FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


 

For those of you who may be new to USAV Junior Olympics or new to Coastal Virginia Volleyball Club, this information is for you. Listed below are some of our most commonly asked questions and answers. We hope this helps!

What is Junior Olympic (JOs) volleyball?
Junior Olympic volleyball is congruent to select soccer or AAU sports. It is the grassroots branch of USA Volleyball dedicated to get kids from all over the country to participate and excel in the sport of volleyball. It is unlike community league sports in that participants must try out and be accepted to a team to compete.

When are tryouts?
Coastal's girl’s teams hold tryouts in the summer between the end of previous season's JO National Championships and the coming VHSL season. Coastal's boys teams have open tryouts in mid-November. Each tryout involves multiple days in case you cannot make one.

What should I bring to tryouts?
Each player must bring a $60 tryout fee (check payable to CVVC, cash will not be accepted). Bring a water bottle and an extra t-shirt.

Where is Coastal?
Coastal does not have one exact location. Instead, Coastal's practices are held at local area high schools, middle schools, and churches in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. We currently have plans to open a facility near the intersection of 17 & 664. Coastal has already obtained all permits with local offices, but the move in date has been delayed due to legal problems between the current tenant and owner. Other possibilities are being explored.

Who runs Coastal?
Coastal Virginia Volleyball Club has been under one director, Bob Arnette, since its inception in 1995. With his personable demeanor, impeccable character, and supportive style, Bob is truly the driving force for the success of Coastal Virginia Volleyball Club! Coastal has one Juniors Director and two Assistant Juniors Directors, one for the boys and one for the girls. This administrative staff selects coaches. All coaches and employees of Coastal VA VBC are, at most, a part time staff.

Who is the Juniors Director for Coastal?
In our effort to make everything run more efficiently and timely for our members, we have one Juniors Director and two Assistant Directors for Coastal: Dave Albaugh is the Juniors Director;
John Reid is the Assistant Juniors Director for the boys; and Will Stein is the Assistant Juniors Director for the girls.

How many teams are there?
In 2008, Coastal sponsored a total of seven teams. We offered a total of two boys' teams (at the U14 and U16 age levels) and five girls' teams at the U14-U18 age levels.

Who are the coaches?
Coastal selects a coach and assistant for each team, based on the expected turnout for tryouts. Coastal always makes decisions based on what is best for the kids first. This may mean that a different coach may coach a different age group each year, but Coastal places the highest confidence in each coach's ability to manage the team, instruct the athletes, and develop both to the highest level possible. Each year, we have an excellent group of qualified coaches and each year our coaches attend seminars or clinics to continue their volleyball education. Please see the CONTACT page and click on each coach’s name for his or her bio/resume.

Will there be only one team per age group?
Our most basic principle at Coastal is "Quality over Quantity." With this concept in mind, we select only the most promising players who tryout to be involved with our club. If the staff feels that multiple teams per age group can be formed and still remain competitive we may offer another team in an age group. Please, keep in mind this "promise" extends beyond volleyball. It includes academics, character, determination, and the desire to be a part of something great. We also must ensure that quality coaching and training facilities can be provided to these exceptional athletes.

Do I have to be a certain age to play for that age group?
Yes and no. USA Volleyball has established a date range in which a player's birthdate must fall to be eligibile for that age group (see note below). However, if an athlete is capable of playing with an older age group, Coastal may allow it depending on several factors: ability, maturity, team size, and/or need. The final decision will be left to the coordinators and/or the director and again will be based on what is best for the athlete.

NOTE: USAV RULES FOR AGE GROUPING
18 and Under: Players who were born on or after September 1, 1989, or players who were born on or after September 1, 1987 and have been a high school student during some part of the current academic year.
17 and Under: Players who were born on or after September 1, 1990.
16 and Under: Players who were born on or after September 1, 1991.
15 and Under: Players who were born on or after September 1, 1992.
14 and Under: Players who were born on or after September 1, 1993.

What is the cost?
This is where Coastal rises head and shoulders above the other clubs in the Hampton Roads and Peninsula areas. The fees this year will range from $1,725 - $4,200. To help reduce the fee, each player is provided with several fundraising opportunities throughout the season to assist with his/her monthly payments. Coastal is a non-profit organization so 100% of the money is spent on the athletes.

How does Coastal figure out my cost?
Each team's fees will be different. The younger teams charge significantly less than the older teams. Cost is based on the team's travel schedule and set in advance with
no increases in cost to you for any reason! The schedule is determined based on the coaches' and directors' expectations of the team and their evaluated abilities. The equipment given to and used by the participants will also determine the cost of your season.

Once I pay my fees, where does the money go?
There are no hidden expenses. Coastal does not use any Junior Olympic fees to support leagues or other activities. Your fee covers almost everything: membership fees, administrative fees, USAV registration, coaches' stipends, tournament fees, equipment, and ALL travel expenses (i.e., vehicle rentals & gas, and lodging) with the exception of airfare on occasion. The only additional out-of-pocket expenses will be for food and souvenirs.  Teams qualifying for a National event at the end of the year will have an additional cost to cover their Coaches’ travel expenses.

How long is the season?
This depends on which team you play for and how well you do during the season. The Old Dominion Region tournament schedule begins in January and ends in May. Qualified teams may attend the U. S. Junior National tournament, which ends in early July. All girls' teams will attend one of the major 'post-season' events in June or July (events TBD).

How often do I have to practice each week?
Each team will practice 2-4 times per week (practice sessions generally last between 2 and 4 hours (depending on the age group and practice location). The exact days and times will be selected when the team is chosen. Because the season is so long, each team will get small breaks throughout the season to prevent burnout and to provide for holidays, school breaks, exams, etc.

When and where are the tournaments?
At the beginning of each season, all players will be given a schedule that indicates the dates and locations of each tournament. Depending on the team, a player may have three or four travel tournaments. In recent years we have played as far away as Anaheim, California and as close as Virginia Beach, VA.

How many tournaments will I play?
Once again, this depends on the team. Some teams play only in Old Dominion Region tournaments, which is approximately 8 per season. Other teams compete in region tournaments as well as traveling tournaments; their number of tournaments can be as high as 13 per season. 

What if I play other sports that overlap the JO season?
At Coastal, we try to be as flexible as (reasonably) possible with all of our players and their schedules; however, due to the competitive nature of JO volleyball and the college recruiting process, we expect all of our older players to make volleyball a top priority. A player's attendance is directly proportional to that player's improvement and success, as well as his/her team's improvement and success.

What other opportunities exist for me outside of Junior Olympic volleyball?
Throughout the year, USA Volleyball hosts several open tryouts around the country to select up to 200 of the country's top players to train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO and several other sites throughout the U.S. These players are given top-notch instruction and attention from some of the best coaches in the world. Coastal has had several players in the last three years receive this honor!

What is Coastal's college placement for their athletes?
This is another area where Coastal stands high above the other clubs in the Hampton Roads area. For the last several seasons, EVERY athlete from the Girls 18 National team earned her way onto a college roster (all receiving athletic scholarships). For the 2005 through 2007 seasons, every senior was offered at least two opportunities to be on a college roster; 80% were on 2007 collegiate rosters, with 6 receiving athletic money. Our 2007 and 2008 graduating class saw the same results. On the boy's side, none of our athletes have received athletic scholarships since 2003, but many are currently competing on NCAA or NAIA Collegiate Varsity and NIRSA Collegiate Club teams throughout the country.

What should I do if I have friends that are interested in playing volleyball?
If your friends are interested in playing volleyball, we encourage you to pass along information about Coastal Virginia Volleyball Club to them. During the summer and winter breaks, we offer camps from qualified college coaches, as well as our own coaches. All of our camps are open to the public. Please see the CAMPS page for more info.

I'm interested in playing, or I still have questions. What should I do now?
If you're interested in playing or if all of your questions haven't been answered, please feel free to contact us at any time: Dave Albaugh or Bob Arnette .