The Case For Later Club Tryouts
In Northern California, where I was born and raised, the boys club season typically starts with tryouts around mid-August, takes a short break for the high school season, and ends with nationals in early July. Practices begin immediately after tryouts. The biggest problem we face there is that tryouts occur just after the academic year begins. This timing serves as a major barrier to entry for growing the sport. How many more boys across the US would play club volleyball if tryouts were a month after school began, giving time for friends to talk and word of mouth to spread? Imagine if tryouts could somehow occur right after the high school season ends? The girls recently split their tryouts timing to be at the very beginning of the academic year, before their high school season starts. It could be done.
However, here in Colorado, things are worse. This last season, after finishing nationals on July 7, players were given just one week off before the tryout window began on July 14. Signing night was later in July, giving everyone waaay too long to mull things over, decommit, recommit, etc. Practices didn’t begin until early September. Furthermore, some clubs hold pre-tryout activities starting in June, before the previous club season ends! What is this, if not the absolute worst case scenario. No break for players, families, coaches, or aching joints. Unrelenting, yearlong pressure, with players worrying about next season before the previous one ends. Less overall practice time than other regions. Even worse timing with the academic year. I’m still not sure how that’s legal.
In thinking of the future, and how it relates to the current divide between USAV and AAU, I can’t help but guess at the future. For boys, AAU nationals now reigns king. However, the club season is currently dictated by local chapters of USAV, which host power leagues across the US. These local chapters dictate tryout timing and rules for their respective regions as well. I can see a future scenario where certain club programs don’t even compete in local power league tournaments. They might opt exclusively for AAU hosted travel tournaments. In which case, a lot of the rules regarding tryout timing and signing may be skirted. I think this is beginning in California. This would end up as a temporary loophole that would eventually be closed, similar to AAU’s recent rule change regarding players living in one state and traveling out of state to practice with their club team (more on that in the next blog post).
At the very least, can we not ask USAV and AAU to coordinate for national tryout rules and timing to give these kids an honest break between seasons? They wouldn’t even need to coordinate together. Either one setting a national rule would solve our timing problem.
