Volleyball club- recap and thoughts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There should be more clubs geared towards the girls that want to do travel and are new to the sport 1/2 years in and just want to play abut not do rec. There is definately a market

Two other similar options in NoVA are NVVA (Several levels of Rec and club and advanced Rec which they call Galaxy League), McLean Youth has a strong Rec program and a select Rec program which is a step up honors program, and another kinder and gentler club with good development is X factor which practices out of Lee District Rec center. Great training and clinics.

The only bummer about these clubs is that in tournaments they play against powerhouse clubs in the same tier like Metro Regionals. So while you’re kid is having an awesome experience at the club, the tournaments are a bloodbath and can be very discouraging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There should be more clubs geared towards the girls that want to do travel and are new to the sport 1/2 years in and just want to play abut not do rec. There is definately a market

Two other similar options in NoVA are NVVA (Several levels of Rec and club and advanced Rec which they call Galaxy League), McLean Youth has a strong Rec program and a select Rec program which is a step up honors program, and another kinder and gentler club with good development is X factor which practices out of Lee District Rec center. Great training and clinics.

The only bummer about these clubs is that in tournaments they play against powerhouse clubs in the same tier like Metro Regionals. So while you’re kid is having an awesome experience at the club, the tournaments are a bloodbath and can be very discouraging.

Good to know, thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There should be more clubs geared towards the girls that want to do travel and are new to the sport 1/2 years in and just want to play abut not do rec. There is definately a market

If you’re in VA, I would highly recommend No Panic, which fits this description perfectly. It’s a great, kind, developmental club. Clinics, Rec, travel and develops leagues, and there are also community service opportunities and opportunities for U14 and up to assistant coach. My DD really likes this club a lot. Unfortunately their travel program isn’t as competitive as many others in the area. But we can’t say enough about the development and coaching for those new to the sport.

No Panic is in Manassas which is pretty far for most people inside the DMV. I’m sure it’s a nice club but I wish there were similar options closer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There should be more clubs geared towards the girls that want to do travel and are new to the sport 1/2 years in and just want to play abut not do rec. There is definately a market

I thought travel was geared towards serious D1 recruits. Regional was more for the average, slightly above average player that also plays HS. Maybe an outside shot at DIV 2 or 3 college player.

Very few girls from Chesapeake region will make it to D1, even from top clubs. My DD a plays for a very good club and many won’t make D3. Look at the club websites and what colleges girls have committed to. Many you won’t have heard of before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There should be more clubs geared towards the girls that want to do travel and are new to the sport 1/2 years in and just want to play abut not do rec. There is definately a market

If you’re in VA, I would highly recommend No Panic, which fits this description perfectly. It’s a great, kind, developmental club. Clinics, Rec, travel and develops leagues, and there are also community service opportunities and opportunities for U14 and up to assistant coach. My DD really likes this club a lot. Unfortunately their travel program isn’t as competitive as many others in the area. But we can’t say enough about the development and coaching for those new to the sport.

No Panic is in Manassas which is pretty far for most people inside the DMV. I’m sure it’s a nice club but I wish there were similar options closer.

Just get in the 66 express lane and you’re there faster than trekking to NW DC! 25 min tops.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There should be more clubs geared towards the girls that want to do travel and are new to the sport 1/2 years in and just want to play abut not do rec. There is definately a market

If you’re in VA, I would highly recommend No Panic, which fits this description perfectly. It’s a great, kind, developmental club. Clinics, Rec, travel and develops leagues, and there are also community service opportunities and opportunities for U14 and up to assistant coach. My DD really likes this club a lot. Unfortunately their travel program isn’t as competitive as many others in the area. But we can’t say enough about the development and coaching for those new to the sport.

No Panic is in Manassas which is pretty far for most people inside the DMV. I’m sure it’s a nice club but I wish there were similar options closer.

Just get in the 66 express lane and you’re there faster than trekking to NW DC! 25 min tops.

Not for most people. Takes me 30 min just to get to 66 express lanes. So it’s not viable for a lot of people. Sounds like a nice program. Wish it were an option for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There should be more clubs geared towards the girls that want to do travel and are new to the sport 1/2 years in and just want to play abut not do rec. There is definately a market

I thought travel was geared towards serious D1 recruits. Regional was more for the average, slightly above average player that also plays HS. Maybe an outside shot at DIV 2 or 3 college player.

Very few girls from Chesapeake region will make it to D1, even from top clubs. My DD a plays for a very good club and many won’t make D3. Look at the club websites and what colleges girls have committed to. Many you won’t have heard of before.

That is even from TRAVEL clubs. Metro, paramount most make D1. But not schools your kid wouldn’t have gotten into without volleyball!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There should be more clubs geared towards the girls that want to do travel and are new to the sport 1/2 years in and just want to play abut not do rec. There is definately a market

I thought travel was geared towards serious D1 recruits. Regional was more for the average, slightly above average player that also plays HS. Maybe an outside shot at DIV 2 or 3 college player.

Even at D3 level, the top colleges generally have excellent players. If you look at college commitments at the tier 1/tier 2 clubs, there’s still a high percentage going D3, but generally these kids are top recruits, play a lot and are going to excellent academic institutions. MIT, Carnegie Mellon, NYU, NESCACs etc etc. it’s all levels within levels whether it’s club or college. Can you get on a D3 roster from a regional team - yes, will you play - no, will you get admissions support - no. D1 is a whole different level again, some of the best kids this region has go onto top D1 schools and never play either, it’s a shock to the system for some kids that have never been off the court at top local clubs, and I would imagine a mental health concern. College sports are tough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There should be more clubs geared towards the girls that want to do travel and are new to the sport 1/2 years in and just want to play abut not do rec. There is definately a market

Two other similar options in NoVA are NVVA (Several levels of Rec and club and advanced Rec which they call Galaxy League), McLean Youth has a strong Rec program and a select Rec program which is a step up honors program, and another kinder and gentler club with good development is X factor which practices out of Lee District Rec center. Great training and clinics.

The only bummer about these clubs is that in tournaments they play against powerhouse clubs in the same tier like Metro Regionals. So while you’re kid is having an awesome experience at the club, the tournaments are a bloodbath and can be very discouraging.

Yes, the bloodbath part is true. Been witness to it with the lower level clubs. BUT, if there are enough of these clubs then eventually they’ll seed out at tournaments and end up playing each other on the same skill level. The problem is that there is not enough of them

[Anonymous]

Clubs currently do rec and/or club volleyball but there is a market for a third offering (more competitive than rec but less than club). Teams at this new level could have weekly matches (not all day tournaments!) among themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There should be more clubs geared towards the girls that want to do travel and are new to the sport 1/2 years in and just want to play abut not do rec. There is definately a market

I thought travel was geared towards serious D1 recruits. Regional was more for the average, slightly above average player that also plays HS. Maybe an outside shot at DIV 2 or 3 college player.

Very few girls from Chesapeake region will make it to D1, even from top clubs. My DD a plays for a very good club and many won’t make D3. Look at the club websites and what colleges girls have committed to. Many you won’t have heard of before.

That is even from TRAVEL clubs. Metro, paramount most make D1. But not schools your kid wouldn’t have gotten into without volleyball!

This is 100% correct. D1 is broad and filled with schools you’ve never heard of, and could get into without vball with a 0.8 GPA. They have to fill rosters too……

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Clubs currently do rec and/or club volleyball but there is a market for a third offering (more competitive than rec but less than club). Teams at this new level could have weekly matches (not all day tournaments!) among themselves.

DD would love that. Maybe that’s where the lack of facilities limits the offerings. Though maybe it could happen in summer/fall?

Lots of girls too skilled to enjoy rec but who won’t make club

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And MEVC was charging for each of 3 tryout sessions, not a single tryout fee. Some of the girls noticed. But most on the no-look court we’re trying so hard and not jaded enough to realize they were getting zero consideration

I don’t think MEVC meant for players to sign up for more than one session. I’m not sure why this wasn’t explicitly stated this year, last year they said it. When we signed up for tryouts this year, you had to indicate which session you were trying out for so maybe they thought would signal you only needed one session. But it was definitely not clearly communicated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do players have to do this circus every year, even after they’ve made a club one year and are happy? In other words, do they have to fight hard to retain their spot from the prior year or are clubs loyal to returning players? I realize she will always have to tryout but is her spot safe with the same club, assuming no issues? This was our first year of tryouts, and DD got offers from 4 of her 5 teams from tryouts. But it was stressful and we put so much time and money into clinics at each place. I know she will have to tryout again but I’m hoping the stress is not like this every year.

Yes. Unfortunately this is an annual nightmare. We know several “incumbent” girls at clubs who didn’t get offers this year, and they were scrambling by Sunday/Monday. We personally know return players who didn’t get offers from Mojo/ECP and Metro (Regional) despite being solid players. The girls we know personally were strong enough to get offers from other clubs (in some cases better offers) but it was certainly not ideal and parents are pissed.

So funny, I was about to post the same thing. We know girls from both ECP/Mojo and Metro who were not given offers despite playing for those clubs last year. And despite being given verbal assurances they had nothing to worry about and that there would be a spot for them. But I agree, with a couple of exceptions, we have seen zero loyalty in club volleyball and we know some girls who have played for a different club each year since they were U13.

Speaking as the parent of a DD playing D1 volleyball and going through this every year while at club, some observations

1. There is no loyalty because these clubs have a reputation within the sport - Metro/Paramount in particular are completely ruthless. If your kid has been there for years and a better prospect walks in the door - you’re out. These clubs, and I include the next tier down of VA Juniors, VAE and MD Juniors as well, attract the best by being competitive and placing kids in colleges. The commitments have been quite impressive lately and none of these clubs are taking a kid that they don’t see with significant upside and a college commitment.
2. Talent flows downhill - as more kids play the sport, the more competitive it gets and consequently the kids that get cut by Metro go to VA Jnrs/VAE/Md Jnrs etc, the kids that get cut from VA Jnrs/VAE etc go to St James, Vienna etc etc and so on and so on. That’s why there are so many new clubs - catering for the kids that are new to sport/just want to play etc etc
3. The rosters at the top clubs are almost always set before tryouts, then once cuts start, the merry go round starts for a couple of days before rosters are set. I hate to say it but if your kid is getting an offer late in the process, they will have to understand that they’re not playing much (at least to start, if at all)
4. For the future, if your kid has not been invited to ‘invite only clinics’, or have a steer from the coaches that your DD is of interest, do not waste your money trying out
5. Think very carefully about taking a spot on one of the ‘elite’ teams unless you have an idea where you sit in the depth chart - I have seen too many very good athletes sit on the bench all season (and I do mean all season). It’s soul crushing for the kid and not much fun for the parent - don’t be seduced by your kid being on a roster at Metro/Paramount/VA or MD Juniors/VAE without understanding the lie of the land.

Thanks for this post. I wish I had this knowledge prior. Hopefully it will benefit families moving forward when they read this thread. Pin this at the top.

It's just as common (or more) for good players to leave clubs as it for clubs to cut good players, especially when you get beyond the few top teams. One of our DD played at a club for multiple years and switched this year -- not because of anything negative at the club we were at, we loved our experience and it was an agonizing decision for DD. We told them ahead of time we were trying out at other clubs and where -- and the coach said no one ever tells us that and was very appreciative. But I'm sure the club was counting on her coming back. That was surprising, and is why there are loyalty issues on both sides.

Beyond the loyalty issue, the CHRVA process is destroying HS athletes in particular. To really have a shot at a club, you have to attend pre-tryout clinics to have a chance to be seen. That means 5 days of HS volleyball a week + 2 clinics on the weekend + additional clinics during the week to really be seen more than 1-2 clubs. That's unsustainable and dangerous for players -- and its a big reason why virtually every other successful region holds tryouts before school starts. As a result, there's more player loyalty, more club loyalty and much healthier environment for everyone.

Additionally, forcing tryouts into one weekend for all age groups, holding them in the middle of MS and HS playoffs, allowing school coaches to coach so many club players (and certain HS coaches telling players which club they should accept an offer from if they ever want a chance to start varsity--as happened with our HS this year), and allowing tryouts to be as short 1 hour are just examples of the dozens of wrong decisions CHRVA makes about tryouts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And MEVC was charging for each of 3 tryout sessions, not a single tryout fee. Some of the girls noticed. But most on the no-look court we’re trying so hard and not jaded enough to realize they were getting zero consideration

I don’t think MEVC meant for players to sign up for more than one session. I’m not sure why this wasn’t explicitly stated this year, last year they said it. When we signed up for tryouts this year, you had to indicate which session you were trying out for so maybe they thought would signal you only needed one session. But it was definitely not clearly communicated.

They said 1 to be considered, more if you want to be seen by more coaches. Sounds like more = better