Great scoop on 18 nationals!

Here are my USAV 18s GJNCs observations from Reno:

AES page for the weekend: https://results.advancedeventsystems.com/event/PTAwMDAwNDIwOTY90/home

18 Open (48 teams): Metro 18 Travel went 3-4, starting seeded 37th (I think) and ended 21st (Bronze A). My kid said that one of the Metro middles was concussed (4th time this season), but I don't know if that injury happened prior to Reno. As a result, one of the pins on that team ended up playing middle. If this player had been injured multiple times this season, perhaps the team has adapted over time. This team originally earned a National division bid via CHRVA, but got an Open bid at a qualifier.

18 National (48 teams): VA Juniors (originally earned American division bid, upgraded with Metro's Open bid) finished 4-4 going from 40th seed on day one to 35th. This team actually finished 3-2 in pool, but landed in 4th out of 6th after tiebreakers (did beat Triangle 18 Black in pool). As a result of that 4th place in pool, the team was out of the medal brackets. Still, a 4-4 finish in National is pretty good for a team that didn't play Open at any qualifier. Top 100/150 nationally for the season.

On the other hand, VA Elite 18s also played in National and didn't win a set all weekend (0-7) ... finishing 48th. This is probably a prime example of a team earning a bid (Freedom in this case, originally) that didn't really benefit from getting upgraded to National division after reallocation and other regional teams earning bids at qualifiers.

18 American (63 teams): I didn't get to see Columbia 18 Black play, but they went 4-4. Originally earning a Freedom bid, so a 4-4 finish is probably a solid showing.

18 Freedom (48 teams): Metro 18 National went 4-4, finishing in 19th. Not sure where they started.

Paramount 18s ... where to begin. This team got a bid very late in the process. I understand this team had numerous season-ending injuries, to the point where they only had 6 players at some events. A Paramount parent told me that the most of the healthy 18s players "left" early (given that the team hadn't earned a bid at this point. So, Paramount ultimately sent their 16-2s team and coaches to Reno. They may have pulled back two of the original-and-still-healthy 18s and one 17s player who was returning from her own injury. Team went 2-5, which may not be bad for what was really a 16s teams.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anybody know if MOCO Menace 15 received a bid?

I believe Moco 15 finished ahead of Liberty Elite 15 in the regionals. I wonder if Moco 15 declined the bid, so it went to Liberty Elite 15.

For Bid Regionals standings, CHRVA goes straight to Point % as a tiebreaker for teams that finish w/ the same rank (in this case, 9th place / eliminated in the first round of the Bid Bracket)....so MOCO 15 finished behind both LEVBC U15 National and Paramount VBC 15 Maggie, even though MOCO was the only one of those 9th place teams that won a match.

This rule doesn't make sense to me.

I agree - they should settle it on the court (make the tournament two days if you have to), or at least use Match % and Set % as tiebreakers before going to Point %. But that's what they do. From the CHRVA Junior Girls' Bid Regional Championships Requirements:

For all age groups, if additional bids are secured after the Region’s Bid tournament, the Bid bracket finish will be used to determine which teams receive the additional bids. If there are ties in the Final Standings, the Total Point % will be used to break the tie.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anybody know if MOCO Menace 15 received a bid?

I believe Moco 15 finished ahead of Liberty Elite 15 in the regionals. I wonder if Moco 15 declined the bid, so it went to Liberty Elite 15.

A PP mentioned that MOCO 14-1 had already decided to go to AAU and hence declined their bid. Maybe MOCO 15 did the same.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anybody know if MOCO Menace 15 received a bid?

I believe Moco 15 finished ahead of Liberty Elite 15 in the regionals. I wonder if Moco 15 declined the bid, so it went to Liberty Elite 15.

For Bid Regionals standings, CHRVA goes straight to Point % as a tiebreaker for teams that finish w/ the same rank (in this case, 9th place / eliminated in the first round of the Bid Bracket)....so MOCO 15 finished behind both LEVBC U15 National and Paramount VBC 15 Maggie, even though MOCO was the only one of those 9th place teams that won a match.

This rule doesn't make sense to me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anybody know if MOCO Menace 15 received a bid?

I believe Moco 15 finished ahead of Liberty Elite 15 in the regionals. I wonder if Moco 15 declined the bid, so it went to Liberty Elite 15.

For Bid Regionals standings, CHRVA goes straight to Point % as a tiebreaker for teams that finish w/ the same rank (in this case, 9th place / eliminated in the first round of the Bid Bracket)....so MOCO 15 finished behind both LEVBC U15 National and Paramount VBC 15 Maggie, even though MOCO was the only one of those 9th place teams that won a match.

Anonymous wrote:Does anybody know if MOCO Menace 15 received a bid?

I believe Moco 15 finished ahead of Liberty Elite 15 in the regionals. I wonder if Moco 15 declined the bid, so it went to Liberty Elite 15.

Anonymous wrote:Does anybody know if MOCO Menace 15 received a bid?

Don't see the team. You can check at the USA Volleyball list

https://usavolley.sharepoint.com/:x:/g/IQCpQtJYjEWoRpSAIYkZnZDbAbko4A5DUvr67W5YWFTIr3g?e=1sTURt

Does anybody know if MOCO Menace 15 received a bid?

I’m lazy. Anyone have a tally of bids by club?

U15 bids just keep sliding in and changing it sounds like.

Anonymous wrote:Which CHRVA clubs or teams surprised people this bid season? Any teams that exceeded expectations, underachieved, or didn’t quite meet expectations?

I would say the Metro National teams exceeded my expectations. All of them earned bids to USAV Nationals.

We considered trying out for one of the Metro National teams but decided not to, mainly because the teams were still new and I thought it might take some time for them to build chemistry. But it looks like they did really well. At the next tryout, those roster spots may be much more competitive.

Anonymous wrote:Which CHRVA clubs or teams surprised people this bid season? Any teams that exceeded expectations, underachieved, or didn’t quite meet expectations?

MDJRs getting one bid total in the 14s-18s should get a mention. Metro expanding squad numbers at the older ages with Travel and National teams, Paramount's ever-expanding reach, other clubs retaining core players all play a role. A couple years ago Maryland Juniors with that little attending Nationals would have sounded wrong.

Anonymous wrote:It appears that an additional 15 National Bid is given to the region and is taken by VA Juniors 15.

Liberty Elite 15 receives a Freedom Bid.

Nice! That makes an even 10 teams with bids at 15s. Any way to tell whether that's a record of some sort for CHRVA? Have to imagine the number of total bids across all ages would be a record or close to it as well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which CHRVA clubs or teams surprised people this bid season? Any teams that exceeded expectations, underachieved, or didn’t quite meet expectations?

Blue Ridge 14, 15, and 16 all earned USA bids at national qualifiers. Blue Ridge 14 and 15 also won National bids at regionals and passed their USA bids down to other CHRVA teams.

I understand they also have a very good beach program. Do they attract players only from the Shenandoah Valley? I wonder whether they have benefited from their geographic isolation, since their players are not poached by Metro or Paramount?

Kudos to them for bringing three extra bids to the region!

There are parents from Blue Ridge who desire to have their kids play for Metro but due to the long commute (1.5 - 2 hrs+) they just decide stay.

It appears that an additional 15 National Bid is given to the region and is taken by VA Juniors 15.

Liberty Elite 15 receives a Freedom Bid.