How to Prepare for Club Volleyball Tryouts

Are you considering club volleyball for your daughter and approaching the club volleyball tryout process for the first time? This article is for you!

I currently coach youth volleyball and play club myself. I have coached a club for years, and I have daughters who play in the club now. Many of the girls from my youth teams are preparing for tryouts, and I want to share the same tips I shared with them and all of you. These help you make more informed decisions getting into this club volleyball world, inspire you to keep it in the right perspective, and help make this a positive experience for both your daughter and your family.

Here are some winning tips to help your daughter ace the tryout process:

Tryout for multiple clubs
Remember, the tryout process is not just about the clubs selecting talent, but also about your daughter choosing the right fit. Use the tryout prep sessions and tryouts as an opportunity to explore what each club offers, their coaching approach, facilities, and organization. This will give you a comprehensive understanding and help you make an informed decision.
Your daughter may not land on the top team of her choice and that may be because they need specific types of players/positions, her skill level isn’t as high as others at the tryout or maybe she just had an off tryout. No matter what, you want her to have options so she can choose the team that feels like the best fit.

It’s not all 6 rotations

f this is your first club rodeo and your daughter has only played for school, you will likely assume your daughter will play all the way around for 6 rotations on the court like she does at school. This is not typically the case in club volleyball. Teams are typically 9-11 girls which means coaches create a subbing strategy and use liberos, a specialized defensive player, to get girls in consistently. This means only 2 girls see 6 rotations. Your daughter may not serve, or hit, or play backrow at all all season. Before you let this frustrate you or your daughter, know that the real development is coming from practice and training and the fun part is playing at the tournaments. While she may not serve in a game, she will continue to develop her serve throughout the season.

2 & 3 Teams have great perks
While every athlete wants to make the “1” team (top team at the club) there are only 8-10 spot on that team and they have to balance the team with height, defense, setters, etc. Making a 2 or 3 team can be just as competitive and may give your daughter the benefit of being a leader on the team and get more court time at tournaments. Only 2 girls on a team will likely see 6 rotations in club. Continue to prioritize development for your daughter, and keep that in mind when evaluating the coaches and her playing time opportunities. Would I choose to move down to a 2 team if your daughter made a 1 team? No. Always go with the higher team so your daughter can compete at a higher level with stronger athletes motivating her. But if she doesn’ get that 1 team offer please know she is still going to gain a ton from this season

• At 10U, they won’t be traveling yet, and all tournaments are local, with a final OVR tourney in Columbus, except Elevation’s top team, which does go to one extra out-of-town tournament. If you want to enter this world, know that they start traveling a lot after this season, which means about 7-9 weekends away and extra costs.  
• Remind your daughters that tryouts are just as much about attitude and effort as the skills. Give it everything they have, talk on the court, and stay positive, and they will get noticed. 
• Your role in this matters. Clubs get to know parents, and your daughter will benefit from you staying positive, supporting the team, and creating a good reputation. 
• If your daughter loves volleyball and wants to play, have them try out even if they are nervous they may not make the top teams. That is okay. I promise they will find a fit somewhere, but give her options through this process.