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New to Club Volleyball?

Welcome to St Mary's County Juniors Volleyball

What is Club Volleyball?

         

Also known as Juniors or Travel volleyball, Club volleyball is a nationwide highly competitive sport dedicated to giving student athletes across the country the ability to participate and excel in volleyball against other players their same age, both regionally and nationally.  Club volleyball offers the an advanced and competitive youth volleyball experience in and around the Chesapeake Region.


Many girls on high school and middle school teams 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).


There are three governing bodies in the Chesapeake Area which under their jurisdiction most clubs operate: the Chesapeake Region (CHRVA) of USA Volleyball (USAV), the American Athletics Union (AAU) Volleyball, and the Junior Volleyball Association (JVA).

 

 
When are tryouts?
         

Tryouts for SMCJV Travel Volleyball typically takes place a few days during the early October for boys and early November for the girls, just after high school season conclude. Makeup tryouts are scheduled after the initial tryouts as needed.

 

As soon as the tryout date and times have been determined, they will be posted on the website and our social media.

 

What should I do if I will be out of town when tryouts are scheduled? 
         

When tryout dates and times are finally posted and you will be out of town / unavailable, email smcjvolleyball@gmail.com to make arrangements for a makeup tryout.

 

How many teams per age group?
         

It is our goal to field 1 team per age group starting with U13. If there is a desire to field a second team at an age and there are enough qualified players to have a team and staff to support, we will entertain adding that team.

 

How age eligibility is determined for each team? 
 

The governing bodies for travel volleyball, USAV – AAU – JVA have determined the eligibility dates. Depending on the age of the student athlete on July 1 of the current year determines the age group they can play with. If you are 15 on July 1 you may play any age group from U15 and up. If you are 16 on July 1, you may not play any age group younger than U16.

 

Age definitions can be found at:
https://cdn1.sportngin.com/attachments/document/e789-2496668/2023-Age-Definition.pdf?_gl=1*4129d1*_ga*MTkxMjQ1NjQ4NC4xNjY1MTQ5NDQy*_ga_PQ25JN9PJ8*MTY2OTg1NDU5MC4xNS4xLjE2Njk4NTQ1OTAuMC4wLjA.#_ga=2.251483014.1652331596.1669854592-1912456484.1665149442

 

 

 

Who are the coaches? 
 

SMCJV’s coaches are a group of leaders who put the players before themselves. At SMCJV we want coaches who want their players to be as successful off the court as they are on. We strive to make them the best players they can become along with setting an example of how to be a “good person” so they can go on and be a positive member of society. 


Our coaches have coached in College, High School, Middle School and Club for years. And we work together as a team sharing our collective knowledge, education, and volleyball IQ ensuring the players get the best coaching they can . 

 

What are the Membership Fees?
 

The fees for the 2022/23 season will be $750 for 12U teams and $1000 for teams 13U and above. As soon as a player accepts a spot on a roster , they can begin making payments.

 

Our membership fees cover: tournament registrations, player uniforms, coaches' expenses (pay, travel, memberships, training), court space, equipment, insurance, and operational costs required to run the club. Fees do not cover the player’s required membership fees (USAV, AAU), scorering certification fees, and travel expenses.

 

 
How long is the season?
 

Typically our first practices are the first week of December.  Occasionally, some teams will start in the last week or so in November.  Most teams finish with the CHRVA Regional tournament in late April. If a team is wants to continue to play later in the season, the season can be extended but at additional cost to the players/parents. 

 

How many practices a week? 
 

Each team will practice 2 times per week (practice sessions generally last 2 hours. The exact days and times will be determined when the team is fielded. 

 

What is the schedule? 
 

Early in their season, players will be given a tentative schedule (pending acceptance) that indicates the dates and locations of each tournament. Depending on the team, a player may have one or more multi-day tournaments, with the remaining events being one-day events. Due to our location in Southern Maryland, almost all tournaments will require travel outside the area.  Some events in the central Maryland area, others in Virginia or Pennsylvania. We try to keep to  tournaments within a 1 1/2 to 2 hour distance, but sometimes it can be a little more, depending on tournament availability. Tournament schedules will not be decided until the season starts, and the teams are assembled and assessed.  

 

Tournaments are where practice time is rewarded. The “real” work of travel volleyball takes place during the practices. Throughout the season you will have MANY more practices than you do tournaments. Tournament play is only an addition to participating in travel volleyball.

 

Can I play multiple sports?

  Yes, and we encourage it. Studies have shown college coaches prefer student athletes who play more than one sport. Anything that makes a player more athletic will make them a better volleyball player. Players who play other sports will not be “punished” for playing those sports at SMCJV. Players do need to understand TOURNAMENTS NEED TO BE A PRIORITY, and they are expected to attend the final practice(s) before a tournament so the coaches can prepare the team. Also, while players will not be punished for missing practices for other sports or other student activities, they do need understand volleyball is a competitive sport and each player on the team will be competing for playing time. The best players will play, and practice is where your earn the chance to play.