Club Volleyball Basics:
Q: What is club volleyball?
Q: What age division am I in?
Q: How long is the club volleyball season?
Q: When are club team tryouts?
Q: What should I consider before trying out?
Q: What is the difference between Open/Championship/Club divisions in the AZ Region?
EVJ Basics:
Q: Is EVJ a non-profit organization?
Q: How do I join EVJ’s club volleyball team?
Q: What sets EVJ apart from other club teams?
Q: EVJ operates out of two locations, how will you determine which teams practice at Court One and which teams practice at Inspire Courts? Do we need to pick a tryout location or can we go to either one?
Q: What do your club fees cover?
Q: When are monthly fees due?
Q: Does EVJ provide assistance in the college recruiting process?
EVJ Teams, Practices and Tournaments:
Q: What type of teams are offered?
Q: How many athletes are on a team?
Q: When do EVJ teams practice?
Q: When and where are tournaments?
Q: Why can't we find out where tournaments are ahead of time?
Q: Does EVJ travel to out of state tournaments?
Club Volleyball Basics:
Q: What is club volleyball?
A: Club volleyball is the organized formation of non-scholastic volleyball teams for the purposes of practice and competition. Almost all club volleyball programs associate with one or more governing organizations (USAV, AAU, etc.) in order to sanction their competitions. Club volleyball programs vary in their size and purpose. Some clubs serve a very small niche (e.g. low commitment/developmental, high commitment/elite). Others, like EVJ, provide a wide array of opportunities.
Q: What age division am I in?
A: Go to USA Volleyball Junior Age Definitions to determine your age eligibility.
Q: How long is the club volleyball season?
A: Practices for the club volleyball season begin in November/December, usually following the week of tryouts. Tournaments for the club season begin in January and run through April, May or early June (depending on the age group/team.) National teams train through June and compete up through the first week in July (USAV Nationals).
Q: When are club team tryouts?
A: Club volleyball tryouts are typically held in November. See our tryout page for current year details. GIRLS TRYOUTS PAGE
Q: What should I consider before trying out?
A: Please visit our TRYOUT FAQS page for frequently asked questions and other tips.
Q: What is the difference between Open/Championship/Club divisions in the AZ Region?
A: Open teams have 4-5 local tournaments in the season, allowing those teams time for more "out of state" tournament play and typically are reserved for high school aged players. Championship (13s-18s) and Club (12s-16s) teams have 5-7 local tournaments in the season providing those teams with more "in state" tournament play. Read More.
EVJ Basics:
Q: Is EVJ a non-profit organization?
A: Yes, EVJ is an incorporated 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Q: How do I join EVJ’s club volleyball team?
A: We field teams from 4th-12th grade. You must participate in the tryout process held each year to make one of EVJ’s club teams. We DO NOT pre-select teams. Depending upon how many athletes attend the tryout, there is a possibility that some athletes will not receive an offer to join the team. Please see the GIRLS TRYOUTS PAGE for more information and a tryout checklist.
Q: What sets EVJ apart from other club teams?
A: As we enter our 35th season, EVJ has a long standing tradition of excellence in providing athletes an opportunity to participate in the great sport of volleyball. Our training facilities are state of the art; Court One has nine available training courts equipped with high definition streaming web cameras for college coaches to watch a practice or tournament match and Inspire Courts has seven available training courts in its 52,000 square foot facility. We have some of the best and most experienced coaches in the region and our fees are competitive and are fully disclosed up front. We are one of a few clubs who offer teams for 4th graders and as the largest club in the Valley we have teams for all skill levels, from grass roots regional teams to elite national teams.
A: EVJ Volleyball operates out of two locations. As part of the tryout process you are required to select your tryout location as either Court One (EVJ-Tempe) or Inspire Courts (EVJ-Gilbert), team selection at each location will determine your team’s home practice facility.
Q: What do your club fees cover?
A: Our club fees cover, but are not limited to: USAV membership for coaches and teams, insurance coverage, background checks on coaches, coach education and certification, practice and tournament uniforms, equipment, specialty training & coaching fees, administrative costs, practice court rental, and coaches travel fees (parents are responsible for player transportation costs). Total fees for the year vary based on age and national vs. regional teams. An information sheet will be provided before tryouts that includes all specifics including commitment fees and when payments are due.
Q: When are monthly fees due?
A: A commitment fee is due to secure your spot on the team. The fee balance is due monthly and you will be required to set up an automatic payment plan, which will will be set up as auto withdrawal (debit card) or auto bill (credit card) and charged/withdrawn on the 10th of the month. A "no pay, no play" policy is enforced.
Q: Does EVJ provide assistance in the college recruiting process?
A: Yes, we are here to help! For many parents, the college recruiting experience can be confusing and stressful. In today’s fast paced life, parents are forced to juggle their work and family obligations AND oversee their athlete’s recruiting process. To make matters more stressful, many student-athletes are extremely busy with homework, practice, etc. Our College Recruiting Coordinator, Jordan Herrington and Jen Leo (EVJ Club Director) along with all the national team coaches are our Recruiting Consultants; all are available as personal resources for athletes and their families. In addition we utilize the services of Sports Recruits and HUDL. Read more about how EVJ guides its athletes through the college recruiting process.
EVJ Teams, Practices and Tournaments:
Q: What type of teams are offered?
A: Teams differ, primarily, in their length of season and competition schedules. We typically offer three levels of club programming:
Travel (T) Teams (Age groups 15s-18s)
Each of these teams is highly competitive and will compete regionally as well as travel out of state on a limited basis to compete nationally.
Regional (R) Teams (Age groups 10s-18s)
Each of these teams is designed to compete at the regional level. Regional teams are also offered (optional) post-region play.
Note: Futures teams (10s-12s) operate with more of an equal playing time philosophy. However, attendance, work ethic, and skill execution are still factors considered and playing time is at the sole discretion of the coaches as it relates to player performance and team strategy decisions.
Q: How many athletes are on a team?
A: We typically carry 12 players with few exceptions.
Q: When do EVJ teams practice?
A: EVJ practices 2-3 times per week and generally 1.5-3 hours in length depending on the age group and team level. All practices will be held on Mon/Wed at Court One between the hours of 3:30pm and 9:30pm and Tue/Thu at Inspire Courts between the hours of 3:30pm and 9:30pm; and select Friday's for specialty skills training at Court One for all EVJ players.
Q: When and where are tournaments?
A: Championship and Club tournaments are held on Saturdays in an AM or PM wave. Open tournaments are held mainly on Sunday's. All of the Arizona Region tournaments we participate in are held in Arizona, as far north as Flagstaff and as far south as Tucson. Parents are responsible for transporting players to the AZ Region tournaments. Tournament site locations.
Q: Why can't we find out where tournaments are ahead of time?
A: Tournament schedules and utilized locations are prepared by the Arizona Region, which is our governing body. While the schedule is typically published before the season begins, the locations of each tournament are typically published within the week prior to each tournament.
Q: Does EVJ travel to out of state tournaments?
A: Our National teams will travel out of state 2-4 times each season.