ARE THERE CLUBS IN PIERCE COUNTY I CAN
CONTACT ABOUT JOINING?
There are numerous clubs operating in Tacoma-Pierce County. Go to the Puget Sound Region website and then go to the Juniors section to find out the name and phone number of each club contact so that you can reach them directly for details about their club program.
WHAT ARE THE AGE DIVISIONS MY CHILD CAN
PARTICIPATE IN?
There are four main age
groups: 12 & under, 14 & under, 16 & under, and 18 & under. There are some
teams, however, playing as 13 & under, 15 & under, and 17 & under teams
and enter tournaments that way. The national guidelines to determine what
age you can participate in are as follows:
| 18 & Under |
Players who were born on
or after 9-1-85 or high school students in the 12th grade or below
during the current academic year |
| 17 & Under |
Players born on or after
9-1-86 |
| 16 & Under |
Players born on or after
9-1-87 |
| 15 & Under |
Players born on or after
9-1-88 |
| 14 & Under |
Players born on or after
9-1-89 |
| 13 & Under |
Players born on or after
9-1-90 |
| 12 & Under |
Players born on or after
9-1-91 |
WHAT DO I NEED TO FORM A TEAM?
Players, coaches, a gym and
money--and one parent crazy enough to volunteer to serve as the team
representative to coordinate all aspects of the team's activities!
Players:
This is the easy part. You can stay within your own school or school
district or you can draw from your community, the entire county, or from
outside the county. The choice is yours. Most teams carry 9-11 players on
their roster as a rule.
Coaches:
Finding a coach who can instruct and motivate and being willing to devote
a fair amount of time for practices and tournaments can be a challenge.
Start looking NOW! Former high school players are often energetic and
available and you should contact the local high school coach for
suggestions. You may also find a volleyball official who may be interested
in taking this on. And current high school and junior high school coaches
are another good source as long as they don't violate WIAA coaching rules.
Gym:
Gyms are somearial difficult to find, especially during the basketball
season, so be creative in your search. You may have to settle to a less
than ideal time to practice which may include Saturdays and Sundays. Be
prepared to pay for this.
CAN YOU GIVE ME A PROPOSED BUDGET TO
CONSIDER?
Below is a budget showing
typical expenses for the season to consider:
| Activity |
Cost |
| Team Registration |
$35.00 |
| Player Registration (10
players @ $60 each) |
$600.00 |
| Coach Registration (2
coaches @ $60 each) |
$120.00 |
| Gym Rental (2
practices/week x 1.5 hours/practice = 3 hours/week x $20/hour |
$960.00 |
| Coaches Stipend (4 months
@ $300/month |
$1200.00 |
| Postage |
$25.00 |
| Phone Calls |
$75.00 |
| Printing |
$25.00 |
| Tournament Entry Fees* (8
tournaments x $110 each) (two per month) |
$600.00 |
| Balls (6 balls @ $50 each) |
$300.00 |
| Uniforms** (10 t-shirts x
$15 and 10 shorts x $15 |
$300.00 |
| Miscellaneous (Lodging,
gas, coaches training/certification, ball tags, etc) |
$760.00 |
| TOTAL |
$5000.00 |
Based on this budget, it would cost each
player $500 for the season.
Remember, team expenses can be reduced
through the help of local business sponsorships and creative fundraising
efforts. It takes time and an organized effort but it can be valuable.
*Tournament costs vary and a two-day
tournament will cost approximately $175.00-$200.00
**Uniform expenses can mount up if you purchase spandex shorts and
sweatsuits or sweatshirts for the players. It just depends on how
elaborate you want to be.
HOW DO WE REGISTER OUR TEAM?
Team and player registration
forms are available from the Puget Sound Region's website or by contacting
the office directly. Forms and fees must be submitted before you can play
for insurance liability purposes. Tournament entry forms are also
available from the office. Make sure you understand when these need to be
submitted to tournament directors. And finally, when ordering uniforms,
make sure you know what the requirements are in terms of numbers on front
and back and matching shirts and shorts.
WHAT RESOURCE MATERIAL IS AVAILABLE TO
HELP MY CHILD?
There are numerous resources
available such as instructional books and video tapes. You may also want
to contact college or high school coaches to see if they might loan you
materials to review for certain drills etc.
