Frequently Asked Questions
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What is a good age to start my daughter playing volleyball?
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Age 9-11 is a great age to start your athlete in volleyball. Some start just before or after that, but we have found that 11 year olds (on 12's teams) seems to be a great starting point. At this level, the net is shortened a little and a lighter ball is used. For the 13s age group and above, the women’s net height is used, along with a regulation women’s ball. However, it's never too late to start!
What age group does my athlete qualify for?
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Check with the USA Chart Here:
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What are the different levels of volleyball?
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Different from many other sports, there are very few city or local recreation leagues for girls to play volleyball. Other than high school, club ball is the main avenue girls have for playing the sport. Our club is a member of the AAU and USA Volleyball Association. All girls who play for us must register a membership with AAU Volleyball, prior to tryouts for a cost of $16. If you are unsure if your athlete truly wants to play and would like to just attend tryouts to “test the waters”, we will have a waiver of liability form available to sign to bypass the $16 membership fee. However, if it is decided that your athlete wants to play, that membership fee will need to be paid prior to the first practice in December.
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Within the club world of volleyball, there are two levels of play. Mainly, there is regional and national. Regional allows for beginner to advance levels of play. All tournaments are played locally and all recognition is given on a region basis. With this level, there is no invitation to national events. The national level is more expensive, due to traveling to national qualifiers and potentially the national championships. Typically girls who try out for national teams have previous volleyball experience. If an elite team does qualify for the championship competition, there is an additional cost for your daughter to attend. The National level has two levels of play, being competitive or open (at national qualifiers, not local tournaments).
How can I find a volleyball club close to where I live?
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There are several volleyball clubs throughout the state of Utah. To find one close to you, conduct your own google searches and also talk with others about their experiences within the volleyball club world.
What is the club volleyball season?
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Tryouts for our highest level National teams start right before high school volleyball for our 15-17, and in early September for our 10-14u. Tryouts for regional volleyball usually begin right after high school volleyball ends. Typically, we hold tryouts for girls 14 and under during October. For those 15 and up regional, we hold tryouts the week after high school volleyball ends, which is usually the first weekend of November. Check our tryouts page for those details. Practices begin the first week of December and run through the beginning to mid-May. If your daughter plays on a team that qualifies for Nationals, the season is extended through the end of June. Nationals typically run the last week of June into the first week of July.
When are the tournaments for club volleyball?
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Region tournaments are always on Fridays/Saturdays. There are usually 5-7 tournaments throughout a season. Some are 2 days, being a Friday afternoon/evening, and most of Saturday, or a 1 day tournament, which is an all-day Saturday event. Tournaments are held at the different volleyball facilities in Salt Lake and Utah County, but other facilities in Ogden, Kaysville, Lehi, and local high schools have been used in the past. The location for your upcoming tournament will be posted typically the week of your tournament. The clubs do not generate the tournaments, that is done by the AAU or USA regional centers.
Why is club volleyball so expensive?
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At first glance, the price tag of club volleyball does look pricey to some. However, when you break it down into total time spent with a coach at practice and at tournaments, it amounts to about $8 an hour for your daughter.
What is included in the cost to play?
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Uniforms, clothing package, tournament entrance fees, coaches fees, court fees, and more.
Does my daughter need to play club in order to make a high school team?
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While we cannot predict what choices a high school coach will make, we often can pick out players on a high school court who have club experience versus those who do not. Experience on the court in actual games makes a huge difference in a girl’s confidence and decision making skills regarding the sport. Giving your daughter a few seasons of practice and play before she ever tries out for a high school team should give her a competitive advantage, but we all recognize there are several other factors that go into choosing a high school team of athletes.
Why is there a tryout?
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Our goal is to place girls with others who have similar skill sets to make the experience enjoyable for everyone involved. At the competitive level, we try to find a place for all who come to tryouts. Sometimes, we just don’t have enough at the same skill level to form a team. But for the most part, we can find a place for the experienced as well as novice players, regardless of age. At the Elite level, we can form two teams per age group, depending on who comes to tryouts and want to commit to our club.
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Why should I purchase an AAU Membership if we aren’t ready to commit to a full season of club ball? (Can’t we just come to tryouts to see what we think before committing?)
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As part of our agreement to be sanctioned by AAU Volleyball, we agree to enforce their policy that all girls must have a membership card before stepping on the court for a tryout. This membership takes care of several insurance and liability issues. The cost to register with AAU is $16. However, there is a liability waiver form you can fill out to bypass the membership cost if you are truly not sure if you want to play. However, once placed on a team and the decision is made to play, the membership must be completed by the first practice in December.
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What do I need to bring to tryouts?
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Prior to tryouts, please complete the "online tryouts registration" from our webpage and also bring your AAU membership card or liability waiver form. Parents are welcome stay and watch the tryout from the ends of the courts. If your athlete does not have spandex or knee pads, that is okay for tryouts. Just come in appropriate workout clothing.
Where are practices?
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The Karl Malone Training Facility located at 585 East 200 South in Lehi, UT. It is just over 20,000 square feet and accommodates 5 full-size volleyball courts and a training area.
