Club Volleyball - rate your club pros/cons

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of information in this post string . . . much of which may prove helpful. But have to chime in to ask that we all refrain from identifying specific players by name. Identifying club directors is one thing (they own a very public business, so they kind of have to take the lumps that come with that role). But the players are just out making the best choices that they can, and their decisions are their decisions . . and lest we forget -- they are young people, not adults.

This try out season was super rough, so lets not make it worse by naming kids on a discussion board that will be up long after they have moved on from this club community.

Great point, I was surprised to see what seemed like the identification of a specific player. No one should write actual player names here or give very specific identifying info.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of information in this post string . . . much of which may prove helpful. But have to chime in to ask that we all refrain from identifying specific players by name. Identifying club directors is one thing (they own a very public business, so they kind of have to take the lumps that come with that role). But the players are just out making the best choices that they can, and their decisions are their decisions . . and lest we forget -- they are young people, not adults.

This try out season was super rough, so lets not make it worse by naming kids on a discussion board that will be up long after they have moved on from this club community.

Great point, I was surprised to see what seemed like the identification of a specific player. No one should write actual player names here or give very specific identifying info.

100% agree

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And Paramount lost their best player ever to Metro 17 this year.

Yep, a player they had since U13. This tryout process this season was crazy. With players leaving clubs they'd been at since such a young age, this was crazy this year. Wish it wasn't so cutthroat and hostile in our area!

Because it does seem like the highest levels of play in sports for these age groups regularly have lots of jumping around as players volley (pun intended) for the best positions on the best teams, why are you telling this story as if it's news? What seems like a real increase in #s of players trying out for club teams sounds like it's noticeably increased, the poaching of the best players and best players jumping from long time ships is not new. So why do you say this this way like it's not a common occurrence?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And Paramount lost their best player ever to Metro 17 this year.

Yep, a player they had since U13. This tryout process this season was crazy. With players leaving clubs they'd been at since such a young age, this was crazy this year. Wish it wasn't so cutthroat and hostile in our area!

Because it does seem like the highest levels of play in sports for these age groups regularly have lots of jumping around as players volley (pun intended) for the best positions on the best teams, why are you telling this story as if it's news? What seems like a real increase in #s of players trying out for club teams sounds like it's noticeably increased, the poaching of the best players and best players jumping from long time ships is not new. So why do you say this this way like it's not a common occurrence?

Agreed. Just seemed extra crazy this tryout cycle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And Paramount lost their best player ever to Metro 17 this year.

Yep, a player they had since U13. This tryout process this season was crazy. With players leaving clubs they'd been at since such a young age, this was crazy this year. Wish it wasn't so cutthroat and hostile in our area!

Because it does seem like the highest levels of play in sports for these age groups regularly have lots of jumping around as players volley (pun intended) for the best positions on the best teams, why are you telling this story as if it's news? What seems like a real increase in #s of players trying out for club teams sounds like it's noticeably increased, the poaching of the best players and best players jumping from long time ships is not new. So why do you say this this way like it's not a common occurrence?

Agreed. Just seemed extra crazy this tryout cycle.

This is the first year I have seen very successful poaching of some of the best players between the bigger clubs. That’s unusual in my experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And Paramount lost their best player ever to Metro 17 this year.

Yep, a player they had since U13. This tryout process this season was crazy. With players leaving clubs they'd been at since such a young age, this was crazy this year. Wish it wasn't so cutthroat and hostile in our area!

Because it does seem like the highest levels of play in sports for these age groups regularly have lots of jumping around as players volley (pun intended) for the best positions on the best teams, why are you telling this story as if it's news? What seems like a real increase in #s of players trying out for club teams sounds like it's noticeably increased, the poaching of the best players and best players jumping from long time ships is not new. So why do you say this this way like it's not a common occurrence?

Agreed. Just seemed extra crazy this tryout cycle.

This is the first year I have seen very successful poaching of some of the best players between the bigger clubs. That’s unusual in my experience.

At the older age groups I should have added

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anybody heard anything about how the U15-U18 tryouts shook out? Any surprises from the top dogs (Metro, Paramount)? Did any clubs make a big jump or a sharp decline? I heard Jrs and VAE took big lumps this weekend, and that Metro and Paramount each got stronger.

For those who tried out for Tier 3/4 clubs, how was the tryout process? Did you have to do tryouts at a lot of different clubs?

What do you mean “big lumps”? We were at VAE 17s tryout, among others, and it was mobbed. No offer but a lot of kids there. Didn’t try juniors.

+1. I'm going to call it out. There is clearly an anti-VAE person/people on this thread from the beginning. We get it - your kid plays for Metro or Paramount and you need to keep up the boosting for whatever reason. VAE is still an outstanding club, that is just different from the others. Year after year VAE has many of the top HS players in the region, including last year's Gatorade Player of the Year (who played there 13-18), and still has a 100% college recruitment track record. Plenty of fair criticism about the way they do things esp at younger age groups. Agree with all that. But if you think they are hurting for talent at 16 - 18, you are just wrong. Quite a few sad kids this weekend who got cut from last season and alternates waiting for a phone call. VAE is doing their thing and doing just fine.

So what I have seen for last 6 years is that VAE develops 5'9/5'10 pin hitters or taller into all around and will move middles to outside and play them all around. Admittedly I have only been paying attention to this year's 18s and last years 18s. For example, they played the POY last year all around starting very young to develop her even though her passing was not great at that age. They develop setters that are 5'8 plus. They take the hits when these players are younger to develop them. Do they develop shorter players? No. I have never seen a setter under 5'8 play for them. They also only take 2 DS/libero. Maybe there has been a random year where there was three but I have not seen it. They are height centric because that is what colleges recruit so it keeps their recruitment level high.


Other clubs are not as height driven. Paramount's superstar 6 rotation OH on 18s is probably not even 5'7. Their 17s setter is 5'6. Va Juniors 18s setter is maybe 5'4 on a good day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Paramount boosting here is nauseating.

I think the only thing I'll add to this is that while there have been plenty of positive and negative things said about VAE/Metro/Paramount in this thread, I don't think I have seen anybody say anything positive about VAJRS. What has happened there?

Almost the entire rising VAJrs 16's team quit (starters included) - you gotta wonder why they didn't want to play for coach Jared? Coach Jared has fundamentally changed the club, driving all the good coaches away and the club is just not what is used to be years ago. So much turnover year after year (both player and coach).

I will vouch for Metro as a nationally recognized club who knows what they're doing. For anyone curious, the North Team is their 2's team (best of all the regional teams) and the director Jerry has been there a long time. Hate Metro all you want but each year the travel teams outperform the prior years and is hands down the best club in this area.

Paramount has talent and runs good practices but I would never let my kid be subject of the mental abuse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Paramount boosting here is nauseating.

I think the only thing I'll add to this is that while there have been plenty of positive and negative things said about VAE/Metro/Paramount in this thread, I don't think I have seen anybody say anything positive about VAJRS. What has happened there?

Almost the entire rising VAJrs 16's team quit (starters included) - you gotta wonder why they didn't want to play for coach Jared? Coach Jared has fundamentally changed the club, driving all the good coaches away and the club is just not what is used to be years ago. So much turnover year after year (both player and coach).

I will vouch for Metro as a nationally recognized club who knows what they're doing. For anyone curious, the North Team is their 2's team (best of all the regional teams) and the director Jerry has been there a long time. Hate Metro all you want but each year the travel teams outperform the prior years and is hands down the best club in this area.

Paramount has talent and runs good practices but I would never let my kid be subject of the mental abuse.

Jnrs is a dumpster fire.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Paramount boosting here is nauseating.

I think the only thing I'll add to this is that while there have been plenty of positive and negative things said about VAE/Metro/Paramount in this thread, I don't think I have seen anybody say anything positive about VAJRS. What has happened there?

Almost the entire rising VAJrs 16's team quit (starters included) - you gotta wonder why they didn't want to play for coach Jared? Coach Jared has fundamentally changed the club, driving all the good coaches away and the club is just not what is used to be years ago. So much turnover year after year (both player and coach).

I will vouch for Metro as a nationally recognized club who knows what they're doing. For anyone curious, the North Team is their 2's team (best of all the regional teams) and the director Jerry has been there a long time. Hate Metro all you want but each year the travel teams outperform the prior years and is hands down the best club in this area.

Paramount has talent and runs good practices but I would never let my kid be subject of the mental abuse.

Are you referring to VAJRs rising 16s team or rising 17s team, in terms of the girls who quit? I've heard a lot of bad things about Jrs and how they have been a club on a significant decline the last 2 seasons. I've heard they've driven away all their good coaches (including the guys who run VAVA as well as their foreign coach who is supposed to be a great coach). The common theme I hear from parents re: why Jrs is declining is because of Jared. I've heard he makes a lot of empty promises, plays a lot of games with the kids/families, and overall is just very immature). Anybody else have any insight into Jrs?

Have you heard of Sam Danai at Metro?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Paramount boosting here is nauseating.

I think the only thing I'll add to this is that while there have been plenty of positive and negative things said about VAE/Metro/Paramount in this thread, I don't think I have seen anybody say anything positive about VAJRS. What has happened there?

Almost the entire rising VAJrs 16's team quit (starters included) - you gotta wonder why they didn't want to play for coach Jared? Coach Jared has fundamentally changed the club, driving all the good coaches away and the club is just not what is used to be years ago. So much turnover year after year (both player and coach).

I will vouch for Metro as a nationally recognized club who knows what they're doing. For anyone curious, the North Team is their 2's team (best of all the regional teams) and the director Jerry has been there a long time. Hate Metro all you want but each year the travel teams outperform the prior years and is hands down the best club in this area.

Paramount has talent and runs good practices but I would never let my kid be subject of the mental abuse.

Are you referring to VAJRs rising 16s team or rising 17s team, in terms of the girls who quit? I've heard a lot of bad things about Jrs and how they have been a club on a significant decline the last 2 seasons. I've heard they've driven away all their good coaches (including the guys who run VAVA as well as their foreign coach who is supposed to be a great coach). The common theme I hear from parents re: why Jrs is declining is because of Jared. I've heard he makes a lot of empty promises, plays a lot of games with the kids/families, and overall is just very immature). Anybody else have any insight into Jrs?

Have you heard of Sam Danai at Metro?

You are absolutely correct in what you have heard about Jnrs. 110%.

[Anonymous]

Um, to the person who wrote the last 5 posts before this very last one by FCYPparent, you do know we can tell you wrote all 5 of those posts, right? And that you are what used to be called here "sockpuppeting", where you pretend to be different people agreeing with your own post?

[Anonymous]

FPYCparent wrote:While we talking/asking about coaches, anything good or bad about Coach Somerville? I see assistant and head coaching stints at Metro and Maryland Juniors on his bio, with Metro 14 Travel assistant in 2021 as the most recent.

People seem to like him. I think he's been at the St. James the last two seasons. Last season his St. James team earned a 14 Freedom Bid to USAV Nationals. He does a lot of training of girls in the PG County area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Um, to the person who wrote the last 5 posts before this very last one by FCYPparent, you do know we can tell you wrote all 5 of those posts, right? And that you are what used to be called here "sockpuppeting", where you pretend to be different people agreeing with your own post?

I wrote one of those posts, and one only. Just for clarification. No idea about the other 4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Um, to the person who wrote the last 5 posts before this very last one by FCYPparent, you do know we can tell you wrote all 5 of those posts, right? And that you are what used to be called here "sockpuppeting", where you pretend to be different people agreeing with your own post?

You are wrong. I wrote only 1 post but I guess the 4 other posts you are referring to have the same mutual feelings about the club.