A new parent's guide to club Volleyball

It’s July. That means that it is time to think about club volleyball tryouts for the 2022-23 season. Clubs have moved 15-18U tryouts from the late fall to the late summer in recent years, so athletes and parents don’t have quite as much time to prepare and explore different options for club (travel) volleyball. We want to help families who are new to club volleyball with this helpful list of of things to know.

​Club volleyball in NC offers competitive volleyball teams for a wide range of athletic abilities and travel commitment levels.

When looking for a club it is important to first determine what type of experience would be best for your daughter and what will be the best fit for your family.

Do your homework and research the local options for clubs in you area. Some questions that can help you gather information are listed below.

What level teams are offered at the club? What division level do they compete in at tournaments?
(Team Level names will vary from club to club, because they all make up their own structure and system for their team levels, so read the fine print and ask questions.)

• National Teams: usually this level means that these are the highest level athletes at the club, and they travel the farthest and play the longest season.
  • These teams typically play only 2-3 day tournaments and travel to multiple states to compete. Average number of tournaments may be between 9-12 for the season.
  • Some clubs classify a “National” team by any team that plays until the end of June when they attend the AAU National Championships in Orlando each year. There are many divisions of play at AAUs, so any level team can compete there.
• Regional Teams: usually this level means that these are intermediate levels teams who play some one day tournaments and also a few 2-3 day tournaments within driving distance for the weekend.
• Local Teams: usually this means that these are more entry-level teams or families that cannot commit to the level of travel for a higher level team. These teams typically play in the USAV Carolina Region tournament series. These are one-day tournaments that take place in NC. You will know the dates you play but will not know your location or opponents until the week of the event.

Understand Tournament Divisions
Open Division is the top level of play in Juniors Volleyball, no matter what type of event (USAV/AAU/JVA). These will typically be the top level teams at the event competing in this divisions. There is typically a smaller number of teams in this division at tournaments. Most clubs in our area do not offer open level teams, but there are a few.

Club Division is the division that many teams from our area play in. This level of play offers great competition with like-level teams. Many 2-3 day tournaments offer Open & Club divisions only.

National Championship Tournaments divisions are listed below.
AAU/ JVA Volleyball Divisions
Any team may register and attend AAU nationals.

1. Open
2. Premiere
3. Club
4. Aspire
5. Classic

USA Volleyball Divisions
Teams must “qualify” at a USAV National Qualifier event during their season by placing high enough to earn a “bid." 

1. Open
2. National
3. USA
4. Liberty
5. American
6. Freedom
7. Patriot

What is the season schedule?

• Ask for a tournament schedule so you can see where you will travel and when. This will help you estimate your travel expenses for the season.

What are the season costs?

• Understand the breakdown of costs for your season. When comparing costs, make sure you understand what you are getting for your money. (Examples being included are things like team travel, uniform packages, and volleyball shoes.) Don’t compare apples to oranges.

Find someone who has played there before and ask them questions.

• Do some digging and talk to at least 3 people that have played at the club before. You may get a wide variety of opinions based on their experiences. It is important to know what you may be signing up for.
• Questions to ask other families and players who have played there before:
  • What was the best thing about your season?
  • What was the hardest thing about your season?
  • Did you feel like you got what you were expecting out of the season?
  • How was the communication from directors and coaches at the club?
  • Did you feel like your player grew and developed?
  • Would you play there again?

Club volleyball can be a great experience for young athletes. But finding the right club and team is a tricky process sometimes. If you go in with a clear list of priorities of what your athlete wants to get out of this experience, it will be easier to determine which club/team is the right fit for your family.

Go to as many open gyms, clinics, pre-tryout events as possible. Every club has a different culture. This is the most important predictor of what your experience may be. Your daughter will know how she feels once she has been to some events at the club. Finding a place where she is comfortable and enjoys the club culture and the coaches is the key to making a good choice for her.  Find the best place for her, where she is right now in her development. Things change quickly in the world of club volleyball, so take it one step at a time!

Good luck and enjoy the journey!
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We asked some local clubs to give us some information to share with our families for a starting guide when exploring clubs.

Click here to visit the Google Doc with Local Club Information submitted for our club guide.

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