The official bid tracking spreadsheets were updated today. BRVA seems to have accepted the USA division bids (14s and 15s). The Metro and MDJRS bids are also reflected in the documents. I'll update the first post...and I'll hold off on my bid-declining rant for now. . Basically, don't compete for a bid if you aren't going to accept it.
One 18 National division bid has been reallocated, so CHRVA is now second in line to get another bid there (would have VAJRS moving up based on current results). Not sure how 5th place from Bid Reginald will be determined. I've heard it was up to a coin toss in recent years. |
Metro 17 Travel got an open bid in Boston. Not sure if any other CHRVA teams have gotten additional bids yet this weekend, but with Metro having open bids at 15, 16, and 17s, it sets up an interesting test of how the Metro National teams at those age groups will stack up at regionals in 2 weeks without the Travel teams there. NEQ for 18s and 17 Open is next weekend and it is probably another good shot for Paramount 17s to get their open bid. They were 6-2 in Boston and just missed making top 4, going 1-1 in their gold pool. |
I'm sure Coach Nick lost his mind over this. Paramount was banned from going to Sunshine b/c so many complaints about his behavior- there were tournament officials at each match to keep him in check the last time Paramount played at Sunshine. If Paramount keeps it up they'll be down to fewer and fewer qualifiers |
I'm not sure where you are getting your information from, but this is objectively false. You cannot get suspended from a qualifier. A coach can be suspended from USAV, and if they are, they aren't allowed to coach in any USAV-sanctioned tournament (which would include all qualifiers). All suspensions are public so if any coach were suspended, it would show up here: https://usavolleyball.org/safesport/suspended/. Just to show you how much in the know you aren't, the same company that runs Sunshine (Tampa Events Company) runs Big South. Even if your delusional theory that a coach/club could get banned from a qualifier without being suspended by USAV were true, your theory is negated by the fact that pretty much all of Paramount's teams are going to Big South this year. |
Paramount is choosing Boston over Sunshine for very good reasons. Boston is a much weaker qualifier. For example, Paramount 15 was ranked fourth in the 15 Open division in Boston. It only had to beat teams ranked lower than it to get an Open bid. (It lost one match and finished fifth.) At Sunshine, it would have been ranked much lower and would have had to beat teams ranked higher than it (Legacy, A5, OT, Arizona, GJ, Metro...) to finish in the top four. I wish more CHRVA teams would choose Boston over Sunshine next year. It’s drivable, and families can have more flexible schedules. |
Keep your dramas to yourself. Every coach may have his/her outburst in the past but it's tough love and nothing else. Coach Nick is still well respected in the DMV. |
I agree that if the comment about Paramount not being able to go to Sunshine is an unsubstantiated rumor, then it shouldn't be shared. That said, Coach Nick's outbursts are known to be much more than what is considered acceptable and I disagree that he is well respected in the DMV. His outbursts are not received by many players and parents on his teams as "tough love". I have heard directly from more than one parent of former Paramount players who played for Coach Nick that the culture that he cultivates is toxic. These weren't parents of players bitter about not getting playing time - these were starters who left the club to play elsewhere. Also, Paramount has significantly higher numbers of players that leave the club year after year than other CHRVA clubs (there was a pretty extensive analysis of the data done in the Metro vs Paramount thread from last year) and that is often attributed to the club/team culture. Finally, there was a widely shared video of Coach Nick aggressively taunting a Metro team in a match that his team won last season. Getting upset with a ref's call or getting a yellow card for an isolated outburst are one thing - menacing teenage girls (much less after you win) is a whole other thing. |
Keep drinking the kool-aid. It's quite the opposite and it's impacting their recruiting. |
This team is, unfortunately, quite banged up this year, with a few more injuries than you’d hope for aligned with Bid Regionals and Qualifiers. It’s unfortunate timing because it is a talented team. The same happened with the 17s this weekend in Boston, with the top OH down with an injury. She’ll be back full force soon, and that team is supremely talented and will no doubt get their bid. The Coach Nick lore really is rich on this board, but in real life, it doesn’t amount to much more than that. Having watched hundreds, maybe thousands now of hours of practices and competitions with his teams, I can tell you he’s a great coach, a great guy. Is he a competitor through and through? Yes. Does he push the girls to bring their best when they walk into the gym? Yes. Does he cross lines with the girls? No. Is he abusive in any way? No. Is “culture” at practices or on Paramount teams bad? No. Does he build teams he expects to win? Yes. Does he wear his heart on his sleeve? Yes. Does he show his passion and fight? Yes. Does he support his players? Yes. Don’t believe all the DCUM rumors you read. As someone who sees the guy with players 3+ times per week minimally, the best I can surmise is that people like to have a common “villain” at top clubs. Metro has Sylvia, Paramount has Nick. |
Can you post a link to this video? |
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN1wX9pm_iY&t=34s
Just the last 20 seconds. He clearly couldn't contain his excitement from beating the next age group of the "enemy" club. He is overly competitive (especially during game time) but truly a master coach in practice at the same time. So take whatever you see there... |
| I get a message saying that the movie is private. |
This is a ridiculous and demonstrably false statement. You are telling me the team that Coach Nick has coached since U14 (that is currently a U17 team) has had their recruiting negatively impacted? In the class of 2027, they have a Penn State commitment (this was the year after they won the National Championship), a Vanderbilt commitment, a UCONN commitment, a Delaware commitment, and an Old Dominion commitment. The Penn State commit also made the USA U19 National Team, which clearly wouldn't have happened if Coach Nick or Paramount weren't in good standing with college coaches or with USAV. Why didn't Metro's star 2027 middle (who is a phenomenal player) make the USA U19 National Team if Silvia is so well-respected and well-connected? You don't have to like the guy, but the lengths that people will go to to lie is just ridiculous. |
| Just watched the video. He’s clearly just a pumped up coach who won a big match. It’s hardly aggressive compared to what I’m used to seeing in AAU basketball and football. |
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Getting back on track ...
There are 16 USAV qualifiers for 18s teams in 2026, all completing play in two weeks. Eight qualifiers have been/will be played with no CHRVA teams, two qualifiers were played with one CHRVA team, one with two CHRVA teams, two with three CHRVA teams. Over 30 CHRVA clubs have sent (or will send) a team to a qualifier to compete for an 18s bid. The most bid-seeking CHRVA teams will be at NEQ this weekend. Boston and Ohio Valley had the most CHRVA representation after NEQ, which probably makes sense from a "travel distance" perspective. NOTE: As noted in the first post, Metro, VAJRS, Columbia, and VA Elite have already secured USAV bids via the region. Those four teams can move up to a higher division by earning a bid at a qualifier ... or via reallocation from another region. Bids to the Open, USA, and Liberty divisions can only be earned at qualifiers. Here's a participation breakdown by division in the 18s age group (multiple events at the same division denoted in parentheses): 18 Open - Metro (5), Paramount (2) 18 USA - Loudoun Elite (4), Virginia JRS (3), Columbia (2), Delaware United (2), Virginia Elite (2), Blue Ridge, EC Power DE, Empire, Paramount 18 Liberty - Maryland JRS Elite (3), MVSA (2), Premier (2), Annapolis, Brandywine, Empire, MOJO Elite, Virginia Elite, VolleyViet 18 American - Liberty Elite (3), MOJO Elite (2), Premier (2 events, two same-division teams at one of those events), South River (2), The St. James (2), Apex Performance, Arundel Aviators, Battle, Baltimore Elite, Delaware JRS, DMV Academy, EC Power DE, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Intensity, Maryland Exclusive, Maryland JRS Open, Metro North, Platform, VAVA, Vienna Elite ... Yes, I've started looking at the CHRVA participation at the 15 qualifiers for younger age groups, but there is still more than a month of play remaining. There are definitely some eye-openers at the other age groups. How about Empire and GO Valley teams playing in the Open division at multiple qualifiers? If you are like me, you may not have known that those CHRVA clubs even exist! |