FPYCparent wrote:As best I can tell, only one Paramount teams was scheduled to go to the qualifier in Reno prior to tryouts. Based on the posted schedule, three teams are going now ... with those two additional teams not going to Orlando as originally proposed. I fully understand that club schedules are subject to change, but having to plan for a trip to Reno instead of Orlando from the East Coast can be an unexpected jolt to families (financially and otherwise) after committing to the club. Sure, some will state that this is the kind of thing you sign up for when you go to a club like PVC.
When it comes to the availability of bids, one thing I learned last year is that the number of teams in a division at a qualifier impacts how many bids can be earned there. So, if only 8 or 12 teams go to the Reno qualifier in the Open division, for example, then only one Open bid can be earned. 36+ Open teams = 3 bids. (I know, my numbers may not be exact, but I hopefully am getting the point across.) If that qualifier isn't well attended (or if teams drop this event later in the season), then potential incentive of picking up a bid may not be there when the event arrives.
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The Reno qualifier has historically been the last one so teams would add it late if they hadn't gotten a bid elsewhere - I agree traveling to Reno from the east coast seems like a much bigger thing than Orlando.
You're correct that the number of bids available depends on how many teams are in a division. Here's the breakdown for open for this year:
18’s OPEN:
< 8 teams = no bids
8-11 teams = 1 bid
12-15 teams = 2 bids
16-48 teams = 3 bids
14’s – 17’s OPEN:
< 8 teams = no bids
8-15 teams = 1 bid
16-23 teams = 2 bids
24-48 teams = 3 bids
13’s OPEN:
< 6 teams = no bids
6-11 teams = 1 bid
12-48 teams = 2 bids
https://usavolleyball.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2025-Girls-Championship-Manual-FINAL.pdf
Interestingly, qualifiers are starting earlier in the season this year (other than 18s which have always been early). For the past few years, the first ones were in early March, but I see Northern Lights at the end of January and the first 2 weekends of Sunshine in February.
https://usavolleyball.org/events/?state=&type=77
I wonder if they moved up qualifiers to align with the NCAA recruiting calendar? NCAA moved the start of the contact period up to January 17 meaning college coaches can be recruiting at tournaments earlier than in recent years.