Frequently Asked Questions regarding tryouts and registration for Carolina One Volleyball
1. What age group does my daughter fall in?
Please refer to the USAV Age Group Definitions chart [PDF]. Please note that our registration system will automatically direct you to the correct age group based on the birthdate entered. If your school grade does not align with your age group, please contact us for options.
2. Why are you having summer tryouts and fall tryouts? Which one should I attend?
The push for summer tryouts has made its way to our region, and in order to stay competitive with other clubs in our area, we have made the decision to conduct summer tryouts for some age groups and team levels. In short, all Elite and ONE teams (our most competitive teams) within the 14U through 18U age groups will have tryouts in late July. Our State and Regional teams in all age groups, as well as our 13U Elite and ONE team tryouts will be held in late October or early November, following the school season. See our Tryout Page for more detailed schedule information.
If you played on an Elite/ONE team for Carolina One during the 2022-23 season, or another club's top team, you should attend summer tryouts. If you are a beginner or are not able/don't want to commit to the travel schedule of an Elite/ONE team, then consider our State or Regional team tryouts in the fall. We suggest reviewing our level information in order to more fully understand the commitment and skill level of each team type.
State/Regional Level Team Info
Elite/ONE Level Team Info
3. Will all players who try out during the summer make a team? What if I miss summer tryouts but still want to try out for an Elite or ONE team?
Tryouts for our Elite and ONE teams, held in July, are competitive. Not all players who tryout will be offered spots. If you are not offered a spot in July, we invite you to try out again in the fall.
If you miss the July tryouts, contact us for your makeup options ([email protected]). Rest assured that our primary goal is to get players playing at the team level where they fit best. If you miss summer tryouts, but we determine that an Elite or ONE team is the best fit for your athlete, we will work with you to find a solution. We will offer a makeup during the fall tryout session to fill any open spots, but those spots may be limited. If a Carolina One Elite or ONE team is your top choice, we recommend prioritizing our July tryouts.
4. If I attend summer tryouts and don't make a team, can I try out again in the fall?
Yes! All athletes that register for and attend our summer tryouts and are not offered a team spot will be transferred to our fall tryouts unless you notify us that you do not wish to be considered for teams in the fall. You will not have to pay the tryout registration fee again to attend tryouts in the fall, as long as you were registered for summer tryouts.
5. What if I have a conflict with one of the tryout dates?
Contact Us as soon as possible to let us know about your conflict. In most cases, you can try out with a different age group, arranged between you and club administration. Keep in mind that we strongly suggest players attend their own tryout age sessions if at all possible, because it will help us more accurately assess them within their own age group. We do hold makeup tryouts after all age group tryouts have been completed, however teams may be formed prior to makeup tryouts. If a Carolina One team is your top choice, we recommend prioritizing our tryout dates.
6. How do I decide which team level to tryout for?
All players who attend tryouts will be evaluated for all available team levels. As noted above, if you attend summer tryouts and are not offered a spot, we invite you to return to our fall tryouts to be evaluated for other team levels. Please review our Team Levels carefully to understand the time and monetary commitment required for each level. Coaches and club administration will be happy to discuss team levels with you if you have further questions. Please be honest with yourself and club administration about the level of commitment you are willing and able to make. You will be asked to indicate which team levels you are willing to commit to during tryout registration.
7. If I try out for a travel team and don't make it, can I play in the In-House program?
Yes! If you are interested in playing on a travel team, you must register for tryouts. After tryouts, if you decide that the In-house program would be a better fit, or you are not placed on a travel team, you will have the option to transfer your registration to the In-House program instead if there are still spots available. If you want to guarantee a spot in the In-House program, we strongly recommend registering for that program when registration opens. We will take care of transferring any payments, and other admin aspects following tryouts.
8. If I want to tryout in both Pickens and Greenville, do I have to pay the tryout fee twice?
Players wishing to tryout in both Pickens and Greenville will need to register in both locations and pay the full tryout fee in both locations. We strongly recommend making a decision between locations prior to tryouts if possible. If you have specific concerns or questions, please contact us so we can help!
9. Are walk-ups accepted?
We are NOT able to accept any walk-up registrations for tryouts. You MUST be registered online with C1VB at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled tryout in order to participate. Please make sure you have registered through our Sports Connect system - if you have any questions or suspect that your registration has not gone through, please contact us as soon as possible.
10. If I'm trying out for multiple clubs, do I have to tell you which ones?
Yes, Palmetto Region rules require that all players trying out for multiple clubs notify all clubs involved of your tryout plans, including the names of clubs you are trying out for, by filling out the Multi-Club Tryout Disclosure form online. Players are not penalized for considering other clubs, but may be penalized by the region for failure to notify all clubs. Please note that once you commit to Carolina One or any other club, you are not permitted to attend tryouts for another club. This applies to summer and fall tryouts. Please also review the Palmetto Region Tryout Policy for more information on signing deadlines and your rights as a player.
11. Did you receive my registration?
If your registration for tryouts was successful, you will receive an automated system email acknowledging your registration and payment. You can also login to your player account at any time to view registrations and paid invoices. If you have reason to believe that your registration did not go through, please contact us.
12. I'm having trouble registering with the Palmetto Region/USAV. How do I find my password, register, login to my account, etc.?
Renewing Players: Instructions can be found on the Palmetto Region website.
New Players: You may not be able to register with the Palmetto Region if you were previously registered in another region. In that case, you need to contact the Palmetto Region at [email protected] with the player's full name and date of birth so they can transfer your membership to our region; you will then be able to renew.
All Players: You will first sign up for a $15 "Tryout membership" through SportsEngine, even if you know what club you will be playing for. After you commit to a club, the club will send an invitation upgrade to a full membership and associate your membership with the chosen club.
More information on USAV/Palmetto Region registration.
13. Does Carolina One cut players?
Yes. As a competitive club program, we do make player cuts in all age groups. Cuts are primarily made for 2 reasons. The first is that we are limited in the number of teams we can offer each year due to gym space and number of coaches. We also make cuts to maintain the quality and competitiveness of our teams. Carolina One carefully considers team composition to ensure that we do not have a huge gap in skill level on any one team.
14. Do I have to tryout for the In-House Team (including Juniors)?
No, we do not have tryouts for our In-House teams. We will place players on the teams based on their age and skill level, evaluated during the first few practices. We do have an evaluation day for In-House program to help us assess the number and ages of players. The evaluation day is not mandatory, but it is a great way to meet our coaches, see our facility, and meet other players.
15. What do I need to bring to tryouts?
Be sure to register online before tryouts, and bring with you proof of paid USAV Membership for 2023-24 (screenshot on your phone is fine!). Please note that this year, tryout fee and USAV Medical Release must be submitted online prior to tryouts. Players should come ready to work hard, wearing shorts/spandex, a t-shirt, and athletic shoes. Numbered tryout shirts will be provided.
16. When will teams be announced?
Teams will be announced approximately 2-3 days following the last tryout for each age group. More information on team announcements and commitment expectations will be available at tryouts.
All offers must be made in writing and accepted in writing to be valid. For more information about the PVA Tryout Policy, visit the PVA website.
17. How much does it cost to play for Carolina One/are there any fundraising options?
Costs can be found on our Club Fees page and fundraising program information can be found on our Fundraising page. Please review this information carefully before tryouts. If you have any additional fundraising suggestions, please feel free to contact us.
18. How many teams will you have? / What levels of teams will you have in my age group?
All of our team decisions are based on player interest, coaching availability, and gym space. In general, if we have enough qualified players to make a team, and a qualified coach available to coach them, we will field a team in that age group. In 2022-23, we had 25 teams ranging from 12U-18U. In 2023-24, we plan to field multiple teams in each age group, from 12U-18U.
19. How many players will make the team?
Depending on team age and skill level, we will place anywhere from 8-12 players on a team.
20. Do you ever move players to an older age group?
This is rarely done, and when it is, it is on an individual basis. The most likely reasons to move a player to an older age group would be: (1) not having a team in her age group, (2) specific position needs on a team in an older age group that the player would fill, or (3) allowing a player to play with their grade level. Please note that we require a player to attend at least one tryout in her age group before being moved to an older age group, and movement can only be approved by the club director.
21. How are tryouts conducted?
All players go through several rounds of general volleyball skills testing, where they will rotate through stations designed to evaluate their skills in passing, setting, attacking, and serving. After general skills, players will be evaluated based on their primary position, as well as participate in more game-like drills and scrimmages.
All evaluations are made by qualified Carolina One and outside coaches. All players receive tryout numbers, and all players with a tryout number receive evaluations. Evaluations also consider players' attitudes, willingness to work hard, communication, ability to adapt to new drills/situations, general athletic ability, willingness to learn, and primary position. Keep in mind that we must form teams based not only on raw talent, but also considering players' positions. We will not form a team with 5 setters and 5 libero/DS. Generally we take 2-3 players per position on each team. If you are willing to play more than one position, please be sure to let us know.
C1 uses TeamGenius, a state-of-the-art online evaluation system. When you see coaches on their phones or tablets during tryouts, don't worry! They are evaluating athletes. This system makes us more efficient, allows for greater input of comments and notes, and decreases errors and typos. We may also video record tryouts, in order to better review players' performances after. Any videos taken during tryouts will be for the use of C1 coaches and administration only, and will not be shared with athletes, parents, or posted anywhere online.
22. When I register, can I indicate the gym I would prefer for practices?
The only location option on the registration form is to choose between Pickens and Greenville. All Pickens teams practice at the Pickens Rec Center. Greenville teams practice primarily at the C1 Sportsplex, but may occasionally practice at other locations throughout Greenville County.
23. What days of the week will the team practice?
We do not finalize practice plans until after tryouts. Pickens teams can expect practices to be on Sunday afternoons and Wednesday evenings, as those are the only days we have gym time. Greenville teams can expect to practice twice a week, generally a weekend day and a weeknight day. We do not have any more details on practice locations or times at this point.
24. When will practices begin?
Team meetings will take place beginning in late October. Practices will begin in November.
25. Can my team from last year stay together? Can I request to be on the same team with my best friend? Can I request a specific coach?
Please note that we cannot guarantee any requests for specific coaches or teammates. Our team decisions are based primarily on skill level, evaluated at tryouts. We are occasionally able to honor requests for players to be on the same team in younger age groups and State and Regional level teams, if the skill level of athletes is similar.