Club Volleyball . . . Is it Worth the Expense?

Club Volleyball . . . Is it Worth the Expense?

Club Volleyball . . . Is it Worth the Expense?

　

By: Krystal W. Abbott

What is club volleyball? There are thousands of volleyball clubs country wide. They are programs which allow your volleyball middle schooler or teenager to play volleyball during the winter, spring and/or summer months. Volleyball season is in the fall so the clubs allows volleyball lovers to play during the off season. Certainly, if you want to use the volleyball clubs for the spring/summer camps they offer or for the local tournament teams your child could be a part of, they are definitely worth the expense. The cost is reasonable (i.e., approximately $150.00 for a period of weeks of camp and approximately $500.00 for participation on a local tournament team). It is when your child wants to participate in state or national volleyball tournaments when you as parents really need to assess the value of club volleyball participation.

State and national volleyball team participation will run you between $2,000.00 and $3,000.00 for one club season (i.e., approximately 10 tournaments) . . . and that is just for the volleyball tuition! That does not include travel, lodging and meal expenses you will incur for these 2 and 3 day out of town tournaments . . . which will run you another $3,000.00 to $6,000.00! So, UNLESS you have unlimited discretionary income and/or you don’t have a problem spending this kind of money for several years, this is my advice to you . . . ASSESS WHETHER OR NOT YOUR CHILD HAS A LEGITIMATE SHOT AT PLAYING COLLEGIATE LEVEL VOLLEYBALL AT A DIVISION I OR DIVISION II UNIVERSITY BEFORE YOU SIGN YOUR CHILD UP TO PLAY ON A STATE OR NATIONAL CLUB VOLLEYBALL TEAM. Division III colleges do not offer athletic scholarships.

That assessment can be made with the assistance of middle school, high school, recreational and club coaches. If the answer is YES, then the investment in club volleyball at the national and state level is definitely worth it. College recruiters make it their business to be present at club volleyball tournaments in search of new talent. That is also the best opportunity for them to do recruiting since their volleyball season with their current college athletes is over. The five figure investment will be well worth the six figure return in the form of an athletic scholarship. Otherwise parents, club volleyball on the national or state level is ill-advised. There are several other less expensive avenues to exhaust which would give your child the volleyball experience without going broke while doing it.