After reading through the below Frequently Asked Questions, if you still have a question, please reach out to our Tryout Player Advocate Jodi Bunks @ Heatvbcjodi@gmail.com or text her at 920-931-5911.

What is Club volleyball?

Club volleyball is a highly organized national program for junior boys and girls. The local governing body in Wisconsin is the Badger Region Volleyball Association.  They work with the national governing body; USA Volleyball/United State Olympic Committee.  USA Volleyball establishes the rules, sanctions events, and makes certain that every club and player meets the requirements for fair and safe competition. 

 http://badgervolleyball.org/

 http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Volleyball

When does the club season start and end?

Badger Region Volleyball sets the dates for tryouts that all clubs must honor. Tryouts are usually conducted the first weekend in October for 14 and under and the second weekend of November for 15 and up.  Practices will run from November until the last tournament of the season. (typically the end of March) Tournament play starts in late December/early January and runs through the end of March/beginning of April.  The cost per player is determined by the number of tournaments each team participates in, coupled with facility rental, equipment, apparel, coaches fees, and overall club expenditures.  Teams can participate in as many tournaments as they choose.  The standard is 9 days of scrimmage/tournaments. If the team agrees and is willing to pay the additional cost, they are able to sign up for more.   Once in a while, a Tournament Director will reach out and offer free tournaments.  This means the entry fee is waived but parents would still need to split the cost of the Coaches fees and travel stipend for the day. 

How many teams will Heat have during the 2023-2024 season?

This season Heat will support:

Girls - 1 - 11u team - 2 - 12u team, 2-13u teams, 2-14u teams, 3 - 15u team and 2-16u teams, 2 - 17u teams, and 1 18u team. 

Boys - 1 13/14 U Team

Is there guaranteed playing time in club volleyball?

Playing time is earned and there are no guarantees in regards to time on the court during the tournaments. HEAT Volleyball Club provides every parent with our Playing Time Policy in our Club Handbook so that there are no surprises to anyone.

My son/daughter wants to play volleyball for her/his school; is club a requirement?

No. However, it is important to note that most High School players in our area do play club volleyball. If your Middle School and High School have a mature volleyball program, you can be assured that most of the players on the roster will be club players. In fact, many of the HS coaches also coach at the club level, so the two programs are connected very closely.

What is the time commitment for a club player and parent?

HEAT Volleyball Club practices are twice per week, 2 hours each.  Please look at each team page to confirm practice days/times and locations.

Each team will attend one 2 day tournament, 6 single-day tournaments, and a formal scrimmage per season. During single-day tournaments, you can expect to spend about eight to nine hours in the gym on a Saturday or Sunday. Tournaments typically run from 8 AM to 5 PM on both Saturday and Sunday. (you could be done as early as 3 p.m. depending on the flow of the day)  Players may be requested by their coach to arrive between 7 a.m. - 8 a.m. depending upon 1st game scheduled start time.  

Does club volleyball require us to travel?

Yes, you will have to travel within Wisconsin.  HEAT Volleyball Club typically will schedule 1 overnight tournament for each team each season.  The hotel, food, and gas expenses are at an additional cost to the family.  Heat does its best to keep travel within a 2-hour radius of the Fox Valley area. 

What is the financial expense of participating in club volleyball?

*Fees are set by each club and can vary widely by age division and club goal. Heat Volleyball Club fees for the 2023-2024 season will range from $1075 - $1175 for the season depending on the age. Players will be available to participate in fundraising to help offset the cost but it is not required.  Nearly all the fundraiser monies earned by the player will go directly to their own membership fee. 

What is all included in my fees?

Your fees will include: 2 Jerseys, a brand new volleyball at their first practice (theirs to keep!), tryout t-shirt, facility rental fees, tournament team participation fees, Badger Region team dues, a winter party and end-of-season celebrations, approximately 22 weeks of practices 2 times per week, 3 skills specific clinics offered throughout the season, passionate coach/mentor and many amazing team memories created this season.  In addition, 8 tournament days and 1 scrimmage day for teams.

What other expenses can I anticipate this season? There may be some team bonding events that require players to chip in based on what the team decides to do. Families will have to purchase appropriate spandex, team socks, knee pads, and shoes.  It is important to note that your family's travel expenses (hotel, food, gas, etc)  are not included in the club fees. You should fully understand the tournament schedule and club travel philosophy in order to estimate the actual expenses that you may incur.

Is there a way to reduce our club fees?

Yes. HEAT Volleyball offers fundraising opportunities every season which can reduce the out-of-pocket expenses by several hundred dollars if you put forth the effort.  More will be shared during our team meetings post-offer acceptance in October and November.  

Where are the club volleyball practices and tournaments held?

We are excited to share that 90% of practices for HEAT Volleyball Club will be held at the Community First Champion Center.  Additional court space has been rented at Ogden YMCA in Neenah, Boys and Girls Club Appleton, and Appleton downtown YMCA.  Each team's specific practice times will be updated on each individual team page by mid-September. Tournament dates and locations are not available prior to tryouts due to Badger Region registration policy for tournaments which does not start until the end of November.  If your player already has a pre-planned vacation between January - March, please give that information to their Heat Coach post-offer acceptance. 

Is club volleyball that much different than a school or recreation program?

Yes! Established club teams typically compete at a much higher level. Many Middle School and High School coaches also spend time coaching at the club level, so they are very aware of who plays club, where they play, how long they have played, and their skill levels.

Do parents get to participate in the fun too?

Absolutely! Each team will have a very involved group of parents who will take on some of the organizational duties. Each team will have a Team Parent (s).  The team parent will help the coach with administration duties, and take pictures that will be posted to team pages and social media.  Our goal is to offload the administrative duties of the coaching staff and allow them to coach while building strong parent friendships with seamless communications. HEAT Volleyball Club also provides each parent with a conduct policy that clearly explains the do’s and don’ts and how to handle any concerns that may arise.  This is clearly published in our parent and player contracts each year. 

Where can I get more information on club volleyball in Wisconsin?

Badger Region Volleyball Association (www.badgervolleyball.org)  is your volleyball encyclopedia for our area. You will need to select the Indoor - Junior link to find the most up-to-date information for club programs in our area. We encourage you to continue to view the HEAT Volleyball Club website (www.heatvbc.com)  for up-to-date information on our club program and event schedules.

Still wondering if HEAT Volleyball Club is for your child?  Join our informational parent meeting on September 17th or September 24th from 4-5 pm at the Community First Champion Center.

Sincerely,

Heat Coaching Staff & Heat Board Members