2011 Clinic and Tryouts: Introduction to Parents

1. 2011 Clinic and Tryouts:Introduction to Parents November 13, 2011 and November 20, 2011 24th Year!

2. Who Are We? • DIGS is an athletic club dedicated to the development of the female student athlete • DIGS is a not-for-profit organization established in 1987 • We are a parent run organization • We are a member of the GEVA (Garden Empire Volleyball Association) region for USA Volleyball • Our season runs from early December to the end of May

3. Philosophy Our goal is NOT to build "winning teams“ per se; the focus is on building well-rounded, well-trained players who subsequently come together into smart, dynamic teams that compete successfully on a regional and national level Teach and Drill Fundamentals Physical and Mental Preparation Tournament Play Team Dynamics

4. Technical Staff Technical Director Scott Mosė Head Coaches 18 Red Kevin Lo 17 Red Bill Lee 17 White Alicia Rivers 16 Red Warren Tom 16 White James Foo 15 Red Steve Corn 15 White Patrick Cordano 14 Red Cathy Gould 14 White Meghan Stevens 13 Red Catherine Gould 13 White Rob Pichardo Position Training Coaches Setters TBD Middles TBD Hitters TBD Liberos TBD DIGS Board President Bill Lee 1st Vice President Susan Jaskot 2nd Vice President Adriane McCullagh Treasurer Ed Grix Secretary Julie Sprague Operating Structure Off The Court On The Court Trustees Bill Lee Kathy Kurtzke Bob Garrett Operations Facilities: Glen DeMarrais Business Administrator: Marcie Waldeck Athletes Parents

5. Program Philosophy What You Can Expect from DIGS • Improvement through structured training, fundamental skill development, and live competition • The values of teamwork, sportsmanship, leadership, time management, commitment, and hard work • Equal training time for all team members • Enjoyment of volleyball through fun times and challenging competition What DIGS Expects from our Parents/Guardians • Commitment • Flexibility • Parent volunteerism: committees / chaperones / team reps • Payment of dues on time • An open mind • A positive attitude and influence • Having FUN Tournament Playing Time • Tournament playing time is based on ability, enthusiasm and drive, team needs and position requirements, and demonstrated commitment, including attendance at practices • These decisions are the sole discretion of our coaching staff

6. Results of On-Line Parent Survey • 52% of the families participated in the survey. Highlights of our sixth annual Parent survey are as follows: • Overall, 90% of the parents rated their daughter’s DIGS experience as “very satisfactory” (65%) or “somewhat satisfactory” (25%). • 80% said DIGS was “absolutely” (44%) or “to a great extent” (36%) a good monetary value. • Team fees include the following items: all tournament costs, travel costs for hotel, team uniforms • Team fees for the 2012 Season will not be increased • 72% of the parents said they were “very satisfied” (30%) or “somewhat satisfied” (42%) with the club’s facilities • DIGS has secured a new facility as a backup facility • 86% said they were “very satisfied” (58%) or “somewhat satisfied” (28%) with the DIGS training program. • Additional Positional Training sessions are planned during the club season

7. Results of On-Line Parent Survey • 93% of the parents said they were “very satisfied” (65%) or “somewhat satisfied” (28%) with the club’s administration. • 86% of the parents said they were “very satisfied” (62%) or “somewhat satisfied” (24%) with the club’s communications. • Swift911 Emergency Notification system • 82% of the responses indicated that their daughters would definitely by trying out for DIGS this year. This is up from last years 70% of responses. • 85% of the parents stated that they would like their daughter to attend the same number or more tournaments in the coming year.

8. Philosophy In order to teach, train and develop essential fundamentals, we will conduct specific training for the critical positions on the court. This will allow athletes to learn the important mechanical and tactical responsibilities of their required positions. Volleyball is best learned visually. Our younger athletes will be able to watch and model the actions and movements of our older athletes. This will ensure we have a consistent method of communication and feedback for our athletes as they grow through the club. We are fortunate to attract former collegiate athletes to run these focused sessions at the beginning of the season. Position Training • Positions • Setters • Middle Hitters • Outside Hitters • Right Side Hitters • Libero • What Will We Cover? • Technique/Mechanics • Key Words and Coaching Points • Timing, Reads • Defensive Responsibilities • Offensive Responsibilities

9. Team Selection General Guidelines for Team Selection Our selection process involves an athletic assessment based on the results of generally established testing methods. We also factor in athletic ability, skill demonstration, position and court presence during the clinic/tryout period. In general, athletes are placed on a team where their athletic level allows them to learn, contribute, and compete without feeling overwhelmed or out of synch with other players, or unable to participate fully in drills or tournaments. It is common to have some player movement between teams during the beginning of the season to provide the best player fit. These decisions are the sole responsibility of the technical director as he deems appropriate for the player, team, and club. Team selection is not a perfect science; however, we use our >30 years of experience as a guide and have found that the resultant decisions are almost always for the best, for the player and the team.

10. General Guidelines for Team selection The Red Team Players with the highest clinic athletic test scores Players rated highest for a given position (setter, attacker, defender) Previous varsity school team and / or substantial club experience The White Team Players who tested below the highest on the clinic athletic test Players with school team (middle school, freshman, JV) and / or some club volleyball experience Team Selection

11. Dues and Fees What’s Included • All registration fees • Jerseys, spandex pants and socks • Two weekly training sessions • VB rules training and certification • Scheduled monthly tournaments (numbers vary by age group) • Position specific training Dues for the 2012 Season did not increase from last year. What’s not Included • Gear: sneakers, knee pads, etc. • Warm-up and travel bag • Ages 15-17 mandatory - $150 (approx.) • Meals for tournaments • Travel for tournaments - airfare or gas • Fan gear! • Annual Gala - $50 (approx.) per family member • Players “ticket” is included in dues Dues to not cover the Penn State Tournament for the 13’s, 14’s and 18’s

12. Training Schedule Tentative Position Specific Training: December-February TBD Practice days and times will change slightly through the season. Saturday practices will be determined by coach and gym availability. The coaches are NOT paid for extra practices.

13. Tournament Schedule Not Finalized

14. GEVA TOURNAMENT CHANGES • GEVA is only hosting two tournaments per level but you need to attend a minimum of 3 tournaments to play in the Regional Tournament. • Clubs are being asked to host tournaments. • These tournaments are not yet scheduled so we need to maintain flexibility in scheduling of all teams.

15. This Week’s Clinic Schedule Nov. 13-16th Nov. 20st – 22nd Schedule information is posted to our Club Calendar at www.DIGSVolleyball.com

16. What’s Next • Complete athletic evaluation & Begin clinic training • Team invitations will be sent via e-mail and posted by number on website • 13U, 14U and 15U on 11/16 and 16U, 17U and 18U on 11/22 • Acceptances are due within 72 hours by "replying" directly to the email invitation with an "accept" or "decline ". • The process will be as follows: • Selected players will receive email invitations to a specific team and their corresponding numbers will be posted on the website • If a player turns down the invitation, the first player on the wait list based on the needs of the team and the tryout results is called • The website will be updated with the new players’ number (replacing the one that turned it down) • When a team is full with all players having accepted their invitations, the website will be updated to indicate that the team is full. • We will not be calling anyone else on the wait list for that team.  • An email will be sent to everyone not selected or called from the wait list when the rosters for the group of teams is full. • Team registration completed via online payment • First installment of 33 1/3rd % due at time of acceptance • Remaining payment schedule (1/3rd increments): 1/1, 2/1

17. What’s Next Continued • Season begins: • Solomon Schecter: begin Monday, Nov. 28th or Tuesday, Nov. 29th • Wyckoff YMCA: begin Wednesday, Nov. 30th • Position Training tentative schedule: TBD • Holiday break in late December • Mandatory parent meeting: • Solomon Schecter: Monday, Nov. 28th or Tuesday, Nov. 29th • YMCA: Wednesday, Nov. 30th • Club commitment contracts to be signed • Uniform and warm-up orders taken

18. Questions?

19. Why should I play if I don’t make the Red team? Choosing a team shouldn’t be based on whether it’s viewed to be the “best” team in the club. Instead, a smart decision takes into consideration the quality of the team, its coaching, your role, and the program in general. Our approach can best be described as “no second teams.” This doesn’t only mean we name our teams with words and colors rather than numbers. It means the approach to every team is the same. We expect a high degree of commitment from every player and coach on every team. borrowed from Calif Golden Bears