Handbook

EXCESS VOLLEYBALL CLUB HISTORY

Our club’s previous name was the Rockford/Forreston Volleyball Club. We changed the name in 2008 so that we didn’t single out one school. We are still a satellite club of the Rockford Volleyball Association.

In general club volleyball is an opportunity for athletes to extend their high school volleyball season, play at a higher level, make new friends, and learn new techniques on an organized level.

Rick Manus started the Excess (Rockford/Forreston) club in 2004. His main objective was to have a volleyball club for the multi-sport athlete.  The first year we had 5 teams. In 2008, we grew to 12 teams. Rick also believes in trying to have club for all levels, not just the elite teams. The ages range from 12 to 18 years of age. This year, we have added a 10 week session for 10-12yr olds including 10yr old boys.

In 2007 The 18’s team from Rockford/Forreston played at the Crossroads National Qualifier in Denver Colorado. They then played at the Great Lakes Regional and qualified to play in the USA Junior Olympic Volleyball Championship in Dallas Texas.

All coaches of the Rockford Volleyball Asscociation are certified coaches with a minimum of Impact Coaching training. All coaches are also expected to complete a specially designed coaching course  to assure the highest level of training for all athletes.                                                                      

DUES AND METHODS OF PAYMENT

Once a player is accepted to the club and signs a contract along with their parent or guardian, parents are responsible for full payment of all club dues and fees for the entire season. Accepting a spot with the club means acceptance of that financial responsibility to the club also.

If a team stays overnight at any tournament, players must room with their parents, or parents must arrange for another adult to chaperone their child by rooming with them. all travel, food and lodging are the responsibility  of the individual and are not covered by club fees/dues.

Club fees will be paid in three installments due on the first practice of the months of November, December, January.

** Failure to pay installments on time could result in non-participation by the athlete. If you need an alternate pay schedule, please contact Rick Manus, Excess Volleyball Club Director. The athlete will not participate in practices or tournaments until dues are paid up to date.

PRACTICES

All Sunday practices will be played at the Pecatonica High School. Travel teams will also practice on Wednesday nights. All athletes will have the opportunity to learn basic techniques for passing, setting, attacking, overhand serving, blocking, and digging skills. Basic movement and footwork patterns will also be emphasized. As players move up in age divisions, strategies will expand and the athletes will learn more advanced offensive and defensive techniques.

Absences from practice must be excused ahead of time. The player or parent must inform the coach if a practice must be missed. In case of injury, Players are encouraged to continue to attend practices so, when once again able to participate, the player won’t be so far behind her team. Practices will be approximately 2 hours. (1/2 hour will be a shared court.)

TEAM PARENT

Each team needs a parent or two to volunteer to be a team parent. Team parents have a few responsibilities to help out the coach and their child’s team-

• Help with organizing a phone tree for emergency situations.


• Help out at picture day.


• Distribute handouts about travel info. E.g. hotels, tournament locations, travel information


• Assist coach as needed and/or directed.


• Help with getting fund raisers together for distributing.


• Help with organizing year end parties.


• If you are interested in helping out as a team parent, please complete the form and turn it into Rick Manus, Club Director.

PARENT RESPONSIBILITY

Being part of a club is a big responsibility not only for the athlete, but for the parents as well. Parents are expected to pay dues and make sure the athlete is at all practices and tournaments on time. Car-pooling with teammates may be helpful, but ultimately the parent is responsible for the athlete’s transportation. Occasionally a question or concern arises regarding policies. Please bring personal concerns to the Club Director. As parents, you are role models for your children. Good sportsmanship should always be the number one priority. All players are expected to stay at tournaments until the team’s responsibilities have been fulfilled. This includes officiating responsibilities. Any player leaving without consent of her coach will be sanctioned by reduced playing time during the next tournament.

PLAYING TIME

It is the decision of the coaches, with possible input from the club director, who earns a spot in the starting line-up on the team and how they develop each player into becoming an integral part of the team. Parents are not allowed to question these types of decisions. If a parent chooses to ignore this policy, his/her child may be suspended from participation in tournaments or practices as per coach’s/club director’s discretion. Parents are  asked to encourage their daughter to talk to the coach about concerns about playing time, skill progress, etc.

Concerns by parents beyond those handled by the player and coach should be brought to the coach preferably by phone, e-mail  and always away from the practice or tournament site. A conference can be arranged if necessary. If satisfaction is not obtained after discussion or meeting with the coach, parents should contact the club director who will decide if further action needs to be taken.

SCHOOL SPORT AHTLETES

Athletes who participate in school sports or other activities and also wish to play club volleyball have an added challenge of balancing these activities. It requires a special person to be organized and committed to these activities, but it can be done. Coaches expect that the athlete be honest and open about school sport/activity conflicts so the coaches can plan accordingly. A coach may be able to handle missing one or two athletes during a winter or spring sport season for some tournaments and practices, but will have to be informed of the conflicts at tryout time so she /he can plan to have a “balanced” team.  Multi-sport athletes need to give the coach their school sport schedules as soon as possible.

TEAM SELECTION

Coaches on the selection committee will make every effort to thoroughly and fairly evaluate players at tryouts. This is usually a very difficult decision-making time. Athletes should make every effort to attend the first tryout scheduled. Within 5 days from the tryout, the selections will be posted on the website.  The athlete and her parents will then have time to decide up until the Parent Meeting/practice to accept the placement with the club. At that time the first installment of dues will need to be paid. Uniform orders and registrations are usually processed by the weekend following the parent meeting. Actual team assignments will not be determined until after two weeks of practice, allowing the coaches to better see overall skills of each team member.  

BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS

In the event that the weather conditions call for cancellation of practice, we will have a call tree starting with the coaches for each team. They will in turn call the first person on the call tree. These trees will be made by the coaches and parents once the teams get finalized.  We also will send an email to all coaches and athletes. Please make sure that we get your email address. If the Indoor Sports Center cancels a tournament, that will be posted at the following number 1-815-654-7452.

OVERNIGHT TOURNAMENTS

Excess Volleyball Clubs travel teams may have several overnight tournaments. A parent representative will probably be available to call and set aside a block of rooms at the hotel at which the coaches will stay. It may be up to the parents to call and confirm their own rooms. Players are expected to stay with their parents or parents must make arrangements for their daughter’s accommodations and chaperone. Coaches will set curfew times, team meetings, team meal times, and site directions and schedules.

The following actions may result in the athlete being sent home immediately from the travel tournaments and may include possible removal from the club and the United States Volleyball Association:

• Alcohol, drug, or tobacco abuse.


• Curfew violations.


• Members of opposite gender in rooms.


• Foul language and fighting Vandalism


• Unlawful conduct such as shoplifting, disorderly conduct, or reckless driving


• Leaving the hotel without consent of the coach or chaperone.

FUNDRAISING

The club will sponsor several programs to help parents and athletes defray some of the cost of dues and fees. Selling cookie dough, popcorn and candles are the popular projects that the club usually conducts to help raise funds for club fees or clothing.