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Register: Registering for Club Unite volleyball is a critical step that all players must take in order to participate. The registration process serves as the gateway into the club's sports management system, which is directly integrated with the national governing body, USA Volleyball. This player profile is used for the tryout process is only accessible to the club directors. Club Directors will pull pertinent information necessary for the tryout evaluators but do not share sensitive information.
Tryout: Consider this term more as an EVALUATION or ASSESSMENT. The goal is to ensure that each athlete is matched with the team that will challenge them appropriately, play to their strengths, and help them continue developing their skills in a supportive, constructive environment. It's a thorough, multi-faceted process that allows the club to assemble rosters where everyone can thrive. The on-court evaluation is the most important however the answers provided on the registration give the directors and evaluators a deeper understanding of the desired goals for the upcoming season.
Early Commitment: Athletes who commit early will receive a $100 deduction on their last installment. If paying in full athletes will deduct $100 from their total payment.
Gear Sizing: Athletes will try on gear items and fill out an athlete gear registration form that will be used to order their athlete gear package.
Last Chance Tryout: A day for any player who missed tryouts to be evaluated. Players who have already tried out do not need to attend Last Chance but may. We will share with the attending player any roster spots that may be open. Last chance tryouts provides a platform for that player to be evaluated for that remaining spot (s).
Roster Release: Rosters will be emailed on the date assigned.
Commitment: Athletes will commit to Club Unite via a Sports Engine invitation (emailed) proclaiming their roster spot.
Q: How do I know if my athlete is ready for club volleyball season?
A: Club Unite staff will be able to thoroughly evaluate the player and provide an informed assessment of her readiness to compete at the next level. They will assess her current fundamental abilities to note what team she would most grow from. Just as importantly, the staff will evaluate the player's mental fortitude, evaluating her composure under pressure, her willingness to learn and improve, and her ability to be a positive, collaborative teammate.
For beginners or younger athletes: Our comprehensive evaluation during the tryout process will give the player and her family a clear, honest assessment of her current capabilities and readiness to take that next step in her volleyball journey.
Q: Do I need to attend all Tryout Dates?
A: It is ideal to be evaluated at as many dates as possible, however athletes will not be required to attend every session if other commitments prevent participation.
14&Under Example: If your volleyball athlete has a middle school game on the same day as tryouts, we expect her to attend her middle school game and understand she can not attend tryouts. Please let us know in an email if that is the case info@clubunitevolleyball.com (don't forget to include her name in the email).
Q: Do all athletes make a team?
A: We recognize that each individual possesses a unique combination of skills, strengths, and areas for growth, and it is our mission to carefully evaluate and identify the team environment where each athlete will truly thrive both individually and as part of a cohesive unit. It's a labor-intensive but essential process, as the proper team placement can make all the difference in an athlete's development and the overall performance of the team. Our priority is to PLACE athletes where they best fit.
Q: What team would I fit, how do I know which level to tryout for?
A: Athletes may select Local, Premier or National for a variety reasons.
Q: I am ready to tryout for a National Team, what should I consider?
A: Trying out for a national team is a significant commitment that requires a deep understanding and full buy-in from both the athlete and their parents/guardians. Parents must be prepared to provide unwavering logistical and emotional support, handling everything from driving their child to and from practices/tournaments to managing the financials of travel expenses. It's not uncommon for national team athletes to have to sacrifice other activities and obligations, from school to social life, in order to meet the extreme time and energy demands. Making this level of commitment is a big decision that shouldn't be taken lightly. Both the athlete and their family need to carefully weigh the pros and cons and make sure they're truly ready and able to dedicate themselves fully to the process before trying out for a spot on the national team.
Q: My athlete is 14 but wants to tryout for a 15&U team, what should I do?
A: We encourage any true 14U to attend the 14&U tryouts specifically if they want to tryout for a premier and/or national team, in addition to attending the 15U tryout. We would like to see them in both age group evals. If a 14U wants to play on a local team at the 15U level, they can forego the 14U tryouts. Any 9th grader who is a true 14U typically wants to play at the 15U level.
Q: Do you have any programs for my 10 or 11 year old?
A: We do offer programming / teams for 10 and 11 year old athletes. We have had as young as age 9 on some of our teams in the past. During evaluations we will assess the athlete to ensure she is ready for a commitment to a full season and would be beneficial for her volleyball journey at her current age.
Q: What is the cost for my athlete to play?
A: Costs for each level will be published prior to commitment
Q: Are payment plans offered?
A: Yes, Club Unite provides installment options for those who prefer not to pay upfront.
Q: What are the methods of payment taken?
A: Club Unite accepts Bill Pay (checks through your bank), Cash, or Credit Card
Q: Is it possible to play another sport and play club volleyball?
A: While volleyball is certainly the focal point of our program, we actively encourage our players to explore other hobbies, pursuits, and extracurricular involvement. We've found that well-rounded individuals who participate in a variety of endeavors - whether that's another sport, a creative outlet, academic clubs, or community service. With that being said, it's crucial that each individual carefully evaluates their existing schedule and responsibilities to ensure they can realistically accommodate the demands of being on the team without compromising other important aspects of their life.
Q: Does Club Unite use HUDL?
A: Club Unite has a partnership with HUDL, parents may choose to purchase a HUDL TEAM platform for the season. This decision is made at the parent meeting. Athletes can use HUDL highlights for their own personal recruiting profiles. Coaches & Athletes can meet together for video review regarding performance.
Q: What is the Club Unite philosophy on practice attendance?
A: When each player embraces their responsibility and sees their practice time as crucial not just for their own development, but for the team to operate at its peak potential, remarkable things can be achieved. Through the combination of building chemistry, improving communication, and developing individual skills, practice time is an indispensable investment in the team's long-term performance and achievement.
Q: When do club practices start?
A: Club Season training will begin the 2nd week of November for all age groups.
Q: When do club practices end?
A: Club Season training will end on the teams last tournament. Typically: local ends around April, premier ends late April early May, National ends May and potentially play post season in June.
Q: How many practices per week will the team have?
A: Teams practice 2x per week. (additionally National teams will have incur extra practices from time to time meaning they may have 3 practices in one week, but this does not occur every week).
Q: Are there any times during the season players will not practice?
A: Club Unite observes the major holidays aligning with the school systems (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, Spring Break, Easter).
Q: Which spring break does Club Unite observe?
A: Knoxville County for the Knoxville teams and Hamblen County for the Lakeway Area teams.
Q: Should athletes speak up about a concern?
A: We strive to empower our athletes and encourage them to take an active role in their own development. As such, we hope that our athletes will feel comfortable reaching out to their coach or director directly, whether they have questions, concerns, or simply want to discuss their progress. By hearing first from the athlete themselves, we can better understand their unique perspectives, goals, and needs. Club Unite recognizes that the lessons learned through a collaborative process are just as vital as the skills developed through individual training, as they prepare athletes to become effective communicators, problem-solvers, and team players in all facets of their lives.
Q: How does Club Unite want a parent/guardian to communicate a frustration?
A: When faced with a frustrating situation, the best approach is to be direct and transparent in communicating with the directors. It's important to have an open and honest dialogue, laying out the specifics of the frustration in a clear, factual manner. By being truthful, you demonstrate a willingness to work collaboratively towards a solution, rather than simply venting or assigning blame. Additionally, providing concrete details and examples helps the directors understand the reality of the situation, beyond just subjective feelings. Too often Club Unite directors do not hear about frustrations until the season is over when nothing can be done to create resolution. In all cases, when a parent/guardian asks to speak with a coach or director the very first question that will be asked is: Is this an issue your athlete can speak about and if yes has your athlete spoken to anyone yet about this?