Below are the most frequently asked questions.

General Club FAQS

Q. Where are the practices?
A. We pull players from all 4 counties of Western Massachusetts. We have several practice sites for the convenience of our players. Currently, we practice at Frontier Regional High School - South Deerfield, MA; Elms College - Chicopee, MA; MacDuffie School - Springfield, MA; American International College - Springfield, MA; Whately Elementary School - Whately, MA. We are always adding more sites as they become available. You can find directions to our practice sites on our directions page.

Q. I want to tryout for an Open Team, what if I don't make the team?
A. You will be placed on one of our club teams that is appropriate for your level and age (unless you tell us that you only want to play Open or not at all).

Q. Do I need to pay the NERVA/USAV registration fee?
A. No, it's included in your initial $50 registration fee.

Q. What about bad weather?
A. New England is known for its’ constantly changing weather. In the event of severe weather, practice will be cancelled. Announcements will be posted on our website. You will be asked to provide contact information at the start of the season so you can stay informed of any scheduling changes. Tournaments, however, RARELY get cancelled because of weather!! DO NOT TRAVEL IF YOU DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING TO PRACTICE! JUST NOTIFY YOUR COACH!

Q. What if I can't make a practice because I'm sick, on vacation, etc.
A. Attendance will be taken by the coaches at each practice and tournament for record keeping purposes. It is the SOLE responsibility of the athlete and/or parent to notify the coach regarding an illness, upcoming absence or if the athlete will be late to practice. You are expected to be at every practice/tournament. Remember, your absence not only affects you, but also your team and both of your development. Attendance may, also, play a role in the playing time an athlete receives.

Q. Do I need to attend all tryouts?
A. You should attend all tryouts to help us properly sort out the teams. We know this is not always possible so please be upfront from the beginning so we can choose a course of action.

Q. Can I request to be on a team with some other girls from my town?
A. Yes, we'll normally limit the number of girls on 1 team from any town to 3 (and preferably 2), but we'll try to arrange to put you on teams that practice at the same time/location if there's more than 3. We will pass around a sheet at tryouts/play days to request groupings.

Q. When do I pay? Are there payment plans available?
A. A $50 registration fee is due at the first play day. Your total program fee is due at the first "team" practice. If you'd like a payment plan, no problem. Just ask.

Q. What do I need to bring on the first day?
A. Short answer...visit our forms page and follow the instructions. You MUST have your USA Volleyball medical form and make sure you've registered with NERVA/USA Volleyball online or you won't be able to practice!

Q. What do I need to know about tournaments?
A. Tournaments are an "all day" event. They'll usually start at 9am (so you'll need to arrive by 8:15a) and you'll probably be done between 2p and 5p. Make sure to bring food (if allowed by site) and bring plenty of water to drink. It's important you attend all tournaments and not leave your team short-handed. Not showing up on tournament day without notifying your coach in advance will make you subject to dismissal from the program (with no refund).

Open Team FAQ

Where are the tournaments?
Most of the tournaments are within a 2 hour drive of Springfield, but some may be further. Most teams will have 2 multi-day tournaments that may require an overnight stay. We attempt to have Open teams participate in at least two out of region tournaments. These may include the Great Nor'easter - Albany, NY; Happy Volley Championships - Penn State; AAU Championships - Orlando, FL. Additional tournaments may be entered with the consent of the team.

What expenses are there other than the Pioneer Valley Juniors program dues?
A detailed list of what is covered/not covered is on your divisions Program Options & Info page. Choose Girls/Boys above then Program Options for more information. Generally, travel, meals, hotel expenses, and any extra tournaments the team wishes to enter that are not included in the program fee related to tournaments are not included.

Can I play on a travel team and play other high school sports at the same time?
Absolutely, as long as your high school team doesn't have practices that conflict with our Saturday or Sunday practices. There may be two multi-day tournaments in January which may conflict with winter sports. Softball players, also, tend to run into some conflicts. If you are unable to make the practices or multi-day tournaments, you should play club instead. Your Open teammates will be highly motivated volleyball players that may want to play in college and will expect your club volleyball team to be a very high priority for you.

How about AAU basketball?
It is VERY difficult to play both due to practice and tournament conflicts. If you plan on playing AAU basketball or winter/spring lacrosse, you may want to think about playing club level instead. There have been some instances where the schedules can work out, however missing Open tournaments at the end of our season to play in early season AAU basketball tournaments will not go over well with your teammates or coaches!

What's the attendance policy?
You are expected to attend every tournament and practice. We understand that sometimes life gets in the way of volleyball :) If you are unable to attend any event, we need to know at the beginning of the season so we may take that into account when selecting the teams.

What happens if I have to drop out?
When you agree to join an Open team you are agreeing to pay the entire fee for the season and any payment plan is a convenience. If you have to drop out for medical reasons we will pro-rate your fee. It's important to understand that if you drop out because of any non-medical reason the entire fee is still due. None of the costs of running the team will go down because we have 1 less player and it's nearly impossible to find a replacement player.

If you still have questions please e-mail george@pvjuniors.com