids

Children’s feet come in all different shapes and sizes. For example, do you know whether your child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet? Do you know if your child has a high instep? You can find out your child’s exact foot shape and shoe size in a virtual shoe fitting service I provide for free.

Some children have wider feet, which can make finding comfortable shoes challenging. Many brands offer wide options to ensure a proper fit. Look for labels indicating “wide” or “extra-wide” to accommodate broader feet. A shoe that is too narrow can cause discomfort and long-term foot issues.

Let’s now take a look at the best volleyball court shoes for kids. The volleyball shoes that I recommend provide a combination of lightweight flexibility, support and durability. Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links and we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you click our links and make purchases.

Best Volleyball Court Shoes for Kids

Take a look at the description below the image of each shoe to check whether that specific shoe style can fit the shape of your child’s feet.

Make sure that you don’t attempt to leave extra growing room inside the shoes. This can lead to your child’s feet moving excessively inside the shoes which can compromise your child’s stability and create foot issues such as blisters, calluses, and corns.

Looking for Other Shoe Recommendations?

Let me know if you are having a hard time finding your child’s shoe size or if your child’s volleyball shoes need to be made of a specific color. You can ask your question in the comment section below or email me at:

fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com 

Are These Volleyball Shoes Durable?

The volleyball shoes that I recommend are all constructed of more leather and less mesh, which makes the shoes more durable. It’s highly likely that your child will outgrow these shoes before they get worn out.

Should You Provide Your Child with a Pair of Regular Sneakers Instead?

I understand that it’s hard for most families to spend money on a sport-specific shoe, especially for a growing child. You can try a pair of quality running shoes instead of one that is specifically designed for volleyball. The shoes must be made of supportive materials and an extra grippy outsole.

Volleyball involves quick lateral movements, jumps, and sudden stops, requiring shoes that offer excellent grip, cushioning, and support. Ill-fitting shoes can lead to foot conditions like plantar fasciitis, blisters, or even long-term issues such as joint pain