When a Fun Volleyball Trend Becomes a Lesson in Consent

What happens when a seemingly harmless sports tradition gets people fired up about consent?

In this episode of Five with Fry, we’re talking about clipping—a popular trend in volleyball where players pin decorated clothespins onto each other. Sounds fun, right? But what happens when a player doesn’t want to be clipped? What happens when a young girl feels uncomfortable but doesn’t know how to say no?

That’s where this conversation takes a turn.

When I brought up concerns about this in a volleyball moms Facebook group, the backlash was real. People argued that clipping was “just for fun” and that “no harm was meant.” But here’s the thing: intent doesn’t override consent.

This episode isn’t just about sports—it’s about the bigger lesson we should be teaching young girls: how to set and enforce their boundaries. If we don’t give them the space to practice saying no in low-stakes situations, how can we expect them to do it when it really matters?

We’re diving into:

• Why traditions like clipping highlight the challenges young girls face in asserting themselves.
• The difference between good intentions and real consent.
• How early consent education builds confidence and autonomy.
• Why empowering girls to say “no” isn’t about taking the fun away—it’s about ensuring their voices are heard.

This isn’t about overreacting. It’s about recognizing how small moments teach big lessons. And if we want to raise a generation of young women who know how to hold their boundaries, we need to start paying attention.

Tune in to this episode of Five with Fry and let’s talk about why consent always matters—even when it’s “just for fun.”