VolleyBlog Parent

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Club Volleyball 101: Try-Outs Part II - What to Expect at the Try-Out

Try-outs can be VERY stressful for the athlete and parents. (It is also very stressful for the Directors and coaches.) I was always very nervous for my daughter to try-out for her club team each year. Once you and your athlete have decided which club he or she will try-out for, complete all registration forms, submit them online or mail along with tryout fee before the early registration cut-off date. Once this is complete you can focus on ensuring your child is mentally and physically ready for the tryout sessions. Below you will find information on what athletes should wear and bring to the try-out, what will happen at the try out, and tips for success.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Club Volleyball 101: Try-Outs Part I - Picking a Volleyball Club

Believe it or not, some volleyball clubs around the United States begin junior girls club try-outs as early as July for teams that will be practicing and playing together in late Fall and January to June of the following year. In this post I will address how to go about finding a club in your area and what to look for.

Question of the Week:

What do the various abbreviations for the positions on a volleyball team mean and what does each position do?

In any sport there is always a lot of technical jargon and many abbreviations. This week we address position abbreviations and provide a short explanation of that position.

S = Setter The setter runs the offense by setting different types of "sets" to the various hitters in an effort to score points.

OH = Outside Hitter The outside hitter generally hits on the left side of net but can also hit sets in the middle and right side. This is usually a right handed player.

RS = Right Side (hitter) The right side hitter generally takes sets on the right side of the net and is often a left handed player, but not always. This player can run plays to the middle as well.

OP = Opposite Side Hitter (same as right side)

M = Middle hitter or Middle blocker The middle hitter runs plays in the middle of the net as well as to the right side. The are responsible for blocking hits across the entire net.
MB = Middle Blocker (same as above)

L = Libero The libero is a defensive specialist that plays virtually the entire game. The libero must wear a contrasting jersey color from his or her teammates and cannot block or attack the ball when it is entirely above net height. When the ball is not in play, the libero can replace any back-row player, without prior notice to the officials. This replacement does not count against the substitution limit each team is allowed per set, although the libero may be replaced only by the player whom they replaced.

DS = Defensive Specialist The DS is similar to the libero, but they can only sub in for one player per game.

There are actually some additional player abbreviations, but these are the basics.

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Welcome!

As parents, my husband and I have experienced 6 years of USAV junior volleyball with our daughter. There have also been 4 years of high school volleyball, and we currently have a daughter beginning her career at a terrific D-I university. As a 2 time All-SEC collegiate player, I also have some personal experience to draw from. We are looking forward to sharing some of our knowledge and experience and hope to create a safe place where parents can come to ask questions, get answers, share tips and celebrate the sport of volleyball.