New to Club Volleyball?

Read on to learn more about Club Volleyball . . .

Club Volleyball is a competitive experience for junior athletes. There are over 100 volleyball clubs in the Rocky Mountain Region. These clubs are members of and are governed by USA Volleyball.

Who plays club volleyball?
In the state of Colorado, more girls compete in the sport of volleyball than in any other sport. Girls start playing as young as 10 years of age. The younger players play for three main reasons:
1. They like the sport
2. Their friends are playing on the team
3. They possess some skill and want to learn more

The older teams, primarily comprised of high school girls, typically play on their high school team. These athletes play for several reasons:
1. They love the sport
2. They plan to play in college
3. They are highly skilled and want to compete at the next level
4. They want to increase the chances of making their high school team.

With the new boys volleyball pilot program in many high schools this year, volleyball for boys is experiencing a surge. A few clubs field teams for boys. Check out 303 Volleyball Club, Momentum and Front Range VBC.

Why do girls like volleyball?
Volleyball is the ultimate team sport: all six players must communicate and work together in order succeed
Non-contact sport
Opportunity to compete
Plenty of college scholarships are available
Fun!
Great means for staying fit
Volleyball is a challenging sport to learn and even more challenging to master

How to find a club?
Ask your P.E. teacher/school volleyball coach
Ask the local high school volleyball coach
Google: volleyball clubs for girls in Colorado
Go to the Rocky Mountain Region USA Volleyball web site www.rmrvolleyball.org to view the list of clubs. Click on Juniors then scroll down to Clubs and Directors

What do I look for in a club?
Experienced coaches
Club philosophy that matches your philosophy
Organized management
Word of mouth reputation
Convenient location
Practice and competitive schedule is challenging yet reasonable

The club season
The format for tryouts has changed in recent years. Most clubs hold tryouts starting July 5th. Some clubs do not hold tryouts at all. Practices typically begin just after the high school season ends. The competitive portion of the club season begins in January and ends at the beginning of May. The Beach programs typically start in May and run till August. The Junior Olympic Championships are held at the end of June through early July.

Time Commitment
Club volleyball comes with a significant time commitment. This requires time management. The number of practice hours starts at 4 per week and can go as high as 10 hours per week. In addition, there are clinics, individual training sessions, physical training, team bonding events, tournaments and travel to and from these events. The strong team factor demands player attendance at all practices and tournaments.

The Rocky Mountain Region of USA Volleyball hosts Power Tournaments on Sundays. These tournaments begin at 8:00 AM and end around 4:00 PM. Sites are located as far north as Greeley and Ft. Collins, South as far as Pueblo, East as far as Ft. Morgan/Sterling, West to Grand Junction. Many site assignments are in Colorado Springs.
Teams typically compete every other Sunday at a Power Tournament.

Traveling teams and local teams
Some clubs offer opportunities to be on a traveling team while others offer local competition only.
National Qualifying Tournaments are held in California, Texas, Washington, Denver, Florida, Spokane, Indianapolis, Atlanta, Reno, Minneapolis and Philadelphia. The top finishers secure a bid to the Junior Olympic Championships which are held in June/July. College coaches do 95% of their recruiting at the National Tournaments.

Cost of club volleyball
The price for playing club volleyball varies from club to club.
Recreational clubs are priced as low as $800 per season. These clubs usually do not travel out of state and have limited practice. The most expensive clubs in Colorado can cost as much as $10,000 per season. This fee would not include travel outside of Colorado.

Why play club volleyball?
1. increase the chance of making your high school team
2. provide a chance to compete with clubs from other states
3. opportunity to compete on a college team
4. enable the very best athletes to compete on the Olympic team
5. learn life lessons too numerous to list
6. joy of working as a team to accomplish common goals

What sets Flatirons Volleyball Club apart from other clubs?
Flatirons Volleyball Club was founded by educators. Our philosophy is to teach volleyball skills by hiring strong, experienced coaches to provide professional training.

What does Flatirons Volleyball Club look for at tryouts?
Coaches look for athletic girls who enjoy the challenge of the sport of volleyball and want to work hard in order to compete on a high level team. They look for team players who show the ability to communicate in a positive manner. Hustle and willingness to move to the ball are extremely valuable skills. Aggressiveness and quick decision making are traits that coaches appreciate. In addition, the ability to perform volleyball skills is a plus but not the most important asset.
Tryouts are open to all girls who want to learn and compete with the best players in the state.

Additional information: www.flatironsvbc.org