During November, young girls age 9-18 are personally invited to callouts. A callout is very similar to a tryout. We prefer to use the term callout because we are “calling out” potential players to show their skills and learn about the opportunity to play club volleyball at the Junior Olympic level. During this time the girls are assessed for skill level and abilities. We also do not use the term tryout because no girl is turned away who has the commitment and puts forth the effort, regardless of her financial situation, height, or skill level.   

Our primary service area is Oakland, therefore we give priority to girls who live in or attend school in Oakland and particularly those who are low-income and/or minority.  We also have participants from the surrounding communities of Alameda, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Emeryville, Hayward, Richmond, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, etc.

We strive to make sure we provide our girls with experiences that are positive, enriching, and focused on growth - both on and off the court. The club fees help to cover the cost of registration, uniforms, tournaments, and equipment. Club fees for the six-month season are $300 or $600 based on income. There is an additional Fundraising Obligation and there are other options available to help defray costs.

By December, every committed player will be placed on a team. Players are placed on teams based on 1) age, 2) ability/skill level, 3) player position. Players will travel/compete depending on ETA, attendance, and academics.

The competition season runs from January to June and we encourage teamwork, health, positive life skills, and academic achievement. We will have two levels of players:

Competitive Players – We plan to carry four or five competitive teams (12s, 14s, 16s, & 18s), which will participate in a full Area or Power League schedule in addition to several special tournaments including the Starlings National Championship. This amounts to 2 practices per week (T&Th or M&W evenings) and 1-2 tournaments per month (generally played on Saturday and/or Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.) Parents are expected to provide transportation or coordinate carpools to and from local tournaments and practices.

Training Players – The training players do not compete. They practice 1-2 times per week and will be taught the basic skills of passing, setting, hitting, serving, blocking, and digging. They will also learn some team defense and offense. Players who are able to build their skills to a competitive level will be given the option of moving to one of the competitive teams. SCHEDULE CONFLICTS: Players who have the basic skills but need flexibility in scheduling may use this option for development and maintenance to keep their skills up.

Practice for both levels will depend on gym availability (usually in Oakland or Alameda) and will be finalized by January. Tournament locations are usually announced 3-7 days before the tournament date.

NOTE: The formation of teams will depend on the number of coaches, players, and court facilities we can acquire and maintain. There are no expressed or implied guarantees to playing time or placement on a specific team.

We conclude our competitive season in June with the Starlings National Championships in San Diego. This is when Starlings teams from all over the nation come together for four days of competition and fellowship. Our goal is to raise enough funds to help cover the transportation & lodging for San Diego. So we don't anticipate any additional cost to the players or parents.

During the summer from July to August, we conduct clinics and camps in local schools and other facilities.  This provides additional opportunities for club members to expand and further develop their skills.

From September to October, we hold fall clinics and attend various school activities that the club members participate in.  We also take our members to attend community events, college volleyball games and visit college campuses.

HOW TO BECOME A STARLING
With our continued growth and development, Starlings has become recognized as a unique volleyball program. Because we are a year-round program, we are continuously bringing in prospective players to give them the opportunity to develop their volleyball skills at any point in the year.  Players and parents interested in being a part of the Starlings program, should browse through our website and then contact us by email with:
1) Volleyball Player's Name
2) How you heard about Starlings (name of person or organization)
3) Date of Birth
4) Address, City & State
5) Phone
6) Grade & School Attending
7) Previous volleyball experience
8) Ethnicity
9) And any questions you may have. Click Here To Send An Email.

***BE SURE TO PUT "STARLINGS" IN THE SUBJECT.