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Club volleyball in Texas hit an all-time high this summer when Alamo 15s won the state's first national Open title. With some clubs now holding tryouts in August and September, however, high school coaches are worried that club volleyball is encroaching on the high school season. Keith Wilson (back row center), who coached Alamo 15s and also coaches Providence High School, is one of a number of coaches also concerned about the length of the club season and the damage it may be doing to young athletes.

Collision Course

Texas High Schools and Clubs At Odds

By Scott White, Editor of LoneStarVolleyball.com
(Editor’s note: This story originally appeared Monday on PrepVolleyball.com.)
Oct. 7 — It started a little more than a week ago with an e-mail exchange between Todd Porter, head coach at Clear Creek High School, and a few fellow coaches expressing concern and frustration that his players already were participating in club practices barely halfway into the high school season.

Why do clubs need to be practicing months before their first match, he asked? Do coaches have the right to prohibit their players from participating? Should we be concerned about burnout and injuries?

“Am I overreacting?” he asked.

Apparently not. Based on responses to the e-mail as well as interviews conducted over the past week, Porter was sharing a frustration that has been building among high school coaches and some club directors.

All the major clubs in the Houston, San Antonio and Austin areas have completed tryouts and most are conducting training sessions on weekends that club directors say are optional.

The relationship between high school and club volleyball has always been tenuous in Texas, but in the Houston area it is being strained to the breaking point. Coaches are mad that some clubs have held “optional” practice sessions. Of equal concern, however, are the August and September tryouts – a sign to Porter and other coaches that a bigger problem is brewing.

“I was amazed to see clubs holding their tryouts at such an early date and to see them out ‘recruiting’ kids while they are still playing high school volleyball,” said Pearland coach John Turner. “It is like a mad rush to beat the other clubs (in the) competition for the elite kids in the area.”

“Don’t get me wrong,” added Porter, who also serves as director of Club Baja. “I obviously support club ball and we are privileged to have great participation, but I feel club gets more intrusive every year.”

Porter said he went public with his frustration after some of his players attended a weeknight club practice.

“They said they really did not want to attend but they felt like they had to since the other players would be there,” said Porter. “I understand the need for tryouts on weekends, but I see absolutely no need for club practices to be going on during school season, months before they will be playing club volleyball.”

While actual cases of clubs holding team practices may be rare, coaches are concerned that with tryouts now held in August and September, it’s only a matter of time before practices become routine in the highly competitive club scene. Most clubs already schedule “optional” training sessions and clinics on weekends, but high school coaches argue that many girls feel obligated to participate in these programs in order to enhance their position on the team.

Club directors defend the early tryouts, saying they actually help avoid conflicts with high schools.

“We conducted tryouts before school started so the girls could focus on high school,” said Patsy McClymont, director of the Texas Tornados. “The only reason we held tryouts early was that the other clubs were holding theirs and we had girls saying they wanted to try out for our club. We literally whipped together tryouts in a week and sent out mass e-mails. It was very awkward holding tryouts in August when we weren’t going to start practice for several months.”

“We offer Sunday training sessions, primarily for the younger girls, but they are designed for everyone, not just club members,” said McClymont. “We absolutely don’t hold practices during the high school season. In fact, we told them (high school athletes) we don’t even want to see you during the season. If you want to come in and get something tweaked, that’s fine, but we aren’t seeing many of our kids. They have enough going on with high school.”

"One reason we had high school tryouts in August was so many of our players are typically involved in the playoffs in October and November that we don't want to bring them in and risk an injury at that time in their high school season," explained South Shore Jrs. director Barbara Cervantes.

Cervantes added that her club has not held any practices for high school players. "We think a lot of the high school coaches and don't want to overburden the kids,” she said. “And I've told our coaches it's hands off until their season is over."

“It is a touchy subject with many high school coaches,” says Becky Palermo, head coach at Houston Stratford and a director with Texas Elite. “We do our best to avoid conflict. That is why we held auditions in August. That way the players had a club team lined up and did not have tryouts during the heat of the high school season.

“I do not tell my own high school players not to workout since I cannot control their decisions,” added Palermo. “I certainly don’t encourage it and I make it known that I do not feel it is as important as many clubs make the players and parents think it is.”

McClymont believes that some of the problem is old-fashioned jealousy.

“What is happening is some people are trying to cause rifts between the clubs,” she said. “Some people post info on the bulletin boards and make stuff up, which is unfortunate. The last thing we would do is upset the high schools. We depend on them to feed us kids. In fact, when I go to matches to watch our kids I won’t even wear Tornado attire anymore because I’m accused of recruiting.”

Unfortunately, McClymont doesn’t have much hope that things will improve. “I don’t see it stopping,” she said, “because there is too much competition.”

And too much money.

The Heart of the Problem?

“The fastest growing segment of USA Volleyball is the junior/club programs,” said Pearland’s Turner. “The commissioners are seeing dollar signs and not looking at the monster that has been created.”

“These clubs are making this into a money-making year round business with no respect to the high school program,” he continues. “Houston has turned into a hotbed for ex-coaches to start their own club and make it their sole livelihood. By doing this they have to generate income for themselves year-round so they are conducting private lessons/practices for their teams at an even earlier starting date.”

Turner admits that not all clubs fall into this category. “We have many clubs that still show their respect to the high school programs by waiting to start their practices/tryouts after the high school season is over,” he said. “It’s totally out of hand from top to bottom in the club volleyball world. It is time for the commissioner’s office and the junior director for development to step in and make some guidelines for tryouts, practices and recruiting. Unfortunately, most of the prominent high school coaches that have been having problems with these clubs have addressed the commissioner’s office and the response from the office has been that this is a “high school” issue and does not have anything to do with the club scene.”

And it’s not just Houston where coaches increasingly are growing uneasy.

“It just hacks me off,” said Michael Kane of St. Michael’s Academy in Austin. Kane also coaches club ball, but says he is rethinking his involvement. “The clubs could not care less. They just want to get the athletes and a head start on everyone. Clubs have gotten their claws so deep in the minds of the kids and parents. We’re at a major crossroad. I don’t know if it’s the UIL or USA Volleyball or the region, but someone has to step in and take control.”

“I didn’t want my girls to try out,” said Kane. “but they said that if they didn’t they’d be the only ones not trying out and they might not make the team. Someone has to get control of what’s going on.”

Clubs in Houston, San Antonio and Austin areas fall within the jurisdiction of the Lone Star Region and regional commissioner Will Vick says there is only so far the region can go to control clubs during the “off season.” In fact, he says the early tryouts are not sanctioned by the region.

“The season for the Lone Star volleyball region starts no earlier than November 1 and ends with the conclusion of the national championships,” he said. “Therefore, since the conclusion of the junior national championships the region has had absolutely no authority or control over the junior clubs.”

“The region does state that we will sanction no junior tryouts prior to the last day of the state high school championships,” added Vick. “This has been our position for a number of years yet we’ve never had a request for the sanction of any club try-outs. These tryouts are strictly unsanctioned and not covered by USA Volleyball insurance.”

And what about Vick’s personal preference?

“I personally would like to have a total hands-off during the high school season,” he added, “But I also would like for many high school coaches to stop directing their players to certain clubs/team.

The University Interscholastic League governs public school athletics in Texas (private school leagues generally follow the UIL). Rachel Seewald, however, says there is little the UIL can do since the Texas Legislature removed the organization’s authority to control participation in off-season leagues and camps several years ago.

“We’re aware of it,” said Seewald, “and we get complaints from coaches, but it is out of our jurisdiction.”

At USA Volleyball, Dave Gentile, vice president of the youth junior Olympic volleyball division, says he is not aware that the frequency of clubs holding practices in the high school season is increasing. He said USA Volleyball works with clubs and regions to establish guidelines, but rules governing tryouts and practices are handled exclusively at the region level.

“We really do not have a position on the issue of clubs holding tryouts during the high school season,” he said. “but I would be surprised that any form of animosity should result from a tryout or teams practicing during the school season. Clubs and schools should be encouraged to work together to make sure any issues are addressed in a collaborative manner.”

A Statewide Concern

Although Houston seems to be the epicenter of the rumblings, coaches in other part of the state are just as concerned.

Clubs in Sun Country region, which covers much of West Texas, have not had tryouts and commissioner Rudy Nava says he’s not aware of problems brewing between clubs and high schools.

Jan Barker, however, sees potential for trouble right around the corner. “This is a huge problem and I’m afraid we haven’t seen the worst of it yet,” says Barker, former chair of the Texas Girls Coaches Association volleyball committee and head coach at Amarillo High School. “Here in Amarillo we don’t yet have clubs practicing – in fact they still wait until after the state tournament to have tryouts so they don’t interfere with club ball.”

However, Barker says she is increasingly aware of situations where girls have been invited to workout together to get a head start on club. “I told all of my players that having a workout above and beyond what we do is just way too much,” she said. “We discussed how most of their injuries are from overuse as it is and I told them not to do it.”

In the North Texas Region, where most clubs don’t hold tryouts until November, Arlington Martin coach Joni McCoy expressed similar sentiments.

“It’s getting ridiculous,” said McCoy, who had to deal with club tryouts as her team was in the middle of a playoff run that would end in the 5A final four last year. “I had girls panicked they weren’t going to make the team if they didn’t go to tryouts. I didn’t mind them serving and passing, but I didn’t want any jousting at the net and I trusted the coaches that they wouldn’t let it happen. Then I had parents coming to me asking if their daughter could scrimmage just a little so the coaches could see what she could do.”

What’s A Girl To do?

Caught in the middle, as usual, are the girls. With volleyball turning into a year-round sport, there is the increased risk of injury and, even worse, burnout. Much of the problem is the length of the season.

“The club season lasts too long as it is and the athletes do not have time to let their bodies rest,” said Kirby Jameson at San Antonio Clark.

Keith Wilson, head coach at Providence High School in San Antonio and coach of the state's first Open national champion, Alamo 15s, echoed Jameson’s statements.

“I'm not okay with club teams practicing during high school season,” he said, “primarily because of increasing the injury possibilities. But as far as the burnout issue, it is not due to practicing or trying out during the high school season. I'm concerned for burnout in kids because of the long club season. Players benefit from both high school and club, and therefore both are important in the overall growth in these athletes. And, assuming that these athletes are getting quality instruction in both arenas, then both arenas need to be respectful of each arena, keeping these athletes in mind. They come first.”

“Personally, I wish that club volleyball season would not get started until basketball season is almost over,” said Palermo. “There would still be a good five months worth of play and training for club players.”

Because of concern over the length of the season, Mitch Casteel traditionally limits the number of matches his Houston Juniors teams play early in the year.

“Each year it seems that everyone ends up trying to one-up each other,” says Casteel. “There is no reason to start so early. We’ve been working on getting the club season started later in January. Last year our club backed off and we’re doing to same thing this year. We won’t play in December and we won’t play anything in January unless we have to, like the Tour Qualifier. The kids need the down time.”

“Of course, then you have parents wanting more workouts, more practices and lessons because that’s what the other clubs are doing,” said Casteel.

“We are very aware of the burnout factor,” added Diane Carlson at Alamo, where tryouts for 17s and 18s were conducted in August to avoid conflicts with high school. “We do not and will not start practice until the first of December.”

Some Girls Say: “Enough Is Enough”

According to many coaches and club directors, the backlash ultimately may come from the athletes themselves. In fact, several coaches say they already see it happening.

“In the past five years I’ve had four varsity athletes quit because they were so sick of the sport they said they didn’t ever want to see another volleyball,” said Barker.

“I can see burnout in our kids worse this year than any,” said Phyliss Fowler at New Braunfels. “The wear and tear on their bodies is not good.”

“I’ve had girls who are college caliber players who are saying ‘I just can’t take any more volleyball,’” said Porter. “I’m having seniors choosing not to play because they’ve had enough.”

“Burnout, fatigue and stress related injuries will keep rising and get much worse if these athletes continue playing at the pace they are right now,” added Kevin Miller, an assistant at Tomball.

“I’ve even heard from colleges and they are concerned about it,” said Casteel. “They’re worried about injuries from overuse and the girls just get to the point where they don’t want to play any more.”

“We’re getting girls that drop out during their junior years because they’ve been non-stop with private lessons, club tournaments, high school practice, academics, etc.,” said Turner. “It’s like a non-stop roller coaster ride for our kids. They just want to stop long enough and get off the ride and enjoy life a little.”

“We as coaches, club directors, commissioners, junior director and parents must see what we are doing to our kids,” he said.

And ultimately, said St. Michael’s Kane, the kids should come first.

“Everything has gotten out of control,” said Kane. “First you had to play club. Then it was that you had to have private lessons. Now it’s the training sessions. Parents I talk to say they hate it, but they feel like they have to have their daughter in these programs or they don’t have a chance.”

“It scares me to know what’ happening,” added Kane. “It has gotten so expensive that it is growing into an elitist sport. Ultimately it will have a very bad impact on high school. The average kid is not going to get a college scholarship but we are forcing them to give up high school experiences. It’s scary. It’s saddening.”