Off Season

Playing Opportunities

For athletes interested in playing volleyball during the off season, there are a variety of highly reputable programs throughout the state of Connecticut. Regardless of which program you select, off season training can provide you with the opportunity to strengthen your physical skills such as serving, passing, setting, spiking, and defending as well as connect players to new coaching styles, new teammates, new playing styles, and new concepts. The game of volleyball moves at an extremely fast pace--expanding your playing opportunities will ultimately help players strengthen their reading and reacting skills which are some of the most important skills of the game.

PLAYING OPPORTUNITIES

Regional & National Club Volleyball

Approximate Fee: $1,500 - $2,200+

Club volleyball, also referred to as Junior Olympic (JO) Volleyball or High Performance Volleyball, is the most competitive form of off-season play. There are numerous club programs throughout the state, all of which include a similar tryout procedure, 2-3x per week practice schedule, and consistent weekend tournament play that requires overnight weekend travel throughout New England or the US. Most club fees include NERVA (New England Region Volleyball Association) or USA Volleyball membership (which is required for tournament play), an apparel package, and tournament entry fees. Travel expenses are rarely, if ever included. Because club volleyball is highly competitive, players tend to be more experienced.

Players must tryout and be selected onto a roster in order to participate. Tryouts occur in early to mid November and typically include a non-refundable tryout fee. The season typically runs from November - May. It is important for families to check each program’s website to verify when their tryouts occur and what, if any, changes were made to their fees.

Why play club volleyball?

  • Extensive practices that will provide you with endless valuable reps for skill development
  • College exposure through tournament play
    • Many college coaches exclusively recruit through club volleyball tournaments
  • Highly trained coaches

Types of high performance club volleyball programs

  • National - includes tournaments throughout the country
  • Northeast - typically includes travel as far as Philadelphia
  • New England - tournament play throughout New England

Regional Volleyball Programs

Regional club volleyball teams typically practice once a week for about two hours, whereas high performance teams practice 2-3x per week. Regional tournaments will last one full day, whereas high performance tournaments may last 1 to 2 days. Regional tournament play is highly organized--teams play against other clubs throughout the region. During tryouts, all players are evaluated and placed on a team based on their skill level.

Programs: Husky Regional, TCA Regional, Bristol Crush, CT Velocity

Fee: $800 - $2075+

State Volleyball Programs

CT Juniors offers a State Volleyball Program which includes Sunday practices or tournament play. Players are evaluated and placed on teams of similar ability; however, tournaments are not NERVA (New England Region Volleyball Association) or USA Volleyball certified, which can make them less competitive.

Programs: CT Juniors

Fee: $545+

  • Husky Regional Club Volleyball is one of the largest programs in the state. The season runs from tryouts in December through the NERVA Championships in May and includes a total of five tournaments. All five tournaments are single-day events that take place on Sundays. Combined with two early season play-days. Each Regional team practices 2 hours on Sunday. All players must tryout and all players are placed on a team reflecting their ability level.
    • Location: The Den in South Windsor, CT
    • Scheduled Practices: Sundays
    • Cost: $800+
  • TCA Regional Volleyball
    • Location: Trumbull, CT & Sacred Heart University
    • Scheduled Practices: Tuesday’s & Thursday’s
    • Cost: $2075+
  • CT Juniors State Program offers a combination of 9 practices and 4 local tournaments played on Sundays. Team placement starts in December and the season ends in mid-March. Tournaments are not true format (NERVA or USA Volleyball), therefore, the level of play can vary greatly.
    • Location: CT Sports Center Woodbridge, CT
    • Scheduled Practices: Sundays
    • Cost: $545+
  • TCA Power League includes 45 minutes of skill work, with 1 hour and 15 minutes of team play (2 hours total). Teams will compete against other TCA teams in two "in-house" tournaments.
    • Time: Sunday Nights 6:00 - 8:00 pm
    • Location: Insports Trumbull, CT
    • Scheduled Practices: Dec 3 - Feb 25 (+1 snow day for any cancellation due to weather)
    • Cost: $495+

ADDITIONAL PLAYING OPPORTUNITIES

  • North Haven Park & Rec - Open Gym
    • Fee: FREE!
    • When available per Park & Rec
    • Playing 2v2, 3v3, 4v4 games can be incredibly beneficial for skill development as it forces players to “read & react” to the angles of the game. It also increases contacts and helps strengthen overall ball control.
  • Volleyball Camps & Clinics
    • Fee: Varies
    • There are numerous reputable camps throughout the state. We have included some recommendations below. It is important for families to conduct their own research to ensure whatever program they choose meets their individual needs.
  • Private Lessons
    • Fee: Roughly $60+ per hour
    • Where: Husky Volleyball, CT Juniors, TCA

CLUB VOLLEYBALL PROGRAMS

CT Husky Volleyball | Location: South Windsor, CT

CT Juniors Volleyball | Location: Woodbridge, CT

TCA Volleyball Club | Location: Trumbull, CT

Crush Volleyball Club | Location: Bristol, CT

New Haven Volleyball Club | Location: New Haven, CT

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

  1. How many players are placed on a team?
  2. What are the coaching staff’s qualifications?
  3. What determines playing time and who will my daughter be competing against?
  4. Will my daughter play her position? What if she’s forced to play in a position she’s not comfortable with?
  5. Will my daughter be penalized for missing a practice or tournament?
  6. Because fees can vary drastically from club to club, what does the cost include? What is not included?