Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know how the Mojo tryouts went this year?

Don't know about every age group but would say generally they were quite competitive. Really big turnout from what we could tell and what friends in another age group told us- saw actually a lot of girls from some of the high level clubs there. Seems like they are going to be the ones to benefit most from the ECP split - not Renaissance

Does anyone know how the Mojo tryouts went this year?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what is the point of having open tryouts, except for a money grab? Why not just invite who you want from the clinics and then have call backs? It's just dishonest

Money grab might be a part of it, but open tryouts are required by USAV and CHRVA and formal written offers are not allowed prior to the open tryout period. DD is starting her 7th season of club volleyball and we’ve been through the tryout process many times with several clubs and have come to like the fall clinics model.

I certainly understand the frustration, especially if you’re new to club volleyball, but if you stop and think about it, the pre-tryout clinics that most clubs run throughout the fall are to everyone’s benefit. Imagine having to choose a team with a max of 15 players from 100 girls across several courts that you don’t know and have only seen play for 1.5-2 hours in a one time tryout in a chaotic gym? The clinics allow coaches to get to know players over the course of several sessions. If your player has a bad day or is new to volleyball but has lots of potential, coaches would probably not select them out of a single tryout but might give greater consideration if they get the chance to know them at clinics. The clinics also allow you and your player to get to know the coaches and clubs. Clubs have different philosophies and cultures and the clinics are a good way to get some sense of what playing at that club might be like.

FWIW, getting an offer from being seen only at a tryout does happen but it’s not the norm, especially for older age groups. For most kids, trying out for club volleyball really starts months before tryouts. To make a competitive team, a player needs to be seen by that club as many times as possible ahead of tryouts.

I agree with most of what you said and share mostly similar experiences. One emphatic agreement is on how pre-tryout clinics are not just a chance to be seen by club coaches even if they've got good ideas of who they want on their rosters, but it is also very useful for parents who pay attention and players as well to get a sense of the culture and vibe of clubs. We went to 2 back to back (on the same day) clinics of a popular club and by the end I was asking the main info person questions about not just which teams the coaches that seemed best coached, but the coaches that seemed either not to say much at all (when they were supposed to be giving feedback in the exercise) or a couple of coaches who seemed really cranky & mean, I wanted to know which teams they coached too because if they coached my daughter's age groups, I wanted to put a big "Beware" in my notes to see what happened at tryouts.

One thing though that you and a few others have said which has just not at all been our experience is that going to tryouts without any invites to pre-clinics or already being known to the club means you don't get an offer just from being seen at tryouts - with both our girls for all their seasons so far (one is entering her 4th season, one her 3rd) they have each gotten offers from clubs they've never done clinics at that are competitive clubs. Maybe that's unusual (and they are NOT both superstar players, and neither is super tall) but for each age group they were definitely good and showed well in tryouts and they got multiple offers I think every year, so always from at least 1 club if not 2 that had never seen them before tryout.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Help in deciding between VA jrs, VAVA and Vienna elite. my DD is trying out for 13s these clubs, she played last year for NP . She is a decent player and confident of making it all of clubs she is trying out. she started club volleyball last year and she did pretty good but this year wanted her to play to level up clubs. but not able to decide . all the coaches description on their website looks good. so far i could make out Vienna elite 13 s coaches are really experienced ones but then VAJrs has been top performing from last 3 years , this year they coaches might be new. VAVA no idea yet. facility wise both Vienna elite and VAjrs are close by. my DD wants to play competitive volleyball but not sure of playing to college. so what should be the priority of these clubs.

Pay close attention to the number of returning players at Juniors - if there are a lot, your DD will never play, as the starters are set and the club plays favorites.

It's 13's... there are no returning players b/c it's a new team. VA Jrs doesn't have a 12's team. My DD has been with VA JRs since 13's- overall we are happy and DD is challenged. More importantly she has made amazing friends on the team and the parents are great. The season is long so it's important to like the people you are with for so many weekends.

Anonymous wrote:Va jr said they will not send offer till they are done with their tryout but you have received the letter?

That’s Jnrs for you…..not the most trustworthy

Va jr said they will not send offer till they are done with their tryout but you have received the letter?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Help in deciding between VA jrs, VAVA and Vienna elite. my DD is trying out for 13s these clubs, she played last year for NP . She is a decent player and confident of making it all of clubs she is trying out. she started club volleyball last year and she did pretty good but this year wanted her to play to level up clubs. but not able to decide . all the coaches description on their website looks good. so far i could make out Vienna elite 13 s coaches are really experienced ones but then VAJrs has been top performing from last 3 years , this year they coaches might be new. VAVA no idea yet. facility wise both Vienna elite and VAjrs are close by. my DD wants to play competitive volleyball but not sure of playing to college. so what should be the priority of these clubs.

Pay close attention to the number of returning players at Juniors - if there are a lot, your DD will never play, as the starters are set and the club plays favorites.

How to know that. Infact VAJnrs sent offer and they promised that my DD will be in starter for sure . Now we have to decide between VAJnrs Vienna elite and vava. Very tough process . I see based on rankings VAJnrs is top team. My DD is inclining toward VAJnrs. Very tough weekend

It might have changed but when my dd played there, she discovered they promised starter positions to about 12 kids. Not surprisingly the season was a sh*tshow

Anyone gone to Renaissance Chesapeake DC Tryouts? How was it?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Help in deciding between VA jrs, VAVA and Vienna elite. my DD is trying out for 13s these clubs, she played last year for NP . She is a decent player and confident of making it all of clubs she is trying out. she started club volleyball last year and she did pretty good but this year wanted her to play to level up clubs. but not able to decide . all the coaches description on their website looks good. so far i could make out Vienna elite 13 s coaches are really experienced ones but then VAJrs has been top performing from last 3 years , this year they coaches might be new. VAVA no idea yet. facility wise both Vienna elite and VAjrs are close by. my DD wants to play competitive volleyball but not sure of playing to college. so what should be the priority of these clubs.

Pay close attention to the number of returning players at Juniors - if there are a lot, your DD will never play, as the starters are set and the club plays favorites.

How to know that. Infact VAJnrs sent offer and they promised that my DD will be in starter for sure . Now we have to decide between VAJnrs Vienna elite and vava. Very tough process . I see based on rankings VAJnrs is top team. My DD is inclining toward VAJnrs. Very tough weekend

Has Virginia Elite sent offers yet?

Anonymous wrote:Help in deciding between VA jrs, VAVA and Vienna elite. my DD is trying out for 13s these clubs, she played last year for NP . She is a decent player and confident of making it all of clubs she is trying out. she started club volleyball last year and she did pretty good but this year wanted her to play to level up clubs. but not able to decide . all the coaches description on their website looks good. so far i could make out Vienna elite 13 s coaches are really experienced ones but then VAJrs has been top performing from last 3 years , this year they coaches might be new. VAVA no idea yet. facility wise both Vienna elite and VAjrs are close by. my DD wants to play competitive volleyball but not sure of playing to college. so what should be the priority of these clubs.

Pay close attention to the number of returning players at Juniors - if there are a lot, your DD will never play, as the starters are set and the club plays favorites.

Anonymous wrote:Help in deciding between VA jrs, VAVA and Vienna elite. my DD is trying out for 13s these clubs, she played last year for NP . She is a decent player and confident of making it all of clubs she is trying out. she started club volleyball last year and she did pretty good but this year wanted her to play to level up clubs. but not able to decide . all the coaches description on their website looks good. so far i could make out Vienna elite 13 s coaches are really experienced ones but then VAJrs has been top performing from last 3 years , this year they coaches might be new. VAVA no idea yet. facility wise both Vienna elite and VAjrs are close by. my DD wants to play competitive volleyball but not sure of playing to college. so what should be the priority of these clubs.

Any offer you receive should be in writing, according to CHRVA rules, and the offer is valid until 10pm Tuesday. So you will have some time to evaluate any offer you receive; that being said, as soon as you know you are not going with another club let them know so they can make an offer to another girl.

Anonymous wrote:Help in deciding between VA jrs, VAVA and Vienna elite. my DD is trying out for 13s these clubs, she played last year for NP . She is a decent player and confident of making it all of clubs she is trying out. she started club volleyball last year and she did pretty good but this year wanted her to play to level up clubs. but not able to decide . all the coaches description on their website looks good. so far i could make out Vienna elite 13 s coaches are really experienced ones but then VAJrs has been top performing from last 3 years , this year they coaches might be new. VAVA no idea yet. facility wise both Vienna elite and VAjrs are close by. my DD wants to play competitive volleyball but not sure of playing to college. so what should be the priority of these clubs.

Try out for all three and then decide

Help in deciding between VA jrs, VAVA and Vienna elite. my DD is trying out for 13s these clubs, she played last year for NP . She is a decent player and confident of making it all of clubs she is trying out. she started club volleyball last year and she did pretty good but this year wanted her to play to level up clubs. but not able to decide . all the coaches description on their website looks good. so far i could make out Vienna elite 13 s coaches are really experienced ones but then VAJrs has been top performing from last 3 years , this year they coaches might be new. VAVA no idea yet. facility wise both Vienna elite and VAjrs are close by. my DD wants to play competitive volleyball but not sure of playing to college. so what should be the priority of these clubs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Similar inquiry about what are considered solid “mid level” clubs? Maybe for girls who want to play more competitively but aren’t quite ready for national level teams? I have a u13 who played club last year for the first time on one of the more developmental teams mentioned above, but she wants more competition. She probably isn’t ready for Metro/Paramount type clubs but wants a step up from the more developmental club type.

You can also check out NVVA. They have their own facility, which is nice. They used to be competitive, but have drifted lower over time.

https://www.nvva.com/clubvolleyball

Been involved with many of the clubs mentioned on this thread. Libero is good for starting players, but a bit archaic in their coaching practices. NVVA is the best for fundamentals and rec league but terrible for travel. Very dysfunctional management with inexperienced coaches. Good coaches leave for other clubs after a short period of time with them. Loudoun Elite can be very toxic. This travel season there is one team coach that’s working with the parent of a returning player to put together the potential team roster. The coach has been asking the returning player to pump potential candidates for information at clinics and report back to said coach. Very unethical. Vienna Elite is fantastic. Bob Bell is a tremendous coach and leader. Paramount has amazing coaches, but is very intense. Your child will be a fantastic volleyball player, but must have thick skin.