Express Training

FAQ's

Q What is Express Training?
Express Training was created to help bridge the gap between recreational leagues and JO volleyball.  We have asked all of our select team coaches to give their time to this activity when they can and you'll see varsity high school coaches as well as JO coaches each session.  The nice thing for the players and instructors is that there is no travel involved so you can still schedule other activities and other sports without missing the boat on volleyball.   Express Training means team training where team concepts and individual skills are taught by qualified coaches who you would usually not see in these age groups or activities elsewhere.

Q: When will practices be held?
A: Training teams have a set practice schedule which is always posted on the website.   We usually hold 1 hour and 50 minute practices from 4:40-6:30 either once or twice a week.  Younger age group may practice for an hour only.  Each session is different due to the instructor's schedules and court availability.

Q: How do you pick the teams?
A:  Training teams will be formed through tryouts/evaluations in the 6th -8th grades from this point on due to the number of registrations we receive.  We need to even the skill level out to make practices more productive.  The question then becomes "how many teams are you forming?"  This will vary from session to session and again goes back to the instructor's schedules and court availability.  For fall we plan on taking 32 players in each grade.  That means that if we have 40 players come to tryout that 16 will make the elite group, 16 will make the select group, and 8 will get cut.  If we have enough players left over to form a 3rd team for a once a week team, then we will add that assuming we have a coach to take it.  We want to offer everyone a chance to play but that will be impossible some sessions.  We will be releasing a clinic and league schedule that coincides with the training teams schedule to hopefully offer something for everyone.  

Q: Will my daughter get to play games during the session?
A: Yes.   We want to teach team concepts as a part of the offering and need at least 12 players at practice in order to accomplish this.   This is why we have 16 players on a roster.  As stated in the initial information, these are not teams that travel for weekend events.  We will be "slow teaching" our games at practice which means scrimmaging in this case.  Having the ability to stop a scrimmage and teach proper technique or positioning is one of the great parts of this activity.  At 10, 11, and 12 years of age, this type of help is key to later success.   Watching the ball drop at a league game is no fun for anyone.   We learn something new every session and we will once again be implementing new drills and practice periods during the fall.  We understand that there will be some variance in skill level but the instruction will always be geared toward pushing the better players and helping the others catch up. 

Q: Shouldn't my daughter get involved in JO's early so she gets connected to the system?
A: Maybe.  Junior Olympic volleyball is definitely where you are headed if your daughter is going to be a high school volleyball player.   At 10, 11, and 12 years of age it is not necessary to make that commitment assuming you can find the proper instruction to keep pace.  At 13 and 14 years of age you will want to consider JO seriously and we can give you information about area JO clubs so you can pursue it anytime.  Players develop at different speeds and JO teams change every year at the younger ages.  It's not until the U14  age group that teams become more fixed and spots in a club become more limited.  There are tryouts every year for most every JO club.   Our head instructors are very well connected in JO volleyball and have coached at the highest levels.  It would be in your favor to have your daughter get started with them.  You never know , they may be coaching your daughter in high school or JO ball in the upper age groups later.

Q: When is express Training offered?
A: We have 3 main sessions a year (March-May, June-July, and September-October). We are considering ways to fit a smaller offering in over the winter but court time is extremely tight.  Each year may be different for winter.

Q: Are you going to offer Express Training for more age groups?
A: We will keep this offering for the U10 - U14 ages.  That is about the volume that we can handle and the age that it is needed most. 

Q: What if I have to drop out of the group?
A: Please don't sign up if you think you may have to drop out.  We certainly will refund players who are injured or have extenuating circumstances that arise.  However, once we commit to you, your entry fee is spent, and other players get cut.  We post all practice times before tryouts take place so you know the commitment. 

Q: What are the costs?
A: They vary but are based on the instructor cost, court time used, any fixed costs like balls or shirts, and administration.  The spring session was $275.  The summer session was $240 which will be the same for fall  and icludes 32 hours of practice.