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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]New potential club volleyball parent here for a U14 kid. She has only been playing a year and has played NVVA Galaxy and did the VA Elite Middle School clinic and McLean youth program this past year. For a kid who is green, she is good and super committed but not stellar (her serve for example needs work bc most of the leagues have been okay with underhand serving) She just tried out for four club teams, and - to be honest- is super discouraged. She cried after one tryout bc she felt so lost in the crowd with literally hundreds of kids there like a mob.  We all can’t believe this is the culture for kids age 12-14 in the DMV and that there is so much demand to pay $5k-$10k for this. Lol. You’d think they’d be begging players to join! How do people afford this?

Also, she hasn’t heard from a single team yet even from last Thursday. What is the timing on this? How does selection process work? Does she even have a chance. She tried out for teams that are listed in the “tier 3” and “tier 4” level and one in the tier 2 level (VA Elite since she did their middle school clinic). I guess I am trying to manage expections bc she is new to all this. So are we as parents, and we are frankly shell shocked.  [/quote]

V'ball dad here, going onto year 3 with two daughters (one being a U14). Following up as others have. I'm sorry to hear about your daughter's experiences. As tonight is the deadline for the original offer letters, it is very likely that your daughter may not be among the initial ones chosen. For us in our 1st year, it was very frustrating to learn about this principle of "no contact". I've come to recognize that this is, in part, due to keeping possibilities in case girls choose to go with a different club and gives coaches options to go down their list. For now, keep the faith and be patient as it is possible she could be offered after this initial period.

As with any sport or activity, there's a "deep" culture for club volleyball, and it's rather astounding what's going on here in the DMV area. If your daughter still enjoys playing and you wish to support this, I encourage the following:

1) For now, do what someone else suggested: reach out to the clubs where there appeared to be a decent chance and inquire. See where your daughter stands and ask for the possibility. Hopefully, they will be honest with regards to your daughter's chance.
2) Ask others (including here if you're open to anonymous feedback like this one) about the culture to get an idea of what different things mean and how a club volleyball operates. What your daughter is hoping for, what is she able to achieve, and which club principles and philosophy aligns with your own preference will hopefully determine the few clubs that you can target.  
3) If club v'ball is not an option this season, try to join recreation leagues and clinics to give her opportunities to learn and improve. Basics of receiving and passing are so very key.  
4) The rec leagues and clinics, if available (and they usually are) are particularly important during the summer and the early fall (Sept-Oct) as coaches then start considering the next season after the previous season ends and begin seeing what's possible and who could play for the following club season (2023-2024).

For U14 teams, fees can range as low as ~$1400 to as high as ~$4000 - the middlish range is $2K to low $3k. I'm basing this info off of a few clubs I am aware of here in the Montgomery County or general Maryland area (closer to DC).  These fees encompass a huge range due to some of the following (but isn't limited to):

1) Coaches' fees/stipends (can obviously vary - a club can also have unpaid volunteer coaches)
2) Tournament fees
3) Jersey/training clothes - number of jerseys can vary
4) Fees to cover practice facilities or gyms (could be public schools or privately owned ones)
5) Conditioning sessions or training specialists

I really do wish you and your daughter the best of luck. Feel free to continue asking on this forum.[/quote]

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