Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is club volleyball?
Club volleyball is like Select Soccer. It has organized practices two times or three times a week and depends on the team. The team participate in tournaments around the Seattle are, Washington State, and out of state. Club helps players to develop their skills and also teaches them to compete against other players and other club team. It is a good way for players to get ready to play in their Middle school, High school and compete for scholarship to play in College. The clubs are sponsored by USA Volleyball and Puget Sound Region.
2. How long does the season last for SpaceNeedle?
Practices will start in December and last until the end of May. Some players will practice until June for the AAU Nationals at Disney World in Florida or if we qualify to go to Junior Olympics (JO).
3. Where ,when, and how often are practices held?
All teams practice at Shoreline Community College. Some teams will practice 2 times a week for 2 hours and others will practice 3 times a week for 3 hours.
4. How many players are on a team?
We would like to carry 10-12 players on each team.
5. How many tournaments does a team play and where are they?
Each team will play in approximately 2 tournaments a month. Most tournaments are in the Puget Sound area from Olympia to Bellingham.
6. Do Teams Travel out of the Region or State ?
Yes. Usually our U16-U18 teams travel out of the state. Some of our youngest team travel out the region.
7. How much does it cost to play for SpaceNeedle?
Approximate costs:
Range $500-$2,060 without travel.
8. What do the fees cover ?
The cost of renting the gym is $50.00 an hour. We try to make our cost as most affordable as we can for the players, but you can see that a large portion of our budget is to pay the facility. Each player will receive 2 uniform tops, a practice t-shirt, spandex, warm-ups, and a bag. Our budget also includes the monthly stipend for the coaches (head and assistant), and registration fees for the team, coaches, players, and chaperones with the USA Volleyball and the PSR region, as well as insurance from USA Volleyball for all players and the referee clinic for all the players and coaches. A portion also pays for administration fees, volleyballs, ball carts and other supplies. Tournament entry fees are also paid out of the dues and accounting.
9. What do the fees not cover ?
Food at tournaments, travel expenses for tournaments, shoes, active ankles, knee pads, etc are not covered. Travel to tournaments is not covered.
10. Do teams go to Volleyball Festival or Junior Nationals in June?
No, Space Needle is not going to the Festival, but we love to go to Orlando, Florida for the AAU National in Disney World. We believe that AAU National, has more things for the junior players then Reno. Yes, we will go to Nationals if we qualify. It costs around $900 a player to go to an event like this. Air travel is not included in this figure; just hotel and ground transportation.
11. Who are our coaches?
Our coaches are IMPACT certified, CPR certified and some are CAP I certified with USA Volleyball. We also have 4 coaches that are High Performance Coaches (trained in the Olympic Center in Colorado Springs). Our coaches also are part of the staff for the High Performance Camp for the Puget Sound Region and also are part of the staff for the National HP. All our teams have an assistant coaches give our players additional support and coaching. Some of our coaches are coaching College and some are with High Schools in the area. The majority of our coaches are alumni that played with the SpaceNeedle and the majority of them played College. Our technical and head coach played in the Olympics and in many International events. She is close friend of Lang Ping (head coach of the USA National Team) and Sue Woodstra (assistant coach of USA National team). Every year she goes to Colorado Springs Olympic Center to renew her coaching training. SpaceNeedle Volleyball Foundation feels that we have an outstanding coaching staff for this coming season. For more information about our coaching staff, please visit the coaches’ link in our website.
12. What happens at Tryouts?
Players will be placed with players of their age and will run through drills, skills testing and games during the session with coaches. We will try to make it simple and fun for the players to relax during their tryouts. We will pick 10-12 players to fill the roster spots and 2-3 alternates will also be chosen in case any players rejecting their spot.
13.- What are we recommend to the player to do during tryouts?
We would recommend for you to enjoy the time and have fun. Be yourself and relax. If you do that, you will have a great tryout.
How many tournaments days do we have in a season?
It's between 12 - 20 dependig on the age group.
How far are these tournaments?
- Local: Within 1 - 2 hour driving distance. It doen't not require overnight stay.
- Away: More than 2 hours & require overnight stay. Some designated 2009 away tournaments are: Spokane, Southern California, Orlando...
How can my daughter gets to/from a tournament?
- Local: It's your responsibility to arrange your daughter's transportation.
- Away: It's your responsibility to arrange your daughter's transportation for Spokane since we plan to car pool. For the other away tournaments, the club made special arrangements.
How long is a tournament?
It's an all day from 8am - 6pm.
What happens during a tournament?
Normally the morning shift dedicates to pool play. The play off starts in the afternoon.
Do the players have breaks in between matches?
Yes. Breaks mean a bye. Eventhough some matches the players are not playing, but they're required to ref. the other teams.
Can I take my daughter to lunch or shopping during the breaks period?
No. Your daughter is required to be @ the gym the entire tournament period, because:
- We don't know how long a break would be. If the other teams finish early, we'll be asked to start the next round.
- Break period is a good time for the girls to bond off the court.
If my daughter can't make it to the tournament(s), can I get a tuition reduction?
No. The tuition is set base on the entire package which includes all practices, all tournaments, uniform.... Look at it as a buffet, you pay one price. You have the option to eat everything or one or two items... Another word if you take advantage everything we offer, you will get the most value for your daughter.
If my daughter can't make it to the tournament, who should we notify?
Her coach or captain. We ask that you let us know as soon as you can, so the coach can plan the line up for that particular tournament.
