Volleyball Action

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Metro's summer camps:
https://www.metrovbc.com/camps

For those who have gone in the past, have they found them to be helpful for tryouts? Are they looking at the girls this early for Nov tryouts? My DD is considering the elite positional session during the last week of July but doesn’t know if this will be a waste of time and if she should focus on fall clinics instead.

Most camps / clinics / leagues are money grabs: most clubs charge fees that have little to do with their actual costs to run the camps. The costs are spiraling out of control because many people in this area can afford to throw money at the sport. You can go relatively cheaper with camps / clinics organized by the county / city, but the quality is not there (most coaches have little experience).

Let's say you have the money and you are willing to throw it away. Most clubs offer these opportunities to advertise and recruit. You learn what they do at practice and you meet club players. You evaluate whether the club is a good fit. Some activities are better than others. You will gain the most if you match the level of the camp with the level of your player. If you are not sure where your player stands, you should sign up for beginner activities (most likely that's where you are). Let's say your child played one year of rec volleyball and you believe them to be an intermediate player. You are most likely wrong: sign them up for beginner activity. If you sign them up for an activity where they are out of their league, they will end up on the second court. The real action happens on the top court, where players really benefit from being present.

We figured out pretty quickly that the Metro camps we signed up for were not a good fit. They were teaching skills designed for their top players, which were too advanced for our DD's level. I am not blaming Metro: they did what they had to do to challenge their players. I was the one signing up my DD for the wrong activity. MOCO was almost the same, except that the level was lower than Metro (but even more expensive). For us, activities organized by MVSA, MEVC, and Platform worked much better. Especially MVSA - they try really hard to place players at the level where they belong.

This is a helpful post for me- Ty!

It was- I’m not pp but 2nd what they said. Metro has their teams figure out already so if your dd isn’t 12, 13 or maybe 14 you need to find another club.

Thanks to all who responded. I asked if the camps would be a waste of time. DD is currently on a U14 team and will have had two years of club experience. She wants a more competitive club next year and knows Metro will be basically impossible to make. It sounds like this might not be worth going to since the location isn’t convenient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Metro's summer camps:
https://www.metrovbc.com/camps

For those who have gone in the past, have they found them to be helpful for tryouts? Are they looking at the girls this early for Nov tryouts? My DD is considering the elite positional session during the last week of July but doesn’t know if this will be a waste of time and if she should focus on fall clinics instead.

Most camps / clinics / leagues are money grabs: most clubs charge fees that have little to do with their actual costs to run the camps. The costs are spiraling out of control because many people in this area can afford to throw money at the sport. You can go relatively cheaper with camps / clinics organized by the county / city, but the quality is not there (most coaches have little experience).

Let's say you have the money and you are willing to throw it away. Most clubs offer these opportunities to advertise and recruit. You learn what they do at practice and you meet club players. You evaluate whether the club is a good fit. Some activities are better than others. You will gain the most if you match the level of the camp with the level of your player. If you are not sure where your player stands, you should sign up for beginner activities (most likely that's where you are). Let's say your child played one year of rec volleyball and you believe them to be an intermediate player. You are most likely wrong: sign them up for beginner activity. If you sign them up for an activity where they are out of their league, they will end up on the second court. The real action happens on the top court, where players really benefit from being present.

We figured out pretty quickly that the Metro camps we signed up for were not a good fit. They were teaching skills designed for their top players, which were too advanced for our DD's level. I am not blaming Metro: they did what they had to do to challenge their players. I was the one signing up my DD for the wrong activity. MOCO was almost the same, except that the level was lower than Metro (but even more expensive). For us, activities organized by MVSA, MEVC, and Platform worked much better. Especially MVSA - they try really hard to place players at the level where they belong.

This is a helpful post for me- Ty!

It was- I’m not pp but 2nd what they said. Metro has their teams figure out already so if your dd isn’t 12, 13 or maybe 14 you need to find another club.

Thanks to all who responded. I asked if the camps would be a waste of time. DD is currently on a U14 team and will have had two years of club experience. She wants a more competitive club next year and knows Metro will be basically impossible to make. It sounds like this might not be worth going to since the location isn’t convenient.

What club is your DD in now? If you want to attach yourself to the name Metro, you can tryout for their regional teams. There is a huge difference between the Metro travel teams and their regional teams though. The first teams in relatively decent clubs beat the Metro regional teams (they are competitive against the second teams in decent clubs). If you are looking for a competitive team, the first teams in a decent club would be a better choice than a Metro regional team. Metro North might be an exception.

[Anonymous]

Volleyball starts earlier and earlier: MOCO Rising Stars (grades 2-4). At almost $40/ hour for a group activity ($400 for 7 x 1.5 hour sessions), there seems to be a clear message that only people with money should bother:
https://www.mocovc.org/risingstars

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Metro's summer camps:
https://www.metrovbc.com/camps

For those who have gone in the past, have they found them to be helpful for tryouts? Are they looking at the girls this early for Nov tryouts? My DD is considering the elite positional session during the last week of July but doesn’t know if this will be a waste of time and if she should focus on fall clinics instead.

Most camps / clinics / leagues are money grabs: most clubs charge fees that have little to do with their actual costs to run the camps. The costs are spiraling out of control because many people in this area can afford to throw money at the sport. You can go relatively cheaper with camps / clinics organized by the county / city, but the quality is not there (most coaches have little experience).

Let's say you have the money and you are willing to throw it away. Most clubs offer these opportunities to advertise and recruit. You learn what they do at practice and you meet club players. You evaluate whether the club is a good fit. Some activities are better than others. You will gain the most if you match the level of the camp with the level of your player. If you are not sure where your player stands, you should sign up for beginner activities (most likely that's where you are). Let's say your child played one year of rec volleyball and you believe them to be an intermediate player. You are most likely wrong: sign them up for beginner activity. If you sign them up for an activity where they are out of their league, they will end up on the second court. The real action happens on the top court, where players really benefit from being present.

We figured out pretty quickly that the Metro camps we signed up for were not a good fit. They were teaching skills designed for their top players, which were too advanced for our DD's level. I am not blaming Metro: they did what they had to do to challenge their players. I was the one signing up my DD for the wrong activity. MOCO was almost the same, except that the level was lower than Metro (but even more expensive). For us, activities organized by MVSA, MEVC, and Platform worked much better. Especially MVSA - they try really hard to place players at the level where they belong.

This is a helpful post for me- Ty!

It was- I’m not pp but 2nd what they said. Metro has their teams figure out already so if your dd isn’t 12, 13 or maybe 14 you need to find another club.

Thanks to all who responded. I asked if the camps would be a waste of time. DD is currently on a U14 team and will have had two years of club experience. She wants a more competitive club next year and knows Metro will be basically impossible to make. It sounds like this might not be worth going to since the location isn’t convenient.

What club is your DD in now? If you want to attach yourself to the name Metro, you can tryout for their regional teams. There is a huge difference between the Metro travel teams and their regional teams though. The first teams in relatively decent clubs beat the Metro regional teams (they are competitive against the second teams in decent clubs). If you are looking for a competitive team, the first teams in a decent club would be a better choice than a Metro regional team. Metro North might be an exception.

I’d rather not say to give too many details. She’s not interested in a regional team. She’s on a team that registers for open level but doesn’t do well and wants to play on a team with more competitive players. Think along the lines of Mojo, St. James, Vienna Elite, VaVa, Va Athletics… Her team has a mix of abilities this year. She might end up on a similar team next year but she at least wants to try to be on a more competitive team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Metro's summer camps:
https://www.metrovbc.com/camps

For those who have gone in the past, have they found them to be helpful for tryouts? Are they looking at the girls this early for Nov tryouts? My DD is considering the elite positional session during the last week of July but doesn’t know if this will be a waste of time and if she should focus on fall clinics instead.

Most camps / clinics / leagues are money grabs: most clubs charge fees that have little to do with their actual costs to run the camps. The costs are spiraling out of control because many people in this area can afford to throw money at the sport. You can go relatively cheaper with camps / clinics organized by the county / city, but the quality is not there (most coaches have little experience).

Let's say you have the money and you are willing to throw it away. Most clubs offer these opportunities to advertise and recruit. You learn what they do at practice and you meet club players. You evaluate whether the club is a good fit. Some activities are better than others. You will gain the most if you match the level of the camp with the level of your player. If you are not sure where your player stands, you should sign up for beginner activities (most likely that's where you are). Let's say your child played one year of rec volleyball and you believe them to be an intermediate player. You are most likely wrong: sign them up for beginner activity. If you sign them up for an activity where they are out of their league, they will end up on the second court. The real action happens on the top court, where players really benefit from being present.

We figured out pretty quickly that the Metro camps we signed up for were not a good fit. They were teaching skills designed for their top players, which were too advanced for our DD's level. I am not blaming Metro: they did what they had to do to challenge their players. I was the one signing up my DD for the wrong activity. MOCO was almost the same, except that the level was lower than Metro (but even more expensive). For us, activities organized by MVSA, MEVC, and Platform worked much better. Especially MVSA - they try really hard to place players at the level where they belong.

This is a helpful post for me- Ty!

It was- I’m not pp but 2nd what they said. Metro has their teams figure out already so if your dd isn’t 12, 13 or maybe 14 you need to find another club.

Thanks to all who responded. I asked if the camps would be a waste of time. DD is currently on a U14 team and will have had two years of club experience. She wants a more competitive club next year and knows Metro will be basically impossible to make. It sounds like this might not be worth going to since the location isn’t convenient.

What club is your DD in now? If you want to attach yourself to the name Metro, you can tryout for their regional teams. There is a huge difference between the Metro travel teams and their regional teams though. The first teams in relatively decent clubs beat the Metro regional teams (they are competitive against the second teams in decent clubs). If you are looking for a competitive team, the first teams in a decent club would be a better choice than a Metro regional team. Metro North might be an exception.

I’d rather not say to give too many details. She’s not interested in a regional team. She’s on a team that registers for open level but doesn’t do well and wants to play on a team with more competitive players. Think along the lines of Mojo, St. James, Vienna Elite, VaVa, Va Athletics… Her team has a mix of abilities this year. She might end up on a similar team next year but she at least wants to try to be on a more competitive team.

As far as I could see, Metro Travel keeps a lot of their returning players and makes offers to other top players who show up at the tryouts. However, to get play time, you need to be at the top of the food chain - a lot of their players are just bench warmers. The question is whether your DD is better or at least at the same level as the Metro starters. If I was your DD, I would not change clubs to warm the bench.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Metro's summer camps:
https://www.metrovbc.com/camps

For those who have gone in the past, have they found them to be helpful for tryouts? Are they looking at the girls this early for Nov tryouts? My DD is considering the elite positional session during the last week of July but doesn’t know if this will be a waste of time and if she should focus on fall clinics instead.

Most camps / clinics / leagues are money grabs: most clubs charge fees that have little to do with their actual costs to run the camps. The costs are spiraling out of control because many people in this area can afford to throw money at the sport. You can go relatively cheaper with camps / clinics organized by the county / city, but the quality is not there (most coaches have little experience).

Let's say you have the money and you are willing to throw it away. Most clubs offer these opportunities to advertise and recruit. You learn what they do at practice and you meet club players. You evaluate whether the club is a good fit. Some activities are better than others. You will gain the most if you match the level of the camp with the level of your player. If you are not sure where your player stands, you should sign up for beginner activities (most likely that's where you are). Let's say your child played one year of rec volleyball and you believe them to be an intermediate player. You are most likely wrong: sign them up for beginner activity. If you sign them up for an activity where they are out of their league, they will end up on the second court. The real action happens on the top court, where players really benefit from being present.

We figured out pretty quickly that the Metro camps we signed up for were not a good fit. They were teaching skills designed for their top players, which were too advanced for our DD's level. I am not blaming Metro: they did what they had to do to challenge their players. I was the one signing up my DD for the wrong activity. MOCO was almost the same, except that the level was lower than Metro (but even more expensive). For us, activities organized by MVSA, MEVC, and Platform worked much better. Especially MVSA - they try really hard to place players at the level where they belong.

This is a helpful post for me- Ty!

It was- I’m not pp but 2nd what they said. Metro has their teams figure out already so if your dd isn’t 12, 13 or maybe 14 you need to find another club.

Thanks to all who responded. I asked if the camps would be a waste of time. DD is currently on a U14 team and will have had two years of club experience. She wants a more competitive club next year and knows Metro will be basically impossible to make. It sounds like this might not be worth going to since the location isn’t convenient.

What club is your DD in now? If you want to attach yourself to the name Metro, you can tryout for their regional teams. There is a huge difference between the Metro travel teams and their regional teams though. The first teams in relatively decent clubs beat the Metro regional teams (they are competitive against the second teams in decent clubs). If you are looking for a competitive team, the first teams in a decent club would be a better choice than a Metro regional team. Metro North might be an exception.

I’d rather not say to give too many details. She’s not interested in a regional team. She’s on a team that registers for open level but doesn’t do well and wants to play on a team with more competitive players. Think along the lines of Mojo, St. James, Vienna Elite, VaVa, Va Athletics… Her team has a mix of abilities this year. She might end up on a similar team next year but she at least wants to try to be on a more competitive team.

As far as I could see, Metro Travel keeps a lot of their returning players and makes offers to other top players who show up at the tryouts. However, to get play time, you need to be at the top of the food chain - a lot of their players are just bench warmers. The question is whether your DD is better or at least at the same level as the Metro starters. If I was your DD, I would not change clubs to warm the bench.

Yes, metro recruits you if you are 14+ and they want you on their team. Otherwise they stick with returning players. Switch to a team where dd will get playing time. Colleges don’t just look at Metro players.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Metro's summer camps:
https://www.metrovbc.com/camps

For those who have gone in the past, have they found them to be helpful for tryouts? Are they looking at the girls this early for Nov tryouts? My DD is considering the elite positional session during the last week of July but doesn’t know if this will be a waste of time and if she should focus on fall clinics instead.

Most camps / clinics / leagues are money grabs: most clubs charge fees that have little to do with their actual costs to run the camps. The costs are spiraling out of control because many people in this area can afford to throw money at the sport. You can go relatively cheaper with camps / clinics organized by the county / city, but the quality is not there (most coaches have little experience).

Let's say you have the money and you are willing to throw it away. Most clubs offer these opportunities to advertise and recruit. You learn what they do at practice and you meet club players. You evaluate whether the club is a good fit. Some activities are better than others. You will gain the most if you match the level of the camp with the level of your player. If you are not sure where your player stands, you should sign up for beginner activities (most likely that's where you are). Let's say your child played one year of rec volleyball and you believe them to be an intermediate player. You are most likely wrong: sign them up for beginner activity. If you sign them up for an activity where they are out of their league, they will end up on the second court. The real action happens on the top court, where players really benefit from being present.

We figured out pretty quickly that the Metro camps we signed up for were not a good fit. They were teaching skills designed for their top players, which were too advanced for our DD's level. I am not blaming Metro: they did what they had to do to challenge their players. I was the one signing up my DD for the wrong activity. MOCO was almost the same, except that the level was lower than Metro (but even more expensive). For us, activities organized by MVSA, MEVC, and Platform worked much better. Especially MVSA - they try really hard to place players at the level where they belong.

This is a helpful post for me- Ty!

It was- I’m not pp but 2nd what they said. Metro has their teams figure out already so if your dd isn’t 12, 13 or maybe 14 you need to find another club.

Thanks to all who responded. I asked if the camps would be a waste of time. DD is currently on a U14 team and will have had two years of club experience. She wants a more competitive club next year and knows Metro will be basically impossible to make. It sounds like this might not be worth going to since the location isn’t convenient.

What club is your DD in now? If you want to attach yourself to the name Metro, you can tryout for their regional teams. There is a huge difference between the Metro travel teams and their regional teams though. The first teams in relatively decent clubs beat the Metro regional teams (they are competitive against the second teams in decent clubs). If you are looking for a competitive team, the first teams in a decent club would be a better choice than a Metro regional team. Metro North might be an exception.

I’d rather not say to give too many details. She’s not interested in a regional team. She’s on a team that registers for open level but doesn’t do well and wants to play on a team with more competitive players. Think along the lines of Mojo, St. James, Vienna Elite, VaVa, Va Athletics… Her team has a mix of abilities this year. She might end up on a similar team next year but she at least wants to try to be on a more competitive team.

As far as I could see, Metro Travel keeps a lot of their returning players and makes offers to other top players who show up at the tryouts. However, to get play time, you need to be at the top of the food chain - a lot of their players are just bench warmers. The question is whether your DD is better or at least at the same level as the Metro starters. If I was your DD, I would not change clubs to warm the bench.

Yes, metro recruits you if you are 14+ and they want you on their team. Otherwise they stick with returning players. Switch to a team where dd will get playing time. Colleges don’t just look at Metro players.

Thank you. I’m going to steer her away from Metro. She wants to play, not warm a bench, if she even makes a team. You make an excellent point. She would be recruited if she was wanted by this age. She needs to put her time into other clubs this fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Volleyball starts earlier and earlier: MOCO Rising Stars (grades 2-4). At almost $40/ hour for a group activity ($400 for 7 x 1.5 hour sessions), there seems to be a clear message that only people with money should bother:
https://www.mocovc.org/risingstars

MOCO's first sessions of beginner and intermediate clinics (March 14 - April 11) were sold out, so here is another opportunity for them to collect tax on the large disposable income in this area: a second session of spring clinics (April 25 - May 16). Registration started yesterday (3/8) for beginner (6-7:30) and intermediate (7:30-9) levels. Pay your tax here: https://www.mocovc.org/seasonclinics

[Anonymous]

MEVC announced their Spring Clinics in May (3, 10, 17, 24): ages 5-8 (9:30-10:30), ages 9-12 (10:45-12:00), ages 13-14 (12:15-2:00).
https://maryland-exclusive-volleyball-club.sportngin.com/register/form/036255590

[Anonymous]

If you are looking for a less expensive introduction to volleyball, there are still spots available in the leagues organized by Montgomery County:
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/rec/activitiesandprograms/sports/youthvolleyball.html

[Anonymous]

King Abdullah Academy just announced they will be closing at the end of this school year. That is where VAJRS practices. Anybody have any idea what they will do? A bunch of clubs were in a predicament when Cassel's closed, as gym space is incredibly difficult to find in the Northern Virginia area (as well as incredibly expensive).

[Anonymous]

Here is something for elite athletes - Elite Volleyball ID Showcase at George Mason University:
https://www.elitevolleyballidshowcase.com/fairfax_va.cfm

[FPYCparent]

Anonymous wrote:Here is something for elite athletes ...

As a proud GMU alum, City of Fairfax resident, and third-year club VB parent, I'll say this:

Don't expect too much from this event.

First, that's the same weekend that most 15s/16s/17s will be in Philadelphia for NEQ (https://advancedeventsystems.com/events/37043). I'm fairly certain that the colleges listed for the showcase will have representation in Philly.

Second, it's Easter Weekend (and the end of spring break for many). It's already bad enough that NEQ falls on Easter.

Third, it still costs $300 for one day!

Now, if your player doesn't have anything else to do that weekend, feel free to consider it! My club player has done a handful of camps/showcases at GMU and as a paying parent, I don't have any regrets. I just don't want anyone to believe this event will be more substantial than going to an invite-only camp (where only elite athletes attend) or even a qualifier.

And for what it is worth, GMU claims that they've finished recruiting their 2026 class. Again, as an alum, I am hard-pressed to believe that a sub-0.400 D1 school has "finished" recruiting a class that won't complete high school for another 15 months. My kid heard something similar from Temple for her position. VCU currently lists six sophomores and no freshmen on their roster, so maybe they are looking for players.

[Anonymous]

FPYCparent wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is something for elite athletes ...

As a proud GMU alum, City of Fairfax resident, and third-year club VB parent, I'll say this:

Don't expect too much from this event.

First, that's the same weekend that most 15s/16s/17s will be in Philadelphia for NEQ (https://advancedeventsystems.com/events/37043). I'm fairly certain that the colleges listed for the showcase will have representation in Philly.

Second, it's Easter Weekend (and the end of spring break for many). It's already bad enough that NEQ falls on Easter.

Third, it still costs $300 for one day!

Now, if your player doesn't have anything else to do that weekend, feel free to consider it! My club player has done a handful of camps/showcases at GMU and as a paying parent, I don't have any regrets. I just don't want anyone to believe this event will be more substantial than going to an invite-only camp (where only elite athletes attend) or even a qualifier.

And for what it is worth, GMU claims that they've finished recruiting their 2026 class. Again, as an alum, I am hard-pressed to believe that a sub-0.400 D1 school has "finished" recruiting a class that won't complete high school for another 15 months. My kid heard something similar from Temple for her position. VCU currently lists six sophomores and no freshmen on their roster, so maybe they are looking for players.

Very odd weekend. I know nothing about that event but it seems like a complete money grab. I’m not paying $300 for one day. As you said, my U14 also unfortunately has a qualifier tournament also that weekend and it’s Easter.

[Anonymous]

I would like to say that I find if completely offensive that the qualifier events are Easter weekend.