What is USA volleyball?
USA Volleyball (also referred to as USAV) was established in 1928. It was formerly known as the US Volleyball Association, or USVBA. It is the national governing body for indoor and beach volleyball in the US. USAV supports the men's and women's National teams as well as junior, adult, and disabled volleyball divisions. It also coordinates the USA Coaching Accreditation Program, establishes rules for play in the United States, and certifies referees and scorekeepers. USAV is divided into 39 geographic regions throughout the country.
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What is Junior Olympic Volleyball?
The Junior Olympic Volleyball (also referred to as JOV or JO's) program is a division of USA volleyball. JOV programs provide competition and training for boys and girls aged 10 to 18 to supplement their school volleyball programs. The JOV season runs each year from October through June.
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What is SRVA?
The SRVA, or Southern Region Volleyball Association, is one of 39 regions within USAV. Geographically, it is made up of Georgia, the northern 2/3 of Alabama, and the eastern 2/3 of Tennessee. The SRVA is the home region of SMJVC.
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What is the length of the season?
SMJVC's season typically runs from early November, when tryouts are conducted, to mid-April, when regional championships are conducted. If a team wins their regional championship or earns a berth through a National Qualifier tournament, post-season play may be continued through June, when Nationals are held.
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How are teams chosen?
Players who wish to be considered for a team will participate in a series of group assessments in which their volleyball skills and attitude will be evaluated. After the tryout period, the coaching teams for each age group select athletes to build the most competitive teams possible. Letters are sent to notify each candidate if they were selected for a team and if so, include information about their coaches and practice schedule. Please refer to SMJVC's policy on tryouts in our online Policy and Procedure handbook.
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How many teams are there?
The number of teams is based on the number of athletes who try out, the number of coaches available, and the availability of facilities for practices.
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How many athletes are placed on each team?
Ideally, each team will be made up of 9-10 athletes. With fewer athletes, it may be difficult to complete the season due to injuries and/or conflicts with other sports/school activities. With more athletes, it becomes difficult for the coaches to juggle playing time.
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How are teams divided into age groups?
USAV has guidelines based on your child's date of birth to determine into which age group she can be placed. SMJVC typically fields teams in the 18 & under, 17 & under, 16 & under, 15 & under, and 14 & under age groups. These teams are usually referred to as 18's, 17's, 16's, etc. An athlete may play in an older age group than the one she belongs to, but not a younger one.
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How are the coaches chosen?
The coaches are chosen by the Director. Recommendations may be given to the Director by current coaches. Parents and athletes have the opportunity to give input through end-of-season evaluations. Background checks are performed on all the coaches and all coaches are evaluated during the season.
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How many practices are held each week?
Teams regularly practice twice per week. Once weekend tournaments begin, coaches may choose to only hold one practice in a given week. Teams may request an additional day of practice. These are granted dependent upon gym space available.
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When do the teams practice? When do they start?
The practice schedule is determined by the availability of gyms and the coaches' work schedules. Usually, most practices are conducted on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons. For the older age groups (14 & under and older), practices begin immediately following the formation of their team. The younger age groups (13 & under and younger) will not start until January.
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Where do the teams practice?
The teams practice in area middle and high school gyms. The gyms are located in Anderson, Knox, and Blount County.
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What if an athlete misses practice due to school activities or other winter/spring sports?
SMJVC does not expressly prohibit a student-athlete from participating in school activities or other sports, however, athletes are expected to be at every practice. Every effort should be made to manage homework and schedule outside activities in a way that does not conflict with practices and tournaments. Regardless of the reason, missed practices will influence the amount of playing time that the athlete receives. Players are responsible for communicating and coordinating their schedule with their coach. Frequently missing practices may subject an athlete to dismissal from the team. Please refer to SMJVC's policy on attendance in our online Policy and Procedure handbook.
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Who decides the tournament schedule?
Each team comes up with its own schedule. The coaches work with the team's athletes and parents to create a mutually acceptable schedule.
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Where are tournaments located?
Regional tournaments are located within the SRVA. Teams may travel to tournaments in Atlanta, Nashville, Birmingham, Kingsport, Huntsville, or Chattanooga, among other cities. SMJVC usually hosts two tournaments in the Knoxville area. Some teams may also travel to tournaments outside the SRVA. These teams typically compete in tournaments throughout the Southeast or Midwest, although in previous years teams have traveled as far as Las Vegas. Junior National Qualifying tournaments exist for those teams wanting to qualify for Nationals and for additional college exposure. These are usually located in Indianapolis, IN, Tampa Bay, FL, Austin, TX, Minneapolis, MN, Baltimore, MD, and in other cities on the west coast.
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Are all athletes guaranteed playing time?
There is no guarantee as to the amount of playing time an athlete will receive. Playing time is influenced by the athlete's skills, position, attitude, and attendance at practices. Please refer to SMJVC's policy on playing time in our online Policy and Procedure handbook.
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Will I play the same position as I do in High School?
Athletes are not guaranteed to play the same position that they do during their high school volleyball season. Coaches take into consideration many factors in selecting athletes to fill out their rosters, and may feel that the athlete and team would benefit by developing an athlete to play a different role for the Club than he or she had previously performed during the school season.
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