Welcome to the world of club volleyball.  If you are like most parents, you're wondering what are we getting ourselves into? Well, the answer, of course, is not simple.  But here are some important things to know about our program.

WHAT IS CLUB VOLLEYBALL?

Club volleyball is an opportunity to play volleyball outside of school-sponsored activities. Families pay to join a volleyball club that arranges for coaches, teams, insurance, uniforms, practice facilities, etc. so that the teams can play against other clubs in tournaments. Usually a club will have a number of teams for different age groups and skill levels, and may have girls and/or boys teams.

Each club and team determines its own tournament and travel schedule; some travel a great deal, while others stay more local. Selecting a club is a family decision and takes some research. Although clubs must abide by general SCVA/USA Volleyball rules and or AAU Rules, each club is different in the way they run their organization and train their athletes. It is important to know these differences when selecting the right club for your family.

Once my child signs with a club, can they change their mind and join another club?

No, unless their club releases them, your child has made a season-long commitment to that club. The club is under no obligation to release them until the season is finished after USA Volleyball Junior National Championships. Clubs will ask parents/players to sign an Letter of Intent Form after tryouts. Many clubs will also require a verbal or written contract. The contract may be a legally binding agreement. Please read and understand what you are committing to before signing!

SEASON OVERVIEW

The girls club season runs from November through June.  Tryouts are held at the end of June for high school aged players, and the end of September for elementary/middle school players. After teams are formed, there are team meetings, club events, and team sessions.  Team practices will begin in November and tournaments will begin November/December depending on the age group.

The boys club season runs from September through June, high school teams will break in the spring for boys high school volleyball season. Tryouts are held in September for all players. After teams are formed, there are team meetings, practices will begin the end of September. Tournaments will begin October/November depending on the age group.

We offer two levels of club teams [National Teams & SoCal Teams] as well as an intro to club program [Academy Teams]. SoCal Teams practice twice per week while National Teams practice three times per week. The 310 Volleyball Academy practices once per week.  

SoCal & National Teams compete in local SCVA tournaments that are held approximately once per month, and are generally all-day or even multi-day affairs. It's important to know, a tournament day is generally a full one. Teams often meet at 7:00am and often don't finish until 3:00pm. Afternoon start times will require teams to meet at 2:00pm and athletes can be in the gym until 10:00pm. Locations and start times are not set until the week of the tournament and are communicated out as soon as information is received. 

What's the difference between team levels?

National Teams- competitive program designed for players who are serious about improving their game, and are committed to their role on the best teams possible. We expect players to attend all practices and tournaments, athletes who miss 40% of practice in between tournaments will not play in the following tournament. While we don't expect families' lives to completely revolve around volleyball, we do expect it to be a high priority. Our general guideline is that if players are going to miss more than one practice per month or more than one tournament during the season, a conversation with the coach and club director needs to be had before making a commitment to the team. 

SoCal & SoCal+ Teams- competitive program designed for players who are serious about improving their game, and are focused on athlete and team development. We expect players to be at as many practices and tournaments as possible, though understand some athletes may have other sports/program commitments that will be communicated to the coach in advance. Athletes who miss 50% of practice in between tournaments will not play in the following tournament. Our general guideline is that if players are going to miss more than one practice per week or more than two tournaments during the season, a conversation with the coach and club director needs to be had before making a commitment to the team. 

310 VB Academy Teams- developmental program designed for players who are serious about improving their game and are focused on athlete development. This is a great program for athletes who might not be sure if they can commit to a club team or have never played organized volleyball. 

At 310 Volleyball Club our teams participate in regional SCVA Tournaments as well as USAV qualifiers (SoCal+ and National Teams). The SCVA (Southern California Volleyball Association) is a region under USAV (USA Volleyball). At times, teams may also decide to participate in AAU Tournaments which are outside of SCVA/USAV and hold their own national games, which will require a separate membership.

USAV/SCVA Membership

The USAV and SCVA require all athletes and coaches to obtain a membership at the start of each season. Athletes and coaches are not allowed to participate in USAV/SCVA tournaments until all membership requirements are completed. 

Membership information will be sent out to athletes once they accept a spot on a club team. Memberships is required before athletes can attend tournaments. 

USAV/SCVA Age Definitions

Click Here to View the Age Definitions

SCVA Local Tournament Dates & Playing Sites

Our teams will play in all SCVA Qualifier, Mandatory & Championship (2 days) Tournaments. The dates of these tournaments are determined by the SCVA. Locations and times of where/when the teams will play are not posted by the SCVA until the week of the tournament & and can change up until the day before the tournament. Please keep all tournament dates open as teams could start play anytime between 8am-3pm. 

Click Here to View GIRLS SCVA Playing Sites 

Click Here to View 2024-2025 GIRLS TENTATIVE SCHEDULE 

SCVA Travel Tournaments

Placement on a travel team requires travel to one Junior National Qualifier (JNQ), and the possibility of an additional tournament at the end of the season. The club will NOT book any air travel for players (or parents). Each family must arrange transportation to and from each event as well as transportation to and from hotel.

All tournaments are "stay to play" events, which means the club has to book a certain number of rooms at a pre-determined hotel. The club will hold a block of rooms and will send link to reserve a room to all participating families. All families must book within this block.

Click Here to View Girls Red Rock Rave Information

SCVA Parent Handbook

Other Helpful Resources

Positive Coaching Alliance: valuable resources for sports parenting 

USAV Parent Resources: helpful resources on parenting in the volleyball world 

What Parents Should Say: some guidelines on what parents should say as their children perform

9 Things Good Sports Parents Avoid: Sometimes it's not about what you do, but what you DON'T do

Teach your Teenage Athlete to be Coachable: a great article of fostering coachability in your child