CLUB INFO

Question: Is NACA an open club?

Answer: Yes, all are welcome to tryout for a NACA team.  In 2007 we had 42 players from 13 different schools.

Question: Do you have an email list for announcements about tryouts, clinics, etc?

Answer: Until the teams are formed, our public announcements will be made at the Yahoo group at Huntsville-volleyball.  It is a moderated group (ie, no spam).

Question: What are the fees?

Answer: In previous years the total fees have been $225, which included 6 tournaments, SRVA registration, and one uniform (except for socks).  This year the fees will be slightly higher, but still below $300.  Not included in the fees are socks, snacks, and travel expenses to tournaments.  Since we typically avoid 2-day out-of-town tournaments, you will save the cost of hotel stays.

Question: Wow, that's not much.  How do you keep the fees so low?

Answer: We use volunteer coaches and donated gym space.

Question: Can you tell me more about the volunteer coaches?

Answer: Perhaps the best answers would come from the former NACA players and from the teams that faced them.  All of our head coaches are adults who have been coaching and playing volleyball for a number of years.

Question: Is it OK if I tryout for another team and the NACA team?

Answer: Of course!  I stongly encourage it, especially since we have a limited number of teams/coaches/gyms and may not be able to find a team for every player who trys out.

Question: Do you mean there will be cuts?

Answer: In the past, only one or two players were cut as a result of tryouts.  This year I predict more players at the tryouts and therefore a higher probability of cuts.  But don't let that discourage you!  Come to tryouts!

Question: Is NACA affiliated with Covenant Christian Academy (CCA)?

Answer: NACA was originally started by coaches and parents from CCA, but there is no official connection.  A few CCA players have decided to play for other clubs, and many non-CCA players have chosen to play for NACA.

TOURNAMENT INFO

Question: What is tournament day like?

Answer: Things generally start at 8:15 am.  Plan to leave Huntsville early enough to arrive at 8:15 (allow for time zone changes).  There are usually  2 pools of 5 teams and thus guarantees 4 matches.  The top two teams from each  pool "exit their pool" and enter the semi-finals.  The other teams that do not exit their pool are free to stick around or leave for home  (maybe about 3pm?).  The semi-finals start immediately and are  followed by the finals.  Some families hurry home, grabbing a  drive-through burger on the way.  Other families eat together at a restaurant before heading home.  Plan to be gone the whole day.

Question: Can we leave the tournament site to get lunch or should we pack lunch?

Answer: Parents sometimes go on missions to get chicken nuggets, etc.  Players should not leave the gym.

Question: What should the girls bring on tournament day?

Answer: On arrival at the gym, each team stakes out a rest area, usually setting up a snack table, portable chairs, sleeping bags or blankets, and pillows.  Other items girls bring include MP3 palyers, crafts, slippers  and change of clothes.

Question: How should we handle snacks/water bottles?

Answer:  Each team decides how they want to contribute, (check with your team mom or coach.)  There are a lot of snack options: pretzels, grapes, bottled water, Gatorade, cheese, crackers, peanuts, energy bars, etc.  I strongly discourage sugar-heavy products since it makes the girls lethargic [which is a cool word, but a bad condition for volleyball players].

Question: When do we get tournament location and driving directions?

Answer:  Usually the information is available on the Tuesday before the tournament.  Check the web site and watch for e-mails from your coach.

Question: If we don’t get out of our pool, are we done for the day?

Answer:  Yes, except that the last team finishing 3rd in their pool stays and refs the semi-final game.  Pool play should end around 3:00 p.m.

Question: What is our rest area like?

Answer:  We will be provided a small space in a room or a hallway.

Question: Can the girls have iPods or MP3 players at the score table?

Answer:  No,  the girls can’t have MP3 players during warm-up time either (new rule this year)

Question: What is a libero?

Answer: The libero is a back row player who specializes in receiving the serve.  She plays only back row, doesn’t serve, and can sub in and out without stopping play (or going to score table).  Libero must set out for 1 rally point between subbing.

Question: Can you sub more than one girl in a position?

Answer:  Yes, multiple girls may sub in one position as long as they remain in that line of rotation.

Question: Can girls on the 14 under team have one toss per serve that bounces?

Answer:  Yes, one per serve.

Question: What is a screen?

Answer:  players on the serving team purposefully blocking view of the serve/server.

Question: Can a blocker play across the net?

Answer:  Blocker can’t touch the ball before the opponents have a chance to make their third hit.

Question: Can a setter jump above the height of the net to set their own team?

Answer:  Yes, but they cannot jump above the net and play the ball over the net.  Same rule applies for a back row player who comes across the 10 foot line.

Question: Can players wear bobby pins or snap clips in their hair?

Answer: Flat clips may be allowed in the club play (as opposed to school play), but they must lay flat and there will be some refs who may ask you to remove them.

Question: I have another question.  Who do I ask?

Answer:  For more information please contact our Director.

Question: How can I get my team pictures added to the naca web site photo album

Answer: Just to keep the photo albums consistent, Nacva is  using Google Picasa to create an XML photo albums that are stored on the NACAV.com server disk.  Here are some methods to have your pictures posted.

1) Zip the pictures and e-mail the archive to our webmaster, files limited to 50MB.

2) Send the archive using sendthisfile.com or yousendit.com  both are  free and can send multi GB size files.
     contact the Naca webmaster for more details

3) Burn a CD and send them to the Naca webmaster for more details.

4) Use Picasa to create your XML album and send all the file to the Naca webmaster using methods 1-3.