Club volleyball tryouts don't have to feel like a mystery. Learn what athletes can expect, what coaches evaluate, how to prepare, and what families should know before tryout day.

Club volleyball tryouts can bring a strange combination of excitement, nerves, anticipation...and approximately 47 questions.

What should my athlete bring? What skills will coaches evaluate? Does she need to be perfect? What happens if she makes a mistake? How are teams selected?

Whether this is your athlete’s first club tryout or she’s been through the process before, knowing what to expect can make the experience feel a whole lot less intimidating.

Here’s what athletes and families should know before walking into the gym.

Before Tryouts

Register Ahead of Time

Most clubs require athletes to register before attending tryouts.

Be sure to review registration requirements, age classifications, tryout times, locations, and any additional information provided by the club.

Volleyball age divisions don’t always line up perfectly with school grades, so double-check your athlete’s appropriate age division before registering.

Arrive Early

Tryout day isn't the day to slide into the parking lot at the last possible second.

Give your athlete enough time to check in, put on shoes and knee pads, fill a water bottle, use the restroom, and get comfortable in the gym before evaluations begin.

Arriving early also gives athletes a chance to settle some of those inevitable pre-tryout nerves.

What Should Athletes Bring?

Keep it simple.

Athletes should generally bring:

• Volleyball shoes
• Knee pads
• Comfortable athletic clothing
• Water bottle
• Hair ties or other personal necessities
• Any required registration information
• A positive attitude and willingness to compete

Leave valuables at home whenever possible and clearly label personal belongings.

But there are a few things that won't fit in the volleyball bag that matter just as much:

Effort. Communication. Coachability. Energy. Competitiveness.

What Happens During a Volleyball Tryout?

Every club runs tryouts a little differently, but athletes can generally expect a combination of individual skill evaluation and game-like situations.

Serving

Coaches may evaluate serving consistency, technique, location, velocity, and an athlete's ability to serve under pressure.

Passing & Serve Receive

Athletes may be evaluated on platform control, movement, communication, consistency, and their ability to read the server and ball.

Setting

For setters, coaches may look at footwork, hand position, location, consistency, decision-making, communication, and the ability to run an offense.

Attacking

Evaluations may include approach mechanics, arm swing, timing, power, shot selection, transition, and an athlete's ability to adjust to different sets.

Blocking

Coaches may evaluate footwork, timing, positioning, hand placement, movement along the net, and an athlete's ability to read the opposing offense.

Defense

Athletes may be evaluated on movement, court positioning, reading hitters, pursuit, communication, and overall effort.

Game Play

This is where coaches get to see how everything comes together.

Small-sided games, competitive drills, six-on-six play, and other game-like situations allow coaches to evaluate how athletes move, communicate, make decisions, respond under pressure, and interact with teammates.

Sometimes, what happens between contacts tells coaches just as much as the contact itself.

Coaches Are Looking at More Than Volleyball Skills

Yes, volleyball skill matters.

But coaches are also evaluating how you play.

Effort

Do you pursue difficult balls or give up when a play looks lost?

Communication

Are you communicating with teammates and contributing to the court?

Coachability

When a coach gives you feedback, what happens on the next repetition?

Body Language

How do you respond after making a mistake?

Competitiveness

Do you still want the ball when the score gets tight?

Teamwork

Do you encourage teammates and contribute positively to the group?

Focus

Are you listening when coaches explain drills?

Attitude

How do you carry yourself throughout the entire tryout?

An athlete doesn't need to be the loudest person in the gym to stand out.

Consistent effort, positive communication, and a willingness to learn can say a lot.

What If I Make a Mistake?

You will.

So will everyone else in the gym.

Tryouts aren't a search for athletes who never make mistakes. Coaches understand athletes are performing in a high-pressure environment, often with unfamiliar teammates and coaches.

What matters is what happens next.

Do you dwell on it?

Does your body language change?

Do you become afraid to take another swing?

Or do you reset, communicate, and compete on the next play?

The ability to recover can tell a coach something a perfect pass never could.

Next ball.

Should I Try to Impress the Coaches?

Yes, but probably not in the way athletes sometimes think.

Trying to crush every ball, attempting a serve you rarely make, or suddenly playing outside your normal game isn't necessarily the best way to stand out.

Instead:

Compete. Communicate. Hustle. Listen. Be yourself.

Show coaches what you can consistently do.

And when you're asked to try something unfamiliar, give it your best effort.

Coaches aren't only evaluating the athlete you are today. They're also considering the athlete you could become.

What About Positions?

Athletes may enter tryouts with a preferred position, but team needs and development can sometimes lead coaches to evaluate them elsewhere.

Especially with younger athletes, versatility can be valuable.

Be open to opportunities.

Instead of walking into the gym thinking:

“I'm only a setter.”

Think:

“I'm a volleyball player. I'll compete wherever I'm needed.”

How Are Teams Selected?

Building a volleyball team isn't simply ranking every athlete from #1 to #12.

Coaches have to construct a complete roster.

That means considering:

• Skill level
• Position
• Athleticism
• Volleyball IQ
• Experience
• Coachability
• Team needs
• Competitive level
• Development potential
• Roster balance

A team needs the right combination of setters, middles, pins, defensive players, and athletes capable of filling multiple roles.

That's why comparing one athlete's placement directly to another athlete's placement rarely tells the whole story.

What Should Parents Do During Tryouts?

This is your athlete's opportunity.

Before tryouts, help her arrive prepared and encourage her to compete.

Afterward, resist the urge to immediately conduct the post-tryout press conference. 😉

Instead of starting with:

“Do you think you made it?”

Try:

“How did you feel?”

“What did you do well?”

“What challenged you?”

“Did you have fun competing?”

Tryouts already carry plenty of pressure.

Parents have an opportunity to be the calm place athletes return to afterward.

What Happens After Tryouts?

Clubs communicate offers and team placement differently, so families should understand the process before tryout day.

Make sure you know:

• How offers will be communicated
• When decisions are expected
• How long athletes have to accept an offer
• What financial commitment accompanies acceptance
• What happens after accepting a roster position

Before committing, families should also understand the expected season schedule, team level, travel requirements, fees, practice commitment, and club policies.

A roster offer is exciting.

It should also be the right fit.

10 Things to Remember on Tryout Day

If we could tape a list to every athlete's water bottle, it would be this:

1. Be early.
2. Communicate.
3. Hustle, even when you think nobody is watching.
4. Listen when coaches speak.
5. Apply feedback.
6. Encourage other athletes.
7. Don't let one mistake become three.
8. Compete.
9. Be yourself.
10. Have fun playing volleyball.

You don't need to walk into the gym and prove you're perfect.

Walk in ready to show coaches who you are as an athlete and teammate.

Ready for Tryouts?

Tryouts are just one step in an athlete's volleyball journey.



At ACE Elite, our goal is to find a competitive and developmental environment where each athlete can be appropriately challenged, supported, and given opportunities to grow.