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Guide to Club Volleyball in Northern Virginia

Updated for the 2023-2024 club season (Oct 6)

This document serves as a guide to those interested in joining a club (aka "travel") volleyball program in Northern Virginia.  It is an unbiased opinion based on the experiences of several volleyball coaches and organizers in the area.  For additional information, see the Youth Club page.

What is Club Volleyball?

To help place club volleyball in context, here are the categories of volleyball programs available to junior (i.e. grade school) athletes in Northern Virginia:

RECREATIONAL VOLLEYBALL is open to everyone regardless of skill level and past experience.  Programs are typically run in spring and/or fall, and are divided by age/grade: Elementary School (4th - 6th grades), Middle School (6th - 8th grades) and High School (9th - 12th grades).  Teams practice 1 - 2 days per week with 1 match per week.  In addition to instructional “House” leagues for beginner and intermediate players, some programs also offer “Select” and/or “Travel” leagues for more advanced players.  For additional information, visit the Youth Recreational page.

SCHOOL-SPONSORED VOLLEYBALL for girls are mainly in High Schools (grades 9th thru 12th).  It is a selective program run in the fall with tryouts in early August to fill two or three teams: Varsity, Junior Varsity (JV) and often Freshmen.  Immediately after tryouts, teams practice or play 4-6 times a week until school begins and continue after school all the way through playoffs in November.  Matches are typically scheduled twice per week against local schools.  For boys, volleyball is no longer a varsity sport or school-sponsored club.  Instead, it operates through the Northern Virginia High School Boys Volleyball League (NVHSBVL) during the fall season.  Most teams hold tryouts in late summer, practice 2 to 3 times each week after school, and play roughly 2 matches per week against other league teams between mid-September and early November.  For additional information, visit the High School page.

CLUB VOLLEYBALL, also known as Travel Volleyball, offers the most advanced and competitive youth volleyball in the area.  Most girls on high school varsity teams also play club volleyball.  Club teams are available for both girls and boys starting with Elementary School (U11, U12) going through Middle School (U13, U14) and High School (U15, U16, U17, U18).  In Northern Virginia, most clubs are members of the Chesapeake Region (CHRVA) of the USA Volleyball (USAV) governing organization.  Participants must be USAV members and coaches must be certified.  Some clubs are also members of the American Athletics Union (AAU) and/or the Junior Volleyball Association (JVA).

What is the Club Volleyball Commitment?

Club volleyball is a two-season commitment: winter and spring (6+ months).  Boy’s tryouts are always in October with girl's  tryouts always in early November.  Teams practice 2 - 3 times per week for about 2 hours in the evenings or on weekends.

The playing season starts in December for boys and January for girls and runs through April/May with teams competing in single-day or multi-day tournaments on weekends 1 - 3 times each month.  Single-day tournaments are usually local within a 1-hour drive.  Some multi-day tournaments are also local but many are outside the region requiring overnight stays.  Tournament days are LONG, running from 6 to 10 hours (no kidding) so this is a commitment for the whole family, not just the player.

Players are expected to attend all practices and tournaments.  Playing time is earned during practices and is never divided up evenly.  Some teams have “practice players” who do not attend matches in exchange for a reduced fee and a chance to attend practices to improve skills and experience.

Which Age Groups?

Teams within clubs are broken down by age.  The table below lists the official CHRVA Junior Age Definitions for the 2023-2024 season.  A few exceptional athletes play up a level, but most stay with their age peers.

Division

Age Requirement

Target School Grade

12 and Under (U12)

Born on or after July 1, 2011

6th Grade and under

13 and Under (U13)

Born on or after July 1, 2010

7th Grade

14 and Under (U14)

Born on or after July 1, 2009

8th Grade

15 and Under (U15)

Born on or after July 1, 2008

9th Grade

16 and Under (U16)

Born on or after July 1, 2007

10th Grade

17 and Under (U17)

Born on or after July 1, 2006

11th Grade

18 and Under (U18)

Born on or after July 1, 2005 (or after July 1, 2004 and in 12th Grade)

12th Grade

When are Tryouts?

The CHRVA region has defined windows when club teams can hold tryouts for the 2023-2024 season:

  • For Boys:  September 29 - October 7, 2023
  • For Girls:  November 3 - 7, 2023

In addition to club websites, you can learn more about tryout dates and times by linking to CHRVA’s official club tryout date page.  Note that the weekend of the tryout period is packed.  Most candidates attend multiple tryouts, so you will need to plan accordingly.

Most teams begin practices as soon as the team is finalized.  For boys, practices begin in late October with tournaments starting after December 1.  For girls, practices begin in late November with tournaments starting after January 1.

How are Clubs Differentiated?

There are over 30 volleyball clubs in Northern Virginia, each with its own selection criteria, coaching philosophy, practice facilities and fees.  Some have only one team per age group while others are large enough to support multiple teams per age group.

There are two broad categories of club teams:

  • Regional - More inclusive teams that primarily compete in CHRVA tournaments across Northern VA, MD, DE and DC.  The playing season usually ends in April or May shortly after the CHRVA regional tournament.
  • Travel/National/Open - More selective teams that play a wider range of tournaments both within the CHRVA region and outside (involving car/bus/plane trips), and compete in Open-level events for a chance to attend the USAV or AAU national tournaments.  These teams generally require a higher level of commitment and have higher fees.  The competitive season typically ends in May or June, but can also stretch into July if attending national tournaments.

Some clubs have both regional and travel/national/open teams.

Which are the Best Local Clubs?

There are so many dimensions in determining the right club for an individual.  Key factors you may consider include:

  • Coaches
  • Competitive level
  • Commitment
  • Playing time
  • Player development
  • Location
  • Cost
  • Culture (fun vs serious)
  • Recruitment exposure, if planning to play in college

In evaluating clubs, you’ll discover that there is a great deal of variety without easy standards to measure and compare.  Some clubs only target the most elite athletes and coaches, while others are more open to a variety of experiences and skills.  Some clubs  provide a consistent level of services from year-to-year, while others see fluctuation.  Without recommendations from insiders or an exhaustive review of information published on websites, it’s hard to know where to start.

To help you evaluate clubs in an unbiased manner, the next sections list club teams in Northern Virginia using the AES Power Ranking for comparisons.  The ranking indicates how well each club team did at competitive tournaments last season.  The information can help provide a sense of the caliber of players and coaches that may be attracted to the club during the upcoming season.  Clubs with multiple entries in the same age group typically offer separate teams for top talent and emerging talent.

The list also includes the clubs primary practice location.  Although specific facilities are identified, there is a general shortage of available volleyball gyms in the area so teams may end up practicing at other facilities during the long season.

Girls Volleyball Rankings (Regional Comparison)

Updated for the 2023-2024 Season

AES Power Ranking – Chesapeake Region - 2022-2023 Season

Club Name and Primary Practice Location

U12

U13

U14

U15

U16

U17

U18

Alexandria Titans @ Alexandria City HS 

 

 

60 of 81

77 of 122

91 of 125

65 of 132

56 of 73

 

American @a dedicated facility in Manassas

11 of 63

31 of 63

17 of 81

35 of 81

 

12 of 122

60 of 122

13 of 125

42 of 125

23 of 132

21 of 73

16 of 61

Battle @K Sports Complex in Manassas

 

 

52 of 122

72 of 125

103 of 132

 

59 of 61

Blue Ridge (BRVA) @BRVA facility in Winchester

5 of 63

9 of 63

8 of 81

18 of 81

3 of 122

8 of 122

1 of 125

1 of 132

21 of 132

1 of 73

17 of 73

 

Braddock Road Youth (BRYC) @various gyms in Fairfax/Burke/Springfield area

 

30 of 81

40 of 122

76 of 122

29 of 125

68 of 125

69 of 132

85 of 132

24 of 73

31 of 61

Capital Volleyball Club @Harmony MS in Purcellville

  Team Planned Team Planned Team Planned Team Planned    
DMV Elite @CYA Fieldhouse       Team Planned Team Planned Team Planned Team Planned

Dulles Youth Sports (DYS) @Hoops Plus in Sterling

 

36 of 81

31 of 122

28 of 125

10 of 132

12 of 73

8 of 61

Dynamix @dedicated facility in Warrenton

41 of 63

50 of 63

38 of 81

20 of 122

82 of 122

107 of 122

16 of 125

62 of 132

89 of 132

116 of 132

46 of 73

42 of 61

East Coast Power DC @TBD

8 of 63

32 of 63

49 of 63

63 of 63

31 of 81

49 of 81

62 of 81

26 of 122

83 of 122

33 of 125

56 of 125

29 of 132

39 of 132

13 of 73

33 of 73

4 of 61

20 of 61

Go Volley @Hoops Plus in Sterling & Sportsplex in Winchester

28 of 63

33 of 81

35 of 122

106 of 125

25 of 132

77 of 132

 

15 of 61

Grit @TBD

 

 

 

 

41 of 132

 

 

LIBERO @Libero Athletic Center in Sterling and Falls Church

20 of 63

10 of 81

39 of 122

32 of 125

93 of 125

55 of 132

49 of 73

 

Loudoun Elite @Hoops Plus in Sterling

18 of 63

14 of 81

19 of 122

53 of 125

51 of 132

76 of 132

51 of 73

 

Major Impact (MIVBC) @Kids Choice in Woodbridge

14 of 63

57 of 81

 

109 of 125

101 of 132

 

53 of 61

Manassas (MVBC) @ MVBC facility in Manassas

 

74 of 81

93 of 122

80 of 125

90 of 132

64 of 73

 

Metro (South) @Holmes MS in Alexandria

 

20 of 81

29 of 122

61 of 122

52 of 125

57 of 125

38 of 132

86 of 132

 

33 of 61

55 of 61

Mojo Elite @Reedemer  Church in McLean Team Planned Team Planned Team Planned Team Planned Team Planned Team Planned Team Planned

Monument @Fairfax SportsPlex in Springfield

 

 

41 of 122

40 of 125

50 of 132

57 of 73

68 of 73

 

No Panic @dedicated facility in Manassas

23 of 63

65 of 81

109 of 122

82 of 125

92 of 125

108 of 132

62 of 73

 

Northern Piedmont Sports Club (NPSC) United @Gyms in Warrenton

 

 

48 of 122

44 of 125

88 of 132

 

 

Northern Virginia Volleyball Assoc. (NVVA) @VA Volleyball Center (VVC) in Sterling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paramount @Fitness Equation in Chantilly and Ashburn

3 of 63

5 of 81

1 of 122

22 of 122

3 of 125

3 of 132

3 of 73

7 of 61

45 of 61

The St. James @The St. James Sports Complex  in Springfield

39 of 63

40 of 81

32 of 122

15 of 125

30 of 125

12 of 132

19 of 132

43 of 73

29 of 61

Tier One @Telos in Ashburn

 

 

 

51 of 125

90 of 125

56 of 132

63 of 132

59 of 73

 

VA Juniors @King Abdulla hAcademy in Herndon

 

4 of 81

7 of 122

12 of 125

9 of 132

6 of 73

2 of 61

Vienna Elite @The Play to Win Athletic Center in Ashburn; The New School in Fairfax

16 of 63

34 of 81

57 of 122

74 of 122

48 of 125

75 of 125

79 of 125

114 of 125

70 of 132

81 of 132

100 of 132

28 of 73

6 of 61

Virginia Athletics @Virginia Academy in Ashburn

 

 

 

5 of 125

 

 

22 of 61

Virginia Elite  @The Madeira School in McLean

 

51 of 81

55 of 122

22 of 125

15 of 132

7 of 73

13 of 61

Virginia United @Bishop O'Connell HS

62 of 63

 

 

115 of 125

 

 

 

Virginia Volleyball Academy @nZone in Chantilly

 

37 of 81

44 of 122

26 of 125

16 of 132

87 of 132

31 of 73

38 of 73

11 of 61

VolleyViet (VV) @TBD in Vienna

 

 

51 of 122

 

27 of 132

20 of 73

 

X-Factor Volleyball @Lee District Rec Center in Alexandria

 

54 of 81

108 of 122

89 of 125

96 of 125

93 of 132

98 of 132

 

43 of 61

So what does "xx of yy" mean?  From the AES Power Ranking"xx" is the ranking of an individual team based on tournament results and "yy" is the total number of regional teams ranked during the season.  Remember that CHRVA has teams in MD, DC & DE in addition to Northern VA.  Also, "Team Planned" means that the club is holding tryouts to form a possible team for that age group in the upcoming season.

Boys Volleyball Ranking (Regional Comparison)

Updated for the 2022-2023 Season

AES Power Ranking  2021-2022 Season

Club Name and Primary Practice Location

U12

U13

U14

U15

U16

U17

U18

Areyto Volleyball Academy (did not have 2021-22 teams)

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Grit @Cassel's in Herndon

 

 

 

 

 

5 of 7

 

Battle @K-Sports in Manassas

 

 

 

 

8 of 19

18 of 19

 

9 of 12

Monument @Fairfax SportsPlex in Springfield

 

 

 

 

10 of 19

7 of 7

5 of 12

No Panic @The Training Experience in Chantilly

 

 

 

 

19 of 19

 

 

The St. James @The St. James Sports Complex in Springfield

 

 

1 of 9

 

1 of 19

7 of 19

 

2 of 12

Western Loudoun @Cassel's Sports Complex in Herndon

 

 

8 of 9

 

9 of 19

 

 

Sample Schedules

Below are sample schedules for different club teams from the 2017 season.  It should provide a sense of the number and scale of events with corresponding time commitments.

Team

Practices

Tournaments

NVVA U12 (Regional Team)

  • Wednesdays @5:00pm-7:00pm (includes 30 min Strength & Coordination) at the VVC in Sterling
  • Fridays @6:30pm-8:30pm (includes 30 min Strength & Coordination) at the VVC in Sterling
  • Jan 13-14 – MLK Tournament at Jessup MD (2 days)
  • Jan TBD – Single Day Regional Tournament
  • Feb 17-19 – Capitol Hill Classic at the DC Convention Center (3 days)
  • Feb TBD – Single Day Regional Tournament
  • Mar TBD – Single Day Regional Tournament
  • April TBD – CHRVA Regional Championships at TBD Location

 

Vienna Elite U14 (Open / National Team)

  • Mondays @7pm-9:30pm (includes Strength & Conditioning) at The Campus in Sterling
  • Wednesdays @7pm-9:30pm (includes Strength & Conditioning) at The Campus in Sterling
  • Jan 13-15 – Monument Classic in Richmond VA (3 days)
  • Jan TBD – Single Day Regional Tournament
  • Feb 17-19 – Capitol Hill Classic at the DC Convention Center (3 days)
  • Feb 2-3 – Atlantic Power League at Greensboro NC (2 days)
  • Feb TBD – Single Day Regional Tournament
  • Mar 10-12 – Colorado Crossroads in Denver CO (3 days)
  • March 17-18 - Atlantic Power League at Roanoke VA (2 days)
  • Mar TBD – Single Day Regional Tournament
  • April 6-8 – Northeast Qualifier in Philadelphia PA (3 days)
  • April 28-29 – Mid-Atlantic Power League in York PA (2 days)
  • April TBD – CHRVA Regional Championships at TBD Location
  • May 12-13 – Atlantic Power League in TBD VA (2 days)
  • May 26-28 – East Coast Championship in Pittsburgh PA (3 days)
  • June TBD – USA Volleyball Nationals in Anaheim CA (must qualify – multiple day tournament)

 

Mojo Elite U16 (Travel Team)

  • Tuesdays @7:00-9:00pm at Sport & Health in McLean
  • Wednesdays @6:30-8:30pm at Redeemer Lutheran Church in McLean
  • Thursdays Strength & Conditioning @8:00-9:00pm at Sport & Health in McLean
  • Jan 13-15 – City of Oaks Challenge in Raleigh NC (3 days)
  • Jan TBD – Single Day Regional Tournament
  • Feb 17-19 – Capitol Hill Classic at the DC Convention Center (3 days)
  • Feb TBD – Single Day Regional Tournament
  • Mar 10-11 – Irish Rumble in Lancaster PA (2 days)
  • Mar TBD – Single Day Regional Tournament
  • April 6-8 – Northeast Qualifier in Philadelphia PA (3 days)
  • April TBD – CHRVA Regional Championships at TBD Location
  • May 12-13 – Beach Fest in Ocean City MD (2 days)
  • May 26-28 – Happy Volley at Penn State in State College PA (3 days)

 

As mentioned earlier, each tournament day can run 6 to 10 hours.  Some multi-day events even have morning and afternoon shifts to accommodate all teams.  For out-of-town tournaments, teams usually travel the day before and return home on the last day of the event.

How Much Does Club Cost?

Club fees vary widely from as low as $1,500 a season to $7,000+ for the most elite clubs.  While that might sound like a lot of money, it covers a 6+ month long season that includes hours of court time, tournament expenses, team gear and coaching support.

Here are some general guidelines influencing cost:

  • Younger teams and regional teams tend to travel less and are less expensive
  • Travel/National/Open teams tend to travel more and are more expensive

A majority of clubs are within a $2,500 to $5,000 range (boys are always less).  Club fees pay for uniforms, practice equipment, gym space, coaching expenses, tournament fees, and sometimes hotels for overnight stays.  In most cases at least one parent will accompany his/her player to out-of-town tournaments and those travel/lodging costs are not covered in the player fees.  You can find detailed information (costs and tournament schedules) on club websites.

How Do I Get On A Club Team

There are some harsh realities about earning a spot on a club volleyball team:

  • Demand is greater than supply.  There are generally not enough club teams to accommodate all the boys and girls interested in playing club volleyball.
  • At U13 & U14 tryouts for girls, don’t be surprised to find 25+ candidates competing to fill the 10-12 spots on a team.
  • At U15 & U16 tryouts for girls, you’ll likely see 35+ candidates competing to fill 10-12 spots. The higher numbers are due to so many girls coming out of high school Freshman and JV teams.
  • There are really not 10-12 spots open on each team.  On average, more than half are already reserved for players returning from the previous season, so the number of openings for those competing at tryouts is actually smaller.
  • For girls U12, it’s far less competitive.  There are fewer players attending tryouts (maybe 15+) and very few spots on the team are pre-claimed.
  • Ideally, it’d be great to earn a spot on a club team close to home.  However, you should be prepared to travel to wherever the club practices.

Having said all that, if you’re committed, you can optimize your chances of making a team.  Here are some strategies to consider:

  • Visit the websites of each local club to learn more about its coaches, coaching philosophy, selection criteria, player expectations, practice facilities and club fees.  Many of the clubs host a “Meet the Coaches” gathering where you can talk directly with club staff to learn more about the team and its coaches.
  • Target 1 or 2 clubs, but attend as many tryouts as possible.  Best to have options and choose between multiple offers.
  • Of your target clubs, attend as many of their fall leagues, tryout prep clinics and open gyms as you can (START NOW!!).  Get to know the coaches and let them get to know you -- many clubs use this as a way to meet and gain comfort with players before tryouts begin. 
  • Attending 3 to 5 tryouts is not uncommon.  With the short tryout period, some clubs hold tryouts around the same time, so you may need to prepare a detailed schedule and drive quickly from one tryout to another.  Some clubs may offer make-up sessions.
  • When putting together your tryout list, consider some of the larger clubs such as NVVA and St. James.  With more teams available in each age group, your chances of making one of the teams is greatly increased.
  • As the tryouts approach, re-visit club websites to review final details.  Most clubs require you to register in advance and pay a tryout fee.  There will also be forms to fill out and bring to tryouts.  Even before making a team, you’ll have to officially join CHRVA/USA Volleyball to attend tryouts.
  • Don’t be intimidated by the number of players at each tryout.  Many are “shopping around” and may not accept offers if given.  So don’t be discouraged if you think you didn’t do as well as others during the tryout.
  • During actual tryouts be ON.  Demonstrating strong skills are important, but don’t discount hard work and a positive attitude as influencing factors.  Many coaches are looking for potential and “coachability”, so always listen and do exactly as instructed.

What Happens After Tryouts?

Clubs usually communicate with candidates during the tryout, by email/text, or by posting tryout numbers on a website.  Candidates typically fall into three categories: (1) in, (2) out and (3) waitlisted.  Because so many players are shopping around clubs, teams usually keep some candidates on a rank-ordered waitlist while they wait to hear back on offers.  It can be a challenging time for those on the waitlist hoping for a chance to say yes.  The waitlist is released once all open spots are filled.

Finally, if you are fortunate enough to receive an offer, take the time to have a full conversation with the head coach to make sure all expectations are clearly communicated and understood.  Also review the CHRVA Juniors Recruiting Policy and FAQs on your rights to respond to an offer.  It’s a big investment of time and money so there’s no need to rush in unprepared.

Good luck!!