Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For anybody whose DD attended Metro or Paramount tryouts this season (or any of the other more competitive clubs that are a step down from those two), how did the tryout process go there? Just trying to prepare myself for next season when I know my kid is inevitably going to want to tryout for those two clubs.

We tried out for Metro Central and East. We're a new family to this as well. We didn't know that Metro was a "top" club. We just picked the clubs that were closest to our house. Traffic and logistics in this area are a nightmare. IMO the Sunday Nov. 5th tryout was a disaster. There were 100 girls in a small gym all trying out for 4 different teams at the same time. How you can evaluate players under those conditions I have no idea. Based upon what I've learned from this thread, to prepare for next years club tryouts; make sure she's playing in HS, participate in the club's camps and clinics, and email the coaches ahead of time to see how many open roster spots they anticipate having and what positions. No need in wasting time and money if they already have an idea of who's going to make club. If they are honest with you they may be forthcoming with that information. I know some will argue that clubs aren't preselected but this was my experience. Perhaps not all 12 positions but certainly some offers will have already been extended and some will have been promoted up from the previous age tier.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


I think it all depends on the club. For lower and mid clubs like Vienna Elite second and third teams will not preselect. For first teams maybe a few.
Same with mojo pink teams, Loudoun elite, etc. The preselect comes in play with top teams like Metro Travel, Paramount, and VA Juniors.

I wouldn’t consider Vienna Elite a “lower or mid club.” Their 1s teams are quite competitive.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Copied from a post in another site:

“Somebody once said "Whatever your club fees are, double them for your travel expenses." For us, $3,400 fees = $6,800 travel expenses = $10,200/yr

2-3 lessons/week * 46 weeks/year @ $50/lesson = $5,750

Personal Trainer 38 weeks/year @ $35/session x 2/week = $2,660

3-4 Camps/Summer (including travel) = $3,400

Equipment, Shoes, etc. $400/year

Total: $22,410/year for national/open level team, Power5/D1 aspirations

That's why they say you are prepaying for a scholarship.

Put that money in a 529, play above average level sports that cost 1/4 that and enjoy the savings and time doing multiple sports. or spend that money, your kid will have a 2% chance of getting a scholarship worth 22k a year.

Anonymous wrote:My kid has done a few years of club, at both low level clubs and mid level clubs. Dues around $4-5,000 and that did include uniform. Low level club did tournaments at DC Convention Center, the Gaylord, some place in Jessup, a place in Rockville, a place in Chantilly and then the end of season one in Virginia Beach (only one that required a hotel). For these you have gas, sometimes parking (and parking can be ridiculously expensive), spectator tickets, swag and food (but the food costs can vary because often you can go back to your car and do a tailgate)

Things really escalated in midlevel club because these often “required” pay to play hotels or would be just far away enough that you needed a hotel. We went to Spooky Nook, Roanoke, York, PA, Baltimore (we were threatened if we didn’t stay in team hotel our kid would be benched), Philadelphia and Virginia Beach, plus Gaylord and Convention Center. So no flights required, all driving, but the hotels and multiple days out of town cost $$$$$. Teams frequently plan to eat meals together and you’re expected to pay for the coach.

Just go into this with your eyes wide open. Just because your DD’s team didn’t cost a lot one year doesn’t make that universal and vice verse.

Anonymous wrote:


I think it all depends on the club. For lower and mid clubs like Vienna Elite second and third teams will not preselect. For first teams maybe a few.
Same with mojo pink teams, Loudoun elite, etc. The preselect comes in play with top teams like Metro Travel, Paramount, and VA Juniors.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aftermath thoughts:

1. Its basically pay to play.
2. Its better to start young to develop skills early. Start at 12 years old if your child is interested
3. Tryouts are not truly open, girls are preselected. Its a joke to have 100 girls on a court at a time for evaluation.
4. There are not enough teams in the DMV area. Specifically DC. VB needs a Rec component here.
5. Height plays a huge factor and since the average height is 5'3 or 5'4. Libero will be the toughest position to compete for.
6. Height and athletic potential outweigh playing experience. I.E. they'll take someone that is 6'2 before someone that understands rules, rotations, and fundamentals.
7. CHRVA needs revamping or create a new organization for the DMV area.
8. It's very expensive to play club.

I think that about covers it from my perspective.

Agree with all you said EXCEPT the bolded. Maybe there is a club or 2 that have pre-selected their rosters. But we have 2 DDs, this is the 2nd year for each of them playing (now playing U15 & U16), and for the 2nd year in a row they each got offers at clubs they'd never played for before, and different clubs from each other (thank goodness both of us parents can transport to different practices/tournaments if necessary). Main point being, for 2nd year in a row they each got an offer from a club that had NEVER seen them before. 4 different teams over the 2 yrs between them, and all of them saw our DD's for the 1st time at tryouts.

So everyone saying the teams are preselected, if they're preselected why are so many players who tried out for their same teams again now "team-less" because they didn't get any offers, including from their team from last year? Why are my 2 DD's getting offers from clubs who never knew they existed before tryouts this year? Maybe a team or a few preselect, or preselect a few players, but NO, most of the teams really are seeing girls for the first time at tryouts. And they've done the best they can to really notice them, and move them from court to court as they see playing they like/are looking for.

Do some good and some really good players fall through the cracks of being noticed? Absolutely, we know a couple, and that absolutely sucks. But the teams who didn't take them still took other players we know for the 1st time.

Probably varies a bit, there’s a spectrum. But it is surprising to have made enough of an impression cold at tryouts in that age group

I think it all depends on the club. For lower and mid clubs like Vienna Elite second and third teams will not preselect. For first teams maybe a few.
Same with mojo pink teams, Loudoun elite, etc. The preselect comes in play with top teams like Metro Travel, Paramount, and VA Juniors.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For anybody whose DD attended Metro or Paramount tryouts this season (or any of the other more competitive clubs that are a step down from those two), how did the tryout process go there? Just trying to prepare myself for next season when I know my kid is inevitably going to want to tryout for those two clubs.

We tried out for Metro Central and East. We're a new family to this as well. We didn't know that Metro was a "top" club. We just picked the clubs that were closest to our house. Traffic and logistics in this area are a nightmare. IMO the Sunday Nov. 5th tryout was a disaster. There were 100 girls in a small gym all trying out for 4 different teams at the same time. How you can evaluate players under those conditions I have no idea. Based upon what I've learned from this thread, to prepare for next years club tryouts; make sure she's playing in HS, participate in the club's camps and clinics, and email the coaches ahead of time to see how many open roster spots they anticipate having and what positions. No need in wasting time and money if they already have an idea of who's going to make club. If they are honest with you they may be forthcoming with that information. I know some will argue that clubs aren't preselected but this was my experience. Perhaps not all 12 positions but certainly some offers will have already been extended and some will have been promoted up from the previous age tier.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Copied from a post in another site:

“Somebody once said "Whatever your club fees are, double them for your travel expenses." For us, $3,400 fees = $6,800 travel expenses = $10,200/yr

2-3 lessons/week * 46 weeks/year @ $50/lesson = $5,750

Personal Trainer 38 weeks/year @ $35/session x 2/week = $2,660

3-4 Camps/Summer (including travel) = $3,400

Equipment, Shoes, etc. $400/year

Total: $22,410/year for national/open level team, Power5/D1 aspirations

That's why they say you are prepaying for a scholarship.

Put that money in a 529, play above average level sports that cost 1/4 that and enjoy the savings and time doing multiple sports. or spend that money, your kid will have a 2% chance of getting a scholarship worth 22k a year.

Anonymous wrote:For anybody whose DD attended Metro or Paramount tryouts this season (or any of the other more competitive clubs that are a step down from those two), how did the tryout process go there? Just trying to prepare myself for next season when I know my kid is inevitably going to want to tryout for those two clubs.

Anonymous wrote:For anybody whose DD attended Metro or Paramount tryouts this season (or any of the other more competitive clubs that are a step down from those two), how did the tryout process go there? Just trying to prepare myself for next season when I know my kid is inevitably going to want to tryout for those two clubs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For anybody whose DD attended Metro or Paramount tryouts this season (or any of the other more competitive clubs that are a step down from those two), how did the tryout process go there? Just trying to prepare myself for next season when I know my kid is inevitably going to want to tryout for those two clubs.

It’s been a few years since my kid was there so I’ll let others address specifics of this year—-but most don’t try out there unless they’ve been to summer camps/training sessions with those clubs. The ones that do attend are asked to do all the same things as other attendees and they rotate them onto various courts.
From what I recall, there was lots of movement and lots of mixing it up. Yes you can tell when you’re on a “top” court but they don’t park you on a court and ignore you.