VOLLEYBALL TRYOUTS AND CRITERIA

TIME COMMITMENT FOR VOLLEYBALL

GARFIELD VOLLEYBALL TEAM PHILOSOPHY

PARENT EXPECTATIONS

VOLLEYBALL TRYOUTS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR 2008

AUGUST 1: All paperwork and fees (including completed physicial exam) are due in the Garfield main office [at Lincoln High.]

AUGUST 25: First day of tryouts, including returning players, incoming freshmen and other players who were not members of the 2007 team.

AUGUST 29: Final Varsity and Junior Varsity teams announced.

FOR RETURNING PLAYERS, all tryout sessions are from 8:00am-1:00pm, in the new Garfield High gymnasium.
FOR ALL OTHER PLAYERS, (including incoming freshman), all tryout sessions are 2:00pm-5:00pm in the Garfield High gymnasium.
FOR THOSE SELECTED TO THE 2008 TEAM, mandatory preseason practice continues August 30 and September 1-5, [including Labor Day]. Preaseason practices are from 8:00am-1:00pm. until the start of school; they are from 2:30-5:00pm once school begins. A mandatory practice August 30 is followed by the annual Parent Meeting.

Experienced volleyball players always arrive early: you must be dressed and completely ready to play at 8:00am (for returning players) or 2:00pm (for new players). Therefore, you should plan to arrive fifteen minutes early. On some days, returning players may be asked to arrive at 9:00am instead of 8:00am.

Any girl officially enrolled at Garfield for the 2008-09 school year may try out for the volleyball team, as long as she meets school district academic eligibility requirements and has completed the necessary paperwork BEFORE coming to the gym.

Seattle School District ATHLETIC REGISTRATION packets are available in the Garfield High School office [at Lincoln High] during regular business hours or DOWNLOAD forms here.

• You must visit your health care provider and have him/her complete the PHYSICAL EXAMINATION form in the packet.
  
• All prospective athletes must pay an ATHLETIC PARTICIPATION FEE and purchase an ACTIVITY (ASB) CARD. [Reduced fees and fee waivers are available.]

When all your paperwork is complete, the Garfield Athletic Secretary will include your name on a printed Eligibility List. When the Volleyball coaches see your name on that list, you may attend the 2008 tryouts.

Prospective Volleydogs who wish to earn a spot on the team must attend every tryout session. If an injury or illness prevents you from participating, you must call the coaches IN ADVANCE to try to make other arrangements. Call (206) 369-2425.

YOU MUST BRING A WATER BOTTLE AND A SNACK EACH DAY.

Wear comfortable clothes: t-shirt, shorts/spandex, socks and court shoes. Do not wear spaghetti-strap tops or shirts exposing a bare midriff. Do not bring jewelry (including earrings) to the gym.

Kneepads are recommended, but not required, for tryouts (loaner kneepads are available) Ankle braces are recommended for those who make the team, but are not required for tryouts.

The varsity and junior varsity teams will each have twelve players, for a total of 24. The JV team will not include any seniors.

Each of the twenty-four available spots will be filled during tryouts. We anticipate approximately sixteen players from last year's team will compete for positions on this year's team; none is guaranteed a spot. We also anticipate that sophomores, juniors and seniors who were not on last year's team--including transfer students--will attend tryouts.

Bottom line: a minimum of eight, and possibly more, new players may be added to the team for 2008. If you have athletic talent and a great attitude, the odds are in your favor.

There is no freshman-only volleyball team at Garfield. All propective athletes will try out for either the varsity or the junior varsity.

Very few high school sports in Washington offer freshman teams, and their numbers dwindle each year.

The coaching staff will be looking for coachable ATHLETES: girls who have a great work ethic and want to learn to be better players and teammates.

Prior volleyball experience or skill helps, but is not required. [Many all-conference Volleydogs grew up playing soccer or basketball and learned to play volleyball only after they entered high school.] Prospective student-athletes will be tested and evaluated for their overall athletic ability and level of volleyball skill. Coaches will apply the following criteria (in this order):

1. ATTITUDE: Players who are positive, competitive and eager to learn. Big bonus points are awarded to those who demonstrate strong leadership skills, and to those who are willing to take risks and are unafraid to learn from mistakes.

2. ATHLETIC ABILITY: Players with the ability to learn and perform complex skills. Volleyball puts a premium on explosiveness and rewards those who are unafraid to attack the ball.

3. POSITION: Players whose skills fit a specific need for the team’s overall balance

Expect to work hard. You will be asked to perform all physical testing and drills at full speed. You should run when shagging balls, when moving from drill to drill and when going to and from water breaks. You will not sit down during tryouts, except during the daily snack break.

Expect to improve your volleyball skills. At tryouts, coaches will both teach and evaluate. Even if you are not selected to the team, you will become a better volleyball player by the end of the week.

Expect to enjoy yourself: Tryouts are a normal part of the Garfield experience. Whether you are competing for a seat in the orchestra or jazz band, or for a role in the school play or musical, or for a spot on the basketball or tennis team, you will have plenty of opportunities to show your stuff and try your best. We suggest you stay loose, make new friends, and decide that you will have a good time, no matter what the end result.

SKILL INSTRUCTION: Prospective student-athletes will be taught the basics of the Garfield Volleyball system, including passing, serving, attacking, setting, blocking and defense. Even students not eventually selected to the team have the chance to become better volleyball players. Ever since 2002, the Volleydogs have employed the University of Washington's volleyball system, as taught to coaches by Gold Medal Squared. The system--which puts a premium on quickness, strength and athleticism--is also employed by Seattle University and Seattle Pacific University, among many others.

ATTITUDE EVALUATION: Prospective Volleydogs should be willing to try hard, make mistakes, learn from those mistakes and keep trying. Coaches will take note of those players who listen, follow directions, and ask questions when necessary. Athletes who are COACHABLE COMPETITORS stand the best chance of making the team.

SKILL/COMPETITION EVALUATION: Prospective players will be asked to demonstrate their understanding of basic volleyball skills (passing, serving, hitting, setting, blocking and defense) in competitive situations. Coaches will take note of those players who demonstrate progress while learning new skills.

As with most team sports, coaches will evaluate players for their ability and potential to fill specific positional needs (setter, outside hitter, middle blocker, opposite hitter, defensive specialist and/or libero).

Our season is short and very busy. SEE Time Commitment for Volleyball.

Attendance at PRESEASON PRACTICES is mandatory. They span the following days: August 30, September 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5.

The August 30 practice is a Saturday, and is followed by the preseason Parent meeting with coaches.

The Varsity Jamboree this year will be Saturday, September 6. The Junior Varsity Jamboree will be Monday, September 9., Locations and times are to be determined.

Once school begins, mandatory after-school practices are from 2:30-5:00pm each weekday, except on match days. Once the conference season begins, matches are played most Tuesdays and Thursdays.

During the tryout process, it is not unusual for some girls to decide they would rather not continue trying out. If you think you'd like to withdraw from consideration for a spot on the team, please talk it over first with one of the coaches; it is possible you may be underestimating your chances. Do not simply stop attending tryouts without telling us first.

We all have the occasional bad day. Don't let yourself become easily discouraged.

The Garfield Volleyball coaching staff strives to make all decisions fairly, without bias, and after extended deliberation and evaluation of each prospective student-athlete.

If you are not selected this season, and would like to try out again in the future, there are other options available to you that may help you in the future.

1. Apply to become a team manager. Volleyball managers have a chance to learn leadership and organizational skills and fill a valuable role on the team. Managers also work with Garfield’s Athletic Trainer, learning basic training and first aid skills.

2. Play another sport for the Bulldogs. Fall sports at Garfield include soccer, swimming and cross-country; winter sports are basketball and gymnastics; in spring you can run track, or play tennis, golf or softball.

3. Attend open gyms and/or volleyball camps. There is an active recreational volleyball community year-round in Seattle. Most universities in the Northwest offer volleyball camps during July. See details at Volleyball Camps.

4. Try out for club volleyball. Hundreds of girls in the Puget Sound region play in tournaments around the west; tryouts are held just before Thanksgiving. See details at Club Volleyball.

Emphatically, no.

Some players who are not selected as freshmen try out again the following year and are chosen.

Many players are still growing, and we all develop at different rates. Girls who are among the best in their class as freshmen are occasionally overtaken by late bloomers.

For most, an interest in volleyball grows stronger each year. For a few, the interest fades as other activities become more important. On average, four girls per class play volleyball at Garfield for all four years. (Some who don't play as seniors have played again in college!)

Have a goal.

For a few players, the goal may be to make the team. But for most girls, a better goal might be to simply try your best, compete as hard as you can, learn a lot, and have fun. If you make it, great (and there will be plenty of hard work ahead). If you don't make it this time, the sounds you hear are other doors of opportunity opening at one of the best high schools in America.

Either way, you can't lose.