Regional tournaments

The Carolina Region of USA Volleyball hosts one-day tournaments at different sites around the state. To decrease travel, North Carolina is divided into East and West regions. We are in the East region, which covers the eastern half of the state; the divide is near Greensboro. Some recent statewide totals: 12U age group, 66 teams; 13U, 100 teams; 14U, 140 teams.

About a week before each tournament, the Region posts the pools on its website. For an 8-team tournament, there will be two pools of 4 teams. Twelve-team tournaments are also common, with 3 pools. Each team in a pool plays the other teams once and “works” one or two matches. The work consists of scorekeeping and officiating for matches between other teams. At the end of pool play, the top two teams in each pool advance to the championship round. Usually there are semifinal and championship matches, but sometimes quarterfinals are necessary. By the end of the competition, the two finalists will have played 5 or 6 matches in one day. The structure of playoff rounds is shown at:
http://www.carolinaregionvb.org/admin/modules/page_editor/uploads/file/juniortournaments/2011playoffbrackets.pdf

Warmups for the first match begin by 8:45am, so the players need to arrive at the site by about 8:15 am (or whatever the coach says). This time allows everyone the chance to prepare for pool play. The parents organize a camping area with healthy food and places for the players to relax when they are not playing or working a match. Depending on the tournament site, the camp may include a food table inside or outside the facility. The players get ready and warm up. Once play begins, the players do not have much down time. Parents might want to bring a book or something to do while their athletes are working as scorekeepers, referees, and line judges.

Pool play is usually over by 3pm. The championship round is usually over by 7pm.

The dates for your team’s Regional tournaments are posted on the CHAVC Team Sheet at www.chavc.net. Your coach will provide updates and instructions.

See also the complete Regional schedule at: http://www.carolinaregionvb.org/juniorindoorschedule

Parents are responsible for providing all transportation to/from practices and regional tournaments. The coach will prepare a contact list that can be helpful in forming carpools.

Multi-day tournaments

Most CHAVC teams also attend tournaments that last 2 or 3 days. Each day, your team will compete in either the morning wave (e.g., 9 am to 3 pm) or the afternoon wave (3 pm to 9 pm). Each team competes in a 4-team pool determined by ranking all the teams. This means that at most multi-day tournaments, each team only plays three matches per day (although sometimes a fourth match is necessary). Teams are re-ranked overnight and the playing schedule is released one day at a time. A team may change waves for the next day’s schedule. The schedule is posted on the tournament’s website by late evening, sometimes earlier. NOTE: At multi-day tournaments, the sponsors generally charge fans an admission fee.

The teams arrive at the venue about an hour before their wave begins. Most multi-day tournaments do not allow outside food to be brought into the venue. The teams play their pools on one court, like a regional tournament. The players have limited down time; parents have free time when the players are working other matches.
Most multi-day tournaments are “stay to play”, which means that the tournament requires teams to stay in hotels selected by the tournament. Each team must occupy a certain number of hotel nights to be eligible to play in the tournament. Younger (13 and under) CHAVC players stay with their parents during multi-day tournaments, while older teams stay together and a chaperone provides snacks, organizes meals, and offers other logistical support. According to USAV, stay-to-play has resulted in reduced hotel costs for volleyball teams.

Parents are not required to attend all tournaments, Regional or multi-day. Considerable cost savings can be seen by skipping one or more multi-day tournaments. CHAVC’s coaches will help arrange hotel rooms for players whose parents will not be attending a tournament. Often that involves sharing a room with another player and her mom.

Long tournament days require stamina and energy. One essential element to success is ensuring players eat healthy food throughout the tournament. Another is a good night’s sleep. Encouraging healthy habits helps the team reach its potential. Teams often eat together during the tournament to encourage team bonding.

Most of the information you’ll need regarding out-of-state tournaments will be provided by your head coach. See also the web site for each individual tournament.