Club Volleyball - rate your club pros/cons

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is interested in trying out for Virginia United and Braddock Road but their tryouts overlap.

I understand Virgina United is coached by the Bishop O'Connell coach. They have only one tryout, no make ups. My concern is that the Bishop O'Connell girls who played volleyball under this coach will get an offer and my daughter would be wasting her time trying out.

My daughter has a year already of club volleyball, and was cut from her own team yesterday. The sheer number of girls trying out yesterday at all tryouts was exponentially more than last year. I was stunned. My daughter says it's because many girls who played high school volleyball for the first time now want to play club which wasn't the case last year. My daughter is devastated not to have even been called back to her former club, even though she was invited to invitation only clinics (she attended) and went to the teams other clinics. She was not the only one from her former team to get shut out.

Hence now today we are trying for other clubs, which is why Braddock Road vs Virginia United decision is important. Does anyone know if the BO girls who play for the school are basically a lock to make Virginia United? HELP! Thank you in advance.

Which teams have already picked their 15U rosters anyone know?

This year is unique in that I've heard even the big dogs (Metro and Paramount) followed by the smaller dogs (VAJrs, VAE, etc.) do not have their U15 rosters done yet. This probably also means that nobody else's rosters farther down the pecking order are done either.

I doubt the Tier 3 and 4 level club’s rosters will be dependent on the big dog’s rosters.

Why not? Isn't it the cascade effect, and as players that thought they had an in to Tier 1 & Tier 2 clubs find out they're without a club, they start looking at lower tier clubs, along with all the players who didn't receive any offers at all yet?

Exactly +1. Everything is a cascade effect. Girls that think they are making Metro/Paramount end up getting waitlisted or don't make it, then that trickles down to Jrs/VAE, and then that trickles down to the Their 3/4 clubs. It's a vicious cycle!

[Anonymous]

Top tier girls did not even try out foe the lower level clubs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is interested in trying out for Virginia United and Braddock Road but their tryouts overlap.

I understand Virgina United is coached by the Bishop O'Connell coach. They have only one tryout, no make ups. My concern is that the Bishop O'Connell girls who played volleyball under this coach will get an offer and my daughter would be wasting her time trying out.

My daughter has a year already of club volleyball, and was cut from her own team yesterday. The sheer number of girls trying out yesterday at all tryouts was exponentially more than last year. I was stunned. My daughter says it's because many girls who played high school volleyball for the first time now want to play club which wasn't the case last year. My daughter is devastated not to have even been called back to her former club, even though she was invited to invitation only clinics (she attended) and went to the teams other clinics. She was not the only one from her former team to get shut out.

Hence now today we are trying for other clubs, which is why Braddock Road vs Virginia United decision is important. Does anyone know if the BO girls who play for the school are basically a lock to make Virginia United? HELP! Thank you in advance.

Which teams have already picked their 15U rosters anyone know?

This year is unique in that I've heard even the big dogs (Metro and Paramount) followed by the smaller dogs (VAJrs, VAE, etc.) do not have their U15 rosters done yet. This probably also means that nobody else's rosters farther down the pecking order are done either.

I doubt the Tier 3 and 4 level club’s rosters will be dependent on the big dog’s rosters.

Why not? Isn't it the cascade effect, and as players that thought they had an in to Tier 1 & Tier 2 clubs find out they're without a club, they start looking at lower tier clubs, along with all the players who didn't receive any offers at all yet?

Exactly +1. Everything is a cascade effect. Girls that think they are making Metro/Paramount end up getting waitlisted or don't make it, then that trickles down to Jrs/VAE, and then that trickles down to the Their 3/4 clubs. It's a vicious cycle!

Yep. I know an extremely talented and TALL girl who went to all the metro travel clinics, was encouraged to keep coming back every time, they talked to her parents, etc. At tryouts they then told her to try out for one of the regionals instead. She ended up back at her second tier club who gave her an offer. That was the only offer she got. She’s a phenomenal player who’s 6ft tall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Top tier girls did not even try out foe the lower level clubs

Which is why they'll want to know what clubs are still doing tryouts if they never imagined being cut out from their travel teams. But it is happening for some.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Top tier girls did not even try out foe the lower level clubs

Which is why they'll want to know what clubs are still doing tryouts if they never imagined being cut out from their travel teams. But it is happening for some.

There’s a lot of cutting going on, the trickle down effect is fully in swing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is interested in trying out for Virginia United and Braddock Road but their tryouts overlap.

I understand Virgina United is coached by the Bishop O'Connell coach. They have only one tryout, no make ups. My concern is that the Bishop O'Connell girls who played volleyball under this coach will get an offer and my daughter would be wasting her time trying out.

My daughter has a year already of club volleyball, and was cut from her own team yesterday. The sheer number of girls trying out yesterday at all tryouts was exponentially more than last year. I was stunned. My daughter says it's because many girls who played high school volleyball for the first time now want to play club which wasn't the case last year. My daughter is devastated not to have even been called back to her former club, even though she was invited to invitation only clinics (she attended) and went to the teams other clinics. She was not the only one from her former team to get shut out.

Hence now today we are trying for other clubs, which is why Braddock Road vs Virginia United decision is important. Does anyone know if the BO girls who play for the school are basically a lock to make Virginia United? HELP! Thank you in advance.

Which teams have already picked their 15U rosters anyone know?

This year is unique in that I've heard even the big dogs (Metro and Paramount) followed by the smaller dogs (VAJrs, VAE, etc.) do not have their U15 rosters done yet. This probably also means that nobody else's rosters farther down the pecking order are done either.

I doubt the Tier 3 and 4 level club’s rosters will be dependent on the big dog’s rosters.

Why not? Isn't it the cascade effect, and as players that thought they had an in to Tier 1 & Tier 2 clubs find out they're without a club, they start looking at lower tier clubs, along with all the players who didn't receive any offers at all yet?

Exactly +1. Everything is a cascade effect. Girls that think they are making Metro/Paramount end up getting waitlisted or don't make it, then that trickles down to Jrs/VAE, and then that trickles down to the Their 3/4 clubs. It's a vicious cycle!

Yep. I know an extremely talented and TALL girl who went to all the metro travel clinics, was encouraged to keep coming back every time, they talked to her parents, etc. At tryouts they then told her to try out for one of the regionals instead. She ended up back at her second tier club who gave her an offer. That was the only offer she got. She’s a phenomenal player who’s 6ft tall.

That is horrible and unethical to do to that kid and her family. At least give the kid some indication that they should have a backup option in the event that they do not make the team. I know that Paramount and VAE let kids on the bubble know if they should have a backup option. That's not like Metro to cut somebody who is 6' tall

[Anonymous]

I'm quite sure this isn't the first time Metro has cut someone 6' tall if what they considered a more-skilled 6' player tried out.

Agree that courting a player that hard isn't really fair, but we have always gone in with attitude that positive feedback at tryouts is nice, but it's not an offer until it's a formal offer. It is very easy to get hopes up, and I totally feel for that 6' player who was invited to invite-only clinics and went. But people advised us early on: there are no guarantees. Believe it's a spot when you get that written offer, and not before then. And keep your options open until you've accepted. Sad but true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm quite sure this isn't the first time Metro has cut someone 6' tall if what they considered a more-skilled 6' player tried out.

Agree that courting a player that hard isn't really fair, but we have always gone in with attitude that positive feedback at tryouts is nice, but it's not an offer until it's a formal offer. It is very easy to get hopes up, and I totally feel for that 6' player who was invited to invite-only clinics and went. But people advised us early on: there are no guarantees. Believe it's a spot when you get that written offer, and not before then. And keep your options open until you've accepted. Sad but true.

You certainly have the right perspective. But what makes this station unfair is that this player actually played for Metro last season. If she were not a returning player and was rather just a player coming from another club who was trying to make the team, I wouldn't feel badly. But to string a returning player along all the way until the day of the tryout, and then tell them they are cut...that's pretty dirty. That's the unethical behavior that is pretty common in the club world, but Metro is definitely the dirtiest of the dirty (on top of the unethical ways they go about poaching players instead of developing their own)).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm quite sure this isn't the first time Metro has cut someone 6' tall if what they considered a more-skilled 6' player tried out.

Agree that courting a player that hard isn't really fair, but we have always gone in with attitude that positive feedback at tryouts is nice, but it's not an offer until it's a formal offer. It is very easy to get hopes up, and I totally feel for that 6' player who was invited to invite-only clinics and went. But people advised us early on: there are no guarantees. Believe it's a spot when you get that written offer, and not before then. And keep your options open until you've accepted. Sad but true.

You certainly have the right perspective. But what makes this station unfair is that this player actually played for Metro last season. If she were not a returning player and was rather just a player coming from another club who was trying to make the team, I wouldn't feel badly. But to string a returning player along all the way until the day of the tryout, and then tell them they are cut...that's pretty dirty. That's the unethical behavior that is pretty common in the club world, but Metro is definitely the dirtiest of the dirty (on top of the unethical ways they go about poaching players instead of developing their own)).

Wow ok, that is indeed dirty. I get it now and very sorry for that young woman.

[Anonymous]

Yesterday at regionals they (Metro)had people line up after tryouts for “feedback”. All they asked was why do I want to play for Metro and what other clubs are you trying out for. No actual feedback on how they did at tryouts-they didn’t even check the players numbers to give said “feedback” and know who they were talking to. I still don’t understand what the point of making people wait in line for that long was.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yesterday at regionals they (Metro)had people line up after tryouts for “feedback”. All they asked was why do I want to play for Metro and what other clubs are you trying out for. No actual feedback on how they did at tryouts-they didn’t even check the players numbers to give said “feedback” and know who they were talking to. I still don’t understand what the point of making people wait in line for that long was.

you

Why people suffer that just to pad Silvia's pockets. For the travel tryouts, I've heard parents/players will often be waiting in line for upwards of two hours. Essentially, Metro is violating CHRVA rules because they are essentially making these players/families verbally commit to coming to Metro before they send them the actual written offer. If you don't sound all that eager to play for Metro or mention that you are trying out for other clubs too, then they usually don't send you that official written offer. All clubs are business and you can't expect loyalty from any club, but Metro is by far the shadiest and most unethical club in the CHRVA Region, but the CHRVA Region just lets them get away with it because they're Metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yesterday at regionals they (Metro)had people line up after tryouts for “feedback”. All they asked was why do I want to play for Metro and what other clubs are you trying out for. No actual feedback on how they did at tryouts-they didn’t even check the players numbers to give said “feedback” and know who they were talking to. I still don’t understand what the point of making people wait in line for that long was.

you

Why people suffer that just to pad Silvia's pockets. For the travel tryouts, I've heard parents/players will often be waiting in line for upwards of two hours. Essentially, Metro is violating CHRVA rules because they are essentially making these players/families verbally commit to coming to Metro before they send them the actual written offer. If you don't sound all that eager to play for Metro or mention that you are trying out for other clubs too, then they usually don't send you that official written offer. All clubs are business and you can't expect loyalty from any club, but Metro is by far the shadiest and most unethical club in the CHRVA Region, but the CHRVA Region just lets them get away with it because they're Metro.

You live you learn , I guess.

[Anonymous]

Club volleyball at the top level is a ruthless sport. I know of plenty kids who have been cut by metro travel at 14&15 age groups. It’s when ‘potential’ needs to start being realized. College coaches are x100 more ruthless than anything Metro can throw at you.

That said, Metro love poaching talent from their rivals, and plenty of them sit on the bench all season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Club volleyball at the top level is a ruthless sport. I know of plenty kids who have been cut by metro travel at 14&15 age groups. It’s when ‘potential’ needs to start being realized. College coaches are x100 more ruthless than anything Metro can throw at you.

That said, Metro love poaching talent from their rivals, and plenty of them sit on the bench all season.

+1 Metro poaches because they don't do a good job of developing players. They rely on just poaching the best athletes whom other clubs have developed. And, as the PP mentioned, often times some of these kids they poach end up standing on the sidelines all season because Metro will put 15 players on their roster for financial purposes and so that they can hog all the talent to weaken their local competition. Their grip in the area has somewhat been loosened because some (not a lot, but some) of these really talented athletes and players have decided to go the Paramount route instead and have actually beaten Metro Travel teams while playing for Paramount.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Club volleyball at the top level is a ruthless sport. I know of plenty kids who have been cut by metro travel at 14&15 age groups. It’s when ‘potential’ needs to start being realized. College coaches are x100 more ruthless than anything Metro can throw at you.

That said, Metro love poaching talent from their rivals, and plenty of them sit on the bench all season.

+1 Metro poaches because they don't do a good job of developing players. They rely on just poaching the best athletes whom other clubs have developed. And, as the PP mentioned, often times some of these kids they poach end up standing on the sidelines all season because Metro will put 15 players on their roster for financial purposes and so that they can hog all the talent to weaken their local competition. Their grip in the area has somewhat been loosened because some (not a lot, but some) of these really talented athletes and players have decided to go the Paramount route instead and have actually beaten Metro Travel teams while playing for Paramount.

I don't think either of my girls are tall enough or will be tall enough to be heavily recruited by any D1 travel team in the near future, but reading all of this makes me SO HAPPY that we turned down Metro regional in this last round of tryouts. We were offered a spot after waiting in that long line, and we were thrilled, but so glad we went with our gut. Time will tell how good or bad the decision we did make was, but we already feel that much better about it because even if our kid had had a good season, there's no way we want to be part of this toxic environment. And on the apparently incredibly remote chance our kid was ever offered a spot on Metro travel in the coming years (more because of height than skill)... I sure hope we turn it down.