The Arizona Region adds clubs each year. The 2023 season we registered 20 boys clubs and 114 girls clubs that range in size from one - thirty six teams. The clubs are located across the state from the Four Corners area to Yuma with the majority (approx 80%) of them located in the Phoenix metro area. There is a club out there that is right for your son/daughter it is just a matter of finding out which one that is. Before you attend any tryouts, you should do a little homework and find out about several clubs and ask lots of questions. The Region Staff cannot recommend a club for you - nor should we because we don't know everything you are looking for in a club. Listed below are some questions to think about when shopping for a club.
What age Division am I in?
USA Volleyball has strict guidelines concerning age. Click the Age Definitions link, plug in your birth date and it will tell you what age division you must play in.
Length of Season
The USA Volleyball annual membership begins on Sept 1 and ends Aug 31. Boys tryouts may begin the 2nd Saturday in August with registration taking place Sept 1 or later. Girls' tryouts may begin in November - the 1st Saturday in November for girls 14 and younger; the 3rd Saturday in November for those in high school. Typically, the clubs will start practicing soon after their tryouts are complete to prepare for the tournament season.
Boys Tournaments start in September and end in December in the Arizona Region. The teams may travel to qualifying tournaments (Nov - Jan) and end of season tournaments or Junior Nationals (June or July). The high school age boys will break during the HS season and pick up again when school is out if they are going to a season ending tournament. Boys in 8th grade or younger may compete in the AZ Region Boys 14U Spring Season which takes place from March - May.
Girls Tournaments start in January and end in May in the Arizona Region. Season ending tournaments or Junior Nationals will take place in June or July for those teams that extend their season beyond the Arizona Region tournaments.
What Clubs are out there?
Click on Club Directory for a complete list of all the clubs in the state.
Philosophy
Cost
Members on the team
Level of Commitment
Practices
Tournaments
Travel
Coaches
Communications
Other Perks
Attend Club Parent Meetings
These meetings allow the club to present to you what they are all about. It can also give you the opportunity to meet the club director and possibly your son/daughter's potential coach. Here is where you want to ask lots of questions. Some clubs hold meetings before any of their tryouts, some will hold meetings for the parents during the tryouts. If you still have questions, please email or call the directors. They should be happy to answer your questions.
Open House Periods - The AZ Region established a 10 day period prior to tryouts for players to check out different clubs and find the right fit for them prior to tryouts. The clubs may offer a maximum of 3 sessions in each age group during those 10 days. The clubs may evaluate the athletes and offer where they think the athlete will fit into their team structure.
During the Open House Sessions, a club MAY NOT ask or require that you commit to their club, ask for or accept a down payment to hold a spot on their team, prohibit any player from attending another club's Open House session.
Please realize that any offer prior to the tryout date is non-binding. They may tell the athlete anything but they don't have to back it up come tryouts. The same goes for any commitments by a player prior to tryouts - it is non-binding. If a commitment is offered, it is invalid and should be rejected.
The Open House Period is your time to find the right fit for your athlete. When the tryout date arrives, most clubs have their tryouts at the same time so you really need to find the club you want to play with regardless of the team offered.
Tryouts
Tryouts for boys' teams may begin the 2nd Saturday of August.
Tryouts for girls' 14 and younger teams may begin the 1st Saturday in November.
Tryouts for girls 15 and older may begin the 3rd Saturday of November.
Committing to a Club
The AZ Region and USA Volleyball considers a commitment to a club for the entire season. That means that you cannot change clubs in mid season.
The business relationship between a club and a player is outside the purview of the Arizona Region of USA Volleyball. Each club is an independent business whose business arrangements are outside of the Arizona Region. Financial issues between a player and club are to be handled as any other business arrangement - in the Courts. The Arizona Region cannot legally enter into this business arrangement. The Arizona Region does have some regulation as to what clubs can do but not in regards to their business operations with their players.
Please do your homework before committing to a club.
Know the Rules
Summary
No matter if a club has been around for 20 years or just 2 years...no matter if they have 20 teams or just one, there are quality clubs throughout the Region and they all have something to offer. You need to take the time to investigate several clubs to find the right club for your son/daughter.
Discount the badmouthing of one club by another. If one club has to badmouth another club to convince you to join their club, what does that tell you about that club? Is that the type of people that you want to deal with all season?
Beware of clubs promising starting positions, college scholarships or other flattering come-on's. All players in the 12's & 14's should be developed in all positions and not concerned with scholarships. Find out if the club will develop your son/daughter to their potential no matter what their place on the team. Some offers of camp scholarships or other financial arrangements can be a violation of the NCAA or AIA Paid Athlete Policies and would jeopardize your child's status for school or collegiate play.