ABOUT PURE ENERGY VOLLEYBALL

TRYOUTS AND TEAM SELECTIONS

PureEnergy Volleyball has teams comprised of members that range from a beginner learning the game to an athletes focused on achieving the dream of playing at the D1 level in college. Tryouts are for all levels of athletes.  Athletes are evaluated for skill execution, as well as athletic capabilities and potential.  We select athletes for teams based on the following non-prioritized criteria: athletic ability for volleyball, athletic potential, work ethic, drive, willingness to be coached, competitive attitude, and skill ability.

All athletes are evaluated yearly and must attend tryouts in order to be considered for a team.  Even if an athlete has played on a team the previous season, she/he will not be automatically selected for next year.  If an athlete has a limiting physical or medical condition, she/he should talk with the Staff or Head Coach prior to the start of the tryout period.

***You will need to register with PureEnergy Volleyball AND AAU prior attending tryouts.   Please see the “Tryout” tab (available seasonally) on our website for a complete description of the necessary steps that need to be taken before trying out.

TEAM PRACTICES

• Practice facility locations for each team can be found on our website.  See "Practice Locations" under the "Info" tab on our website.
• The practice schedule can differ due to school gym conflicts and team schedules.  Coaches & Directors will communicate with teams through SportsEngine all practices in the calendar tab in SportsEngine. ALWAYS check the chat tab as well as calendar before going to practice in case of any last-minute changes. Confirming attendance through SportsEngine on the calendar is MANDATORY for practice participation.
• All regular season team practices will conclude by May 15th 2023.  All teams that commit to attend the Junior Olympic National Championships the AAU National Championships or qualify for the USAV National Championships will have the opportunity to practice through June. Updated practice schedules for those teams (May/June) will be communicated through team meetings and SportsEngine.  Players on a team participating in Junior Olympics or AAU Championships are expected to attend all of the pre-tournament practices.    

PRACTICE POLICIES

Practice will begin at the scheduled time.  Players should take care of putting on shoes, knee pads, ankle braces, taping, etc before the start time of practice.  If you are going to be late to practice, the athlete should contact the coach, through SportsEngine, directly with an approximate arrival time.

Athletes are required to confirm attendance status at least 48hrs prior to scheduled practice through SportsEngine Calender. Injured athletes who can attend school are expected to come to practice.  Even if you can not participate physically, there is a lot that can be learned though observing and listening to the coach.

THE MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE

Many players in the club are multi-sport athletes who compete in two or more sports at one time.  Conflicts are to be worked out well in advance with your coaches.  However, for our Travel teams, we expect PureEnergy Volleyball to be your first priority for all non-school related activities.

We DO NOT discourage any athletes from participating in another sport during our season; however, it is important to be aware of the physical demands and the time commitments required of these athletes.  Safe participation is a primary concern. Many athletes on teams play another sport and cross training can provide a strong competitive advantage for many reasons, however, each athlete needs to be aware of her/his own limitations in order to stay strong and injury free.   

UNIFORMS

All athletes are required to purchase specific PureEnergy Volleyball uniform gear and equipment.  The type of team you are on will determine the requirements.  Required uniform packages and their prices will be made available to each team.

If, during the course of the season, any piece of an athlete’s uniform or equipment becomes lost or damaged, it must be replaced.   

Requirements may change from year to year based on supplier availability.  There is no guarantee that a uniform piece will remain an approved garment for your entire PureEnergy Volleyball career or that an athlete's number may conflict the following season, resulting in the need to purchase new jerseys.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Club Fees can be found on our website under Club Season tab.

Travel fees are additional fees paid by all athletes to cover the expenses of traveling.  Fees will include:

• Hotel expenses 
• Ground transportation to and from the hotel including gas, insurance, tolls and parking.
• Coach’s expenses (hotel, airfare, food)
• All athletes are required to pay their portion of the travel expenses for each tournament.

Uniform fees are charged separately from club fees and travel fees.  The uniform requirements for each team differs.  Refer to the Uniforms Section of this manual.  

Athletes accounts must be paid in order to participate in team practices and tournaments.  This includes accounts from the previous season. 

REFUND POLICY

Due to the fact that our teams are kept small and the cost of the team must be met, there will be no refunds given. The only exception will be in the case of extreme injury that would prevent players from playing for the remainder of the season.

TOURNAMENTS AND TRAVEL

Participation

Players are expected to attend all scheduled tournaments.  Scheduling conflicts should be brought to the attention of the coach at the beginning of the year.  Conflicts may result in the athlete’s court time being affected as the team prepares during practices leading up to an event.  Missed events do not constitute a reimbursement of the participant’s fees.

Local Tournaments

Teams will participate in the Local tournaments.  This will help teams gain experience and fosters team/club unity.  These tournaments will take place on either Saturday and/or Sunday and will not require any missed days of school. 

Travel Tournaments

Travel tournaments are usually 2 or 3 day tournaments that require teams to stay overnight out of town.  These tournaments will help teams gain national level experience, seeding and exposes athletes to collegiate coaches. 

For "Elite" teams, the purpose of these tournaments is to qualify for the USA Volleyball Junior Olympics.  Therefore, most scheduled travel events will be a “qualifying event.”  Many regular season travel tournaments are 3 days and may result in missed school days.  These events are often scheduled on holidays to minimize missed days of school.  Athletes are expected to report to their team the night before competition and notify their schools and teachers per individual school policy.  

Post season travel tournaments (Nationals or AAU Championships), are typically 4-6 days long and take place in early summer.  Athletes must plan to attend the summer practices and tournaments.

Team Officiating

Officiating is the shared responsibility of the entire team.  All athletes are required to help with line judging, score keeping, libero tracking, score flipping, and R1/R2 officiating.  An athlete who has an officiating assignment may not leave a tournament before the assignment is completed.  Coaches will provide further information regarding scorekeeper and officiating online clinics.   Completing the scoring/officiating is the responsibility of the player, including official evaluations and mailing in completed paperwork to the region as stated on their website.

Tournament Policies

• No food, drinks (other than water), glass containers, or chewing gum is allowed in any gym at any time.  Team food and drinks can be kept in the lobby or outside the playing venue.
• Playing time for athletes is determined by the performance of the athlete during practices and previous matches, and is left to the discretion of the coach.
• Proper demeanor is expected of all members of the Club (athletes, parents, and supporters); this includes treating members of the officiating crew with respect.
• Only PureEnergy Volleyball uniform pieces may be worn during tournaments.
• All uniform pieces must be brought to tournaments.  Uniforms must be clean.
• Athlete may not leave tournament site until excused by the coach.
• Be respectful of referees and work teams.  
• Do not address playing time issues at tournaments.  This should be done through contacting the coach/director at a later time to set up a meeting.

Travel Policies

Violation of any travel policy may result in the athlete being sent home immediately at the expense of the parent/guardian.  Further action by the club will follow.

• Athletes will be courteous and respectful of all staff members.  This includes all coaches, chaperones, and adults officially traveling with the team.
• Athletes must report any illness or injury to the coach and chaperone immediately.
• An athlete who damages any property at a lodging or playing facility will be personally responsible for damages.
• Athletes must dress appropriately at all times.
• Athletes found in possession of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs will be sent home immediately at the expense of the parent/guardian.  Further action by the club will follow. 

Travel Arrangements 

Due to COVID-19, all travel arrangements and accommodations for the 2022/23 season will be the responsibility of the parents. The club will only book hotel rooms for coaching staff.

Stay to Play tournament require that you must book hotels through the link provided by the tournament or your coach.  Teams that fail to meet the Stay to Play requirements will not be permitted to participate in the tournament.

• Player's travel to and from the tournament is the responsibility of the parent or guardian.  
• Player and family are entirely responsible for player’s welfare in travel process.
• Player and family are responsible for transporting player to & from the airport to hotel.  
• As determined by coach, all players are to arrive at the hotel on time for the team meetings.

KNOW THE RULES

Each year, coaches and players take online classes. Parents are encouraged to watch the online videos with their athlete.  Knowing the rules will allow you to enjoy the many hours you spend watching this game much more.  Nothing is more frustrating than listening to the irate parent scream at the official over a call THEY knew nothing about!  You may want to acquire an Official FIVB Volleyball Rules, presented by USA Volleyball at https://usavolleyball.org/resources-for-officials/rulebooks-and-interpretations/ 

MINOR ATHLETE ABUSE PREVENTION POLICIES (MAAP)

PureEnergy stresses the importance of providing athletes with an environment free from sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. We closely follow the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP). For more information, please visit the MAAP tab here. 

COVID-19 RESPONSE

PureEnergy Volleyball will follow the mask, safety, and vaccination mandates set by the local government, CDC and USA Volleyball.  This policy(s) may change mid session and a refund will not be issued due to these changes

PARENTS CODE OF CONDUCT

The influence that a parent has on their child’s introduction and progression in the sport of volleyball is often misunderstood or underestimated. Your contribution to your athlete is valued by PureEnergy Volleyball

• Remember that where we practice and play is like your child’s classroom, respect the classroom.
• Make only positive encouraging comments to or about ALL players.
•  mistakes are part of the learning process – don’t criticize.
• Discuss concerns away from the players and away from your child. 
• Show respect for the officials, coaching staff, parents, and players.
• Develop an interest in your child’s sport.  Learn the rules. 
• Don’t coach, parent. Leave the volleyball coaching to the volleyball coach.
• Get your child to games and practices on time.
• Don’t encourage or allow your child to talk negatively about a teammate, a coach or an official.
• Don’t proliferate your child’s negative behavior when they are discouraged. Help them with the positive.
• Parents can be issued a Purple Card for disruptive behavior by the Referee.  This card may lead to a sanction fee by the region. The parent receiving the card will be responsible for the fee as well as further disciplinary action from the club up to and including expulsion.

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

Knowing when and how to communicate with your athlete’s coach is a concern for almost every parent at some time during the season. 

Athletes should be encouraged to talk to the coach when a problem arises (i.e. regarding playing time, position or unclear expectations in practice or competition). The appropriate manner for the athlete to approach the coach is to ask what she or he, the athlete, needs to do in order to receive more opportunities to play or to accomplish a goal.  Parents can best help their athlete by guiding them through this process and supporting communication with the coach.  Athletes should be the one to approach a coach regarding “coaching decisions”, not the parents.  Coaching decisions include, among other things: practice organization, playing time, positions, substitutions, etc….

The amount an athlete is on the court is the result of a complex determination, in that coach’s opinion, of the athlete’s ability, the athlete’s potential, the team’s needs at the moment, and the team’s needs in the future.  The coach will not be required to defend his/her thought process or conclusions in these determinations. It should be expected, however, that the coach be able to relay information to the athlete to explain the athlete’s current role on the team and what the athlete needs to improve upon to resolve the concern.

The athlete and parents SHOULD:

1. Approach the coach 24 hours after the incident to ask for a meeting time to be set. (Consider emailing the coach to set a meeting time)
2.  Meetings should be at a location other than a tournament.
3.  The initial meeting should be between the coaches of the team and the player.
4. If the issue is unresolved, the parent may ask for a meeting with the club director, the head coach, and the athlete. The meeting should take place at a location considered adequate for private discussion, agreed upon by the parent, coach, and director and during a scheduled time away from practice or tournament. The decision of the club director at this point is FINAL.

The parent or athlete SHOULD NOT:

1. Confront a coach during a practice or during tournaments.
2. Expect meetings to be set during practice or tournament participation.
3. Attempt to “compare” or evaluate another athlete.
4. Use profanity towards the coach.
5. Harass or threaten the coach.
6. Discuss their concerns with any other parents or players until a resolution has been reached with the coach.
7. Approach a coach at a tournament about any issue.  

It is essential that our parents serve as a support system for our club, players and coaches. To ask this, we, as the club director, staff, and coaches need to be available to empower parents and athletes with information and ensure understanding. When all parties share time together, the potential conflict creates a greater opportunity to learn from each other different strategies in how all parties can communicate effectively and be more congruent in cultivating a positive experience for our athletes.

GENERAL BEHAVIOR POLICY

PureEnergy Volleyball will not tolerate hostile, aggressive confrontations by a parent towards an official, director, coach, an athlete, or another parent.  Violation of this policy may result in the athlete being dismissed from the club.  In such cases, no refunds will be issued.

It is inappropriate for an athlete or a parent to involve other PureEnergy Volleyball members (third parties) about a problem the athlete or parent is having with a PureEnergy coach, objections to coaching decisions, or disagreements with an administrative decision.

Any member who, as a third party, hears remarks or stories being told about PureEnergy Volleyball, its employees or its policies, that cause the member to be concerned is encouraged to contact the Directors immediately to determine the facts of the situation.

CLUB RELEASE POLICY

Please see the Club Release Policy tab here.