Crossroads Volleyball

Are there Try-Outs to participate in the club?

Yes, for the 2007-2008 season we will conduct 3 Travel team try-out sessions for girls 13-18 years of age and 2 Local Try-Out seesions for girls age 13-16 years of age [*Note age as of 8/31/08]. There is a $75 non-refundable fee for Try-Outs [$65 if only attending Local Try-Outs] to cover the cost of mandatory WEVA registration [$43] and try-out sesssions [$32 /$22]. This fee will be applied to a player's account upon making a team.

Try-outs are conducted by age level; girls are welcome to try-out at a higher age level if they have prior experience at a higher level of play than generally recognized for their age [ie: 8th grader/14 year old playing JV may wish to try-out for 16Us; 15/16 year old playing Varsity may want to try-out for 17Us, etc.]. We recommend that you try-out for the levels you may be interested in or contact the Coaching Director for guidance on which Try-Out session to attend. Careful planning and consideration was given to the scheduling of try-outs to avoid conflicts with other club try-outs as much as possible so players may explore their options.

Players will be notified in writing of their status and team placement at the conclusion of Try-Outs [11/11 for Travel; 12/9 for Local]. Selected players will have 3 days from selection date to accept or decline membership on the team. Participants are welcome to contact Coaching staff regarding team placements/selections after notifications have been made. We can not guarantee membership for any player. Team selections will be based on skill, performance, attitude, and team fit based on try-out performance. Players MUST attend at least 2 try-outs to be considered for a team, including the last try-out unless other arrangements have been made with the Coaching Director.

PLEASE NOTE: ALL Players MUST be Pre-registered through the WEVA online process, PRIOR to beginning Try-Outs. Questions regarding this should be directed to the Club Director, Michell Hays.

Try-Out dates for REGIONAL/TRAVEL TEAMS will be on SUNDAYS, Oct. 28, Nov. 4, Nov. 11. Team selections on 11/11. Times by age level:

17/18s 12-2PM

13/14s 2:30-4:15PM

15/16s 4:30-6:30PM

Try-Out Dates for LOCAL TEAMS will be on SUNDAYS, Dec. 2 & Dec. 9, 4-6pm for 13/14s and 15/16s

PLEASE NOTE: ALL PLAYERS should arrive at least 45 minutes prior to the start of their first Try-Out session to complete the Registration process. On subsequent Try-Out days, players should arrive at least 15 minutes prior to start times so they are ready [all equipment on]to start on time. Players who may miss a try-out, may be late or need to leave early should notify the Coaching Director of the situation as soon as possible to ensure good communication.

Try-Out Location:

Xerox Recreation Center

800 Phillips Rd, Building 337

Webster, NY 14580

When, where and how often are practices?

Practices will be held as follows, please note that this is subject to change as needed:

ALL Regional/Travel Teams will practice twice a week for approximately 2 hours each practice: Sundays starting 11/18 and Wednesdays starting 11/28; times TBD

Local Teams will practice once weekly on Sundays starting 12/16 for 2 hours except when participating in a tournament, times TBD

At this time all practices will be held at the Xerox Rec Center. As the need or opportunity arises we may secure other nearby locations for practicing.

There will be no practices on Sun 11/25, 12/23, 12/30, 3/23.

We understand that most players have a life outside of volleyball. We ask that players carefully assess their ability to commit to scheduled tournaments and regular practices as their team mates and coaches are devoting a lot of time and energy to the team and the team functions best when all the members are present. Again, players need to be open and communicative with their coach in these areas.

What are the costs of the club?

Club costs vary depending on the team and their level of travel. Local teams range from $450 to $500 while Travel teams vary from $900 to $1200; Membership fees for this year will be all inclusive, including Try-Out session fees, WEVA mandatory registration fees, uniform/gear package, facility & equipment fees, coaching fees, administration fees and Tournament entry fees. Expenses not covered include food, lodging and travel for overnight tournaments. Lodging will be coordinated by the club for families to reserve on their own. Specific Information regarding fees was presented at the Informational Meeting and will be available at the start of Try-Outs. PLEASE NOTE: Costs for each team are based on the number and type of tournaments planned for as a starting point. The team may decide to alter the number and composition of tournaments to attend in consultation with the coach; this will in turn alter the fees for each player and will be explained carefully to players and parents once teams have been selected and players committed to a team. A list of available tournaments will be made available to all teams as soon as possible. Where possible and appropriate, "alternate" players will be selected for teams to fill in for members unable to attend a particular tournament. Where this is possible, the "alternate" player will cover the cost of the tournament they attend and a credit will be made to replaced player's account. As a rule of thumb, however, Players are expected to attend all team selected tournaments; exceptions are made only where necessary to accommodate extenuating circumstances.

***NOTE: WEVA registrations are transferable to and from other clubs within the WEVA region.

How many teams will there be and what age levels?

Each year we will determine which level of teams we will support based on the ages and skill level of the players trying out. The number of teams we will support will be based on available coaching and administrative staff, and available gym space.

For the 2008 season we are planning for 4 Regional/Travel teams and 2 Local teams. Tentatively we are proposing Travel teams for age levels 14, 16, 17, 18. Local teams are proposed for the 14 and 16 age levels. This is subject to change based on the availability of Coaching staff, player interest and skill levels. All players attending Try-Outs will be considered for Regional teams first. Local teams will be composed of players who are interested in being on a team but did not meet the qualifications for a Travel team or are interested strictly in a less demanding schedule of practices and tournaments. All players, regardless of age or travel level will receive dedicated, committed, quality training from our coaches.

How many tournaments are players expected to participate in and how will playing time be handled?

For Travel teams, 8 to 10 tournaments will be offered while up to 7 will be offered to Local teams, players will be expected to participate at all tournaments selected, unless arrangements made as noted above through the Coach and Club Director.

Players will be given FAIR but not necessarily EQUAL playing time at tournaments. It is the club goal to compose teams with players who can successfully compete with one another. Understandably there will be players who demonstrate strengths in different areas and serve the team in different ways and roles. This alone will create different playing scenarios. The club believes that playing time is earned through hard work at practice, good communication and a good attitude toward the sport, team and players. Dedication and committment are a must for true success. Younger teams will see more equity in playing time than older teams may. The equity in playing time may diminish as the team forges ahead deeper into play-off situations to ensure the team remains competitive and successful overall. It will be important for each player to understand her role and value on the team and how that may play out in tournament situations. All opportunities are to be viewed as learning opportunities, no matter the role played. Our goal will be to do all we can to make not only each team, but each player feel successful.

1 Day tournaments will generally be within the Rochester-Finger Lakes and Buffalo areas although some may be up to 2-2.5 hours away; similarly, most 2 day events will be within this radius or up to 3-4 hours away; 3 day events typically are the furthest away at 4-6 hours from the area. Single day events may start as early as 8:00am and run until 6-7pm depending on the format and number of teams per pool. 2 day events typically are lengthy the first day and over the second day by 4-5pm; 3 day events often run in waves of AM and PM waves of about 6 hours duration per day. with all tournaments, the more you win, the more you play, the longer you stay! [This is good thing :) ]

Parents are responsible for getting their daughters to and from tournaments and practices as well as ensuring proper supervision. Where there are conflicts or problems, we encourage and urge parents to "team-up" with rides and lodging for convenience as possible. Players will not bunk together at overnight tournaments as a team but with their families or parent designated adult chaperon.

Are there Fund-Raising opportunities to help defray costs?

Yes, each year we will select two or more fund-raising activities to participate in based on member interest. Club fund-raisers to date have included Lottery Tickets, Candy Sales, Zap-A-Snacks and tournament Concessions sales. We also offer Sponsor and Supporter programs to help defray costs through the club which will be passed on to players.