Elevate Your Game With Our Competitive Programs

What is a Club?

Club volleyball is an opportunity to play competitive boys volleyball during the winter months leading directly into the Ohio High School Boys volleyball season. Many current high school and middle school boys compete in club volleyball. On average Vanguard has 100+ Central Ohio and beyond players competing on our teams!

How Does It Work?

Vanguard Volleyball Club players are selected through an open try-out during the month of September through a Vanguard Membership Contract-Early Acceptance or a Vanguard Membership Contract-Invitation. Selection for teams is determined through a step process in October. See Team Selection Process info under the Team Selection menu.

Vanguard fields two levels of teams.

Our “Gold” teams are National-level teams that travel extensively to out-of-state tournaments. This occurs from November to February with the goal of earning bids for the AAU Volleyball Boys National Championships held annually over the course of four days, usually over or around the Fourth of July. These teams will attend and compete yearly at the AAU Boys National Championships in either the Open, Premier, or Club divisions. The Gold teams are extremely competitive and are for the most serious volleyball players. Vanguard has had boys travel from Dayton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh to play on a Vanguard team!

Our “Silver” teams are regional-level teams that play and compete in tournaments in and around Ohio, usually including one out-of-state tournament. These teams are selected during the Team Selection Process. Travel is not as extensive, and they generally do not attend the AAU Boys National Championships.

When is the Season, and How Long Does It Last?

September–end of February

Gold teams, then June, the first week of July

The Team Selection Process takes place in late September/early October. Upon completion of a two-week assessment, all Vanguard players will be placed on the appropriate team, Gold or Silver, in their group/skill level and age.

Vanguard practices start in October, immediately after the Team Selection Process has concluded.

Tournaments for teams usually start mid-November. Each family is responsible for their own travel expenses.

All Gold teams will compete at the annual AAU Volleyball Boys National Championships. These teams will start back up with club practice immediately after the Ohio High School Boys Volleyball season concludes the first week of June and practice through the month of June until the AAU Nationals, held the first week of July.

How Many Tournaments Does a Team Play in? Where Are the Tournaments?

On average, Silver teams play in 5 tournaments. Gold teams play in 7, including one usually in June and then early July for the AAU National Championships. The AAU Championships are held in Orlando, Florida.

What Days Are Practices and Tournaments?

Regular Season practices will be Friday night and Saturday morning during the season for Gold teams. Silver teams will typically practice a combo of one weekday night and one weekend day/afternoon. Gold teams will practice 3 hours per day and Silver teams will practice 2 hours per day.

Tournaments are on the weekends. The AAU Qualifier tournaments last either two or three days. The three-day qualifiers are usually held over holiday weekends, but may require missing a day of school.

What is the Cost?

Our 2024/2025 Silver Teams $2,200.00

Our 2024/2025 Gold Teams $3,600.00

Is There Anything Else I Should Know About the Club or Vanguard?

For first-time players up to 18 years old, Vanguard has the coaches and experience to give your son the opportunity to learn, develop, and compete with the best!

Our Misson

Using constant determination, unwavering commitment, and relentless desire for success, it is the mission of the Vanguard Volleyball Club to be at the forefront of raising the standard of boys' volleyball in Ohio and beyond!

This will be accomplished through:

Providing an atmosphere of respect, sportsmanship, and class.
Creating a championship mentality in all club members
Providing progressive and diverse volleyball instruction while maintaining a high level of expectation toward the realization of our goals!
As members of the Vanguard Volleyball Club, we dedicate ourselves to our mission!

Welcome to Vanguard Volleyball Club

Let us be the first to officially welcome you to the Vanguard Volleyball Club! We are extremely excited to have you and your family as part of our organization. As you will quickly find out, we do things a little differently than other programs. It is why we created our club in 2006…to be different, to be better!

Vanguard Volleyball Club is Ohio’s most established and successful volleyball club, which is designed and dedicated exclusively to junior male volleyball players. We have multiple top finishes at the AAU Boys Volleyball National Championships and USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships, a record number of Vanguard players invited to USAV High Performance and Ohio Valley Region High-Performance programs, and multiple Vanguard players in top college programs. It is an exciting time to be a member of the Vanguard Volleyball Club!

To maintain our success requires a unique mentality that most players and families are not accustomed to. Our mentality begins with expectation! We expect our players to compete. We expect our players to perform to their ability or potential at every practice or tournament.

At Vanguard, we believe you will only get out of the experience what you put into it. If you practice hard, play with passion, and be determined to succeed… you will! However, if you don’t put in the effort, you might not have as good an experience as if you were in a club that has lower expectations.

Club volleyball is an outstanding opportunity to improve and hone your volleyball skills, all while developing life skills. It is time to take chances and risks on the court. Swing as hard as you can, even on a bad set, jump serve on a 26-25 game point, and dive after balls you may think you can’t get. Taking these risks throughout club season prepares you mentally to become aggressive on the court and confident in your decision-making, while creating the passion to increase your ability and to have some fun! Isn’t that what athletics should be about?

I hope you are ready to be at the forefront of changing boys’ volleyball in Ohio! It will require much effort from you, our coaches, your families, and the directors.

Wishing you all the best,

Bryan Webb

Program Director

Wes Almond

Administrative Director

Justin Tuttle

Administrative Director

What to Expect From Vanguard Volleyball Club

All athletes selected will receive a Vanguard Membership Contract and a uniform. Each team will have at least one coach and will carry anywhere from 8 to 12 players on their roster. Practice schedules will vary between the different level teams, but usually two or three times a week. A practice schedule is normally released in August. Ohio Boys Club season is from October until the end of February. Tournaments are played starting in November. Gold teams will travel out of state four or five times between November and February. Silver teams will typically play in 5 regional tournaments between November and February.

Vanguard has two levels of teams, depending on the age group and number of selected players.

Our National teams are referred to as “Gold” teams. These teams consist of the top-level/elite players in their age group who travel multiple times out of state to tournaments and AAU Qualifiers. They will play annually at the AAU Boys Volleyball National Championships in Orlando, Florida. If your son is selected and signs a contract to play on a Gold team, they are expected to make this their number one non-academic priority, including attending all practices, all tournaments, and team events. All Gold teams will travel to and compete in either the Open, Premier, or Club Divisions at the AAU Boys Volleyball National Championships held annually in early July. This is a commitment for each family to take as seriously as Vanguard takes building our top, competitive teams.
Our Regional teams are referred to as “Silver” teams. These competitive teams generally play in the state of Ohio and at least one out-of-state tournament or National Qualifier. Silver teams played at the USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships in 2014 and 2017, when Columbus hosted.

Vanguard Expectations for Players and Parents

Vanguard Volleyball Club, whether you are a player, parent, family member, or fan, carries a high level of expectations. These expectations promote the ideals of good sportsmanship, ethics, and personal integrity. Each member of the club must abide by the general rules of human decency and respect. This applies to club administrators, coaches, players, parents, family members and fans. A member shall never conduct themselves in a manner that will put Vanguard’s name and/or reputation in jeopardy.

Respect all other club teams, their coaches, players, and parents. Vanguard will not tolerate any aggressive, hostile, or angry confrontations from a parent directed at any official, other parent, coach, club directors, or players. Violation of this policy may result in player suspension or being dismissed from the team, and the parent may be restricted from attending any practice, tournament, team, or club event.
Respect all officials. Though at times we may not always agree with their calls, they are in a position that demands respect. Harassing officials by any player, family member, or fan is unacceptable. Penalties may include player, family member, or fan suspension or removal from the game or playing facility. Repeat or continued behaviors may include the dismissal of the player and the ban of the player, family member, or fan from practice facilities or tournaments.
Leave practice and tournament facilities in better shape than you found them to be. Pick up after yourselves and respect the rules and guidelines of the facility. Any damage made by a player will require full restitution before the next practice, tournament, or club function.
Drug, alcohol, and/or tobacco use is strictly prohibited at any time at any event where our program is participating (practice, tournaments, club or team bonding events, etc.). Violations of this policy will be dealt with swiftly and severely, resulting in dismissal from the club without a refund. Additional penalties will be brought forthright from local, state, or federal law authorities.
Vanguard Volleyball Club has several payment options available to pay players' fees. Delinquent payments towards a player's account have a drastic impact on our club’s ability to perform financially. The payment option was designed to increase the money before expenses were incurred. Due to this, Vanguard must have a strict payment policy. All payments must be on time. No player will receive their uniform and/or may be suspended from the team, club, or tournament until player fees are made current. No exceptions will be made. Any further questions about the financial terms of the contract should be directed to Administrative Director Justin Tuttle at Vanguardvbc@gmail.com
Parents and/or licensed players are expected to provide, or arrange to provide, transportation to all practices and/or tournaments. Players are expected to arrive 15–20 minutes prior to the start of every practice. This is to assist with setup, if necessary, and warm-up.
Injuries or illnesses of any nature to any player, whether occurring on the court or off the court at any time, are required to be reported immediately to your parents, coach, and Program Director. Vanguard has the utmost concern for the health and welfare of each player and, as such, will recommend immediate professional medical attention. Vanguard will require written clearance from your physician before being allowed to return to practice.
Horseplay at practices, tournaments, or other club or team events by players, family members, and/or coaches is prohibited. Vanguard coaches and Directors take the safety of all players, coaches, family members, and spectators very seriously. Failure to comply, resulting in injury to the player or any other person, may result in suspension from the team.
All Vanguard Volleyball Club players are expected to be in exceptional physical condition to practice and compete to the best of their ability. Failure to be in condition may limit a player’s ability to perform at his best and could result in decreased playing time.

Communication and Social Media Policy

Knowing when and how to communicate with the coach is a concern for every athlete and parent sometime during the season. Effective communication between directors, coaches, players, and parents will resolve many, if not all, issues.

Vanguard uses the following methods, listed below:

Our website www.vanguardvbc.com
Email the quickest and most efficient form for Vanguard and the coaches. Coaches check their email regularly, as that is the preferred method of communication. Please ensure we have your current email address(s) and check them regularly. Vanguard uses professional email software. Some families' home and work computers have spam blockers or firewalls that prevent our emails from being delivered to your address. We recommend having more than one email address associated with your player. We also recommend you open every email sent by Vanguard. This assists us in knowing who may or may not be receiving or opening our email. Email Vanguard at Vanguardvbc@gmail.com with any questions.
We encourage our players to be responsible and communicate any information verbally from their coach to their family members. This is a key step in the player's becoming more mature. Typically, the coach will have a short player meeting after practices, usually after each match, and at the end of the day at tournaments.
Should a player have to miss a practice, the coach must be personally notified 24 hours in advance. The player and parents must understand that once a player misses a practice, their playing time could, and most likely will, be affected, regardless of the reason.
If the player anticipates missing multiple practices and/or tournaments, participation on a VANGUARD team may need to be reconsidered. Please set up a time to meet with your parents, coach, and the Program Director at Vanguardvbc@gmail.com
Please respect Vanguard and your coaches, players, and family email addresses. Unauthorized use by sending or forwarding unapproved emails to other players, their families, or coaches without the prior consent of Vanguard and each family is prohibited.
Any additional use of social media by Vanguard, including, but not limited to, texting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat or YouTube originating from the Vanguard Volleyball Club or a player, coach, parent or family member, is subject to Vanguard's Social media policy.
It is your responsibility to be respectful at all times on social media. You are expected to show the same respect and regard for people that you would when playing, officiating, or attending a volleyball practice, game, or team event.
Do not use social media to be critical of teammates, coaches, officials, administrators, volunteers, or spectators. Negative comments and images, bullying, criticism, and sexist remarks can be dangerous and harmful to people’s well-being and reputation, as well as the image of individuals and the Vanguard Volleyball Club.

Note: From time to time, Vanguard uses photos, videos, or other likenesses, audio, and other images for lawful purposes, such as publicity, illustration, advertising, and web or social media content. These may be with or without identification. Please send in written notification of decline to participate to Vanguard Volleyball Club Administrative Director Justin Tuttle, vanguardvbc@gmail.com

Grievance Policy and Procedures

Each club is required to have a written grievance policy and procedure. In any highly competitive and aggressive sporting environment, there may be circumstances where athletes and or parents/guardians may have concerns regarding various issues. It is to the member's advantage to know when, where, and how to communicate those concerns.

1. Before/during practices or before, during, or after tournaments is not the place for such communication. Attempting to voice concerns during this time will only result in negative outcomes. Though the coaches are not obligated to defend their coaching decisions, they are obligated to point the player in the right direction to solve problems or correct concerns.

2. Playing time is not considered a grievance, nor will it be discussed. Each player is encouraged to discuss with their coach what they need to work on to increase their opportunity for playing time. There is no appropriate time for a parent to inquire with the coach about their son's playing time. Parents can best help their players by supporting them in handling those conversations on their own.

3. Should you have a grievance, please follow these steps to resolve it.

Athlete schedules a time to meet with their coach to discuss the concern. If there is no resolution, See the next step.
Athlete and parent schedule a time to meet with the coach to discuss the concern. If there is no resolution, See the next step.
The athlete and parent schedule a time to meet with the Program Director

4. Due Process: If the concern involves a matter that was not resolved in step 3., the parent has the right to appeal the Program Director's decision. This requires the parent to submit a formal written appeal. Should an appeal be requested, a Grievance Committee will be created to hear the concern and formulate a decision. The Grievance Committee will consist of the Vanguard Administrative Director and two non-club-affiliated individuals. The Committee will meet in a closed session to review the written appeal from the parent and any notes from previous grievance meetings.

The result of the Grievance Committee is final.

Consequences

As a player, parent, or family member, your actions on social media may have profound consequences. Negative comments and images, bullying, criticism, and sexist or derogatory remarks not only impact negatively on the people they are about, but they also reflect badly on yourself, your parents, and the people you represent. If you, your parents, or family members are found to have acted improperly on social media by breaching any of the Vanguard Volleyball policies or guidelines, you will be required to meet with your coach and the directors of the Vanguard Volleyball Club to explain your actions. Through this meeting, disciplinary actions may be imposed upon the player, parent, or family member, including, but not limited to, suspension from the team, practice, tournament, or dismissal from the club.

Player Selection #1: Vanguard Membership Contract-Early Acceptance

Vanguard Membership Contract is a general contract given to current Vanguard Players who have been identified as being in the top 20–30 players in their age group/skill level
This contract guarantees a spot on one of the Vanguard teams in their age group/skill level
Selection to one of the teams in that age group will be determined through the Team Selection Process in late September/early October
Vanguard Membership Contract-Early Acceptance is offered mid-late July, and acceptance is due by midnight on July 31st.

Player Selection #2: Vanguard Membership Contract-Invitation

Players who did not play for Vanguard in the previous season and who have been identified as one of the top 20 players in their age group/skill level will be offered a Vanguard Membership Invitation Contract to become a Vanguard Member.
Selection to one of the Vanguard teams in that age group will be determined through the Team Selection Process in late September/early October.

Player Selection #3: Vanguard General Tryout

Vanguard will host a general tryout in September. Players selected from the General Tryout will be offered a Vanguard Membership Contract.
Selection to one of the Vanguard teams in that age group will be determined through the Team Selection Process in late September/early October.

Vanguard Team Selection Process

Players who possess a Vanguard Membership Contract will compete in a two-week competitive Team Selection Process. This will take place in four two-hour sessions. Players will be evaluated on the court through a variety of drills and skill competitions, both individually and in groups, in addition to a series of scrimmages.
Upon completion of the two-week assessment, players will be placed on the appropriate team in their age group/skill level.

Additional Notes on Team Selection

A Vanguard Membership Contract is a general contract given to current Vanguard Players or potential future Vanguard members who have been identified as in the top 20–30 players in their age group/skill level. This contract secures their spot as a member of the Vanguard Volleyball Club. Placement on a team will occur after the Team Selection Process.

Each contract will provide the terms and conditions for each team, including dates, fees, and payment terms, as well as the coach of the team, uniforms, tentative tournament dates, and tentative practice information.

Never assume because a player was on a team one year, they will automatically be on the same team the following year. Vanguard is continually evaluating athletes we see, whether in our club or another club, high school team, at a camp, or other tournament, for future consideration on a Vanguard team.
Occasionally, we move players from one team to another. Movement is at the discretion of the Vanguard Volleyball Club Program Director and coaches. Athletes may be asked to move from one team to another for a variety of reasons. We will not move a player to another team until we discuss it with the player and his family.

Tournament and Travel Policies and Procedures

Vanguard teams travel to compete; everything else is secondary. All Vanguard teams will travel to various locations for scrimmages and tournaments. Traveling takes time, effort, and much expense.

Traveling to the tournament site is the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian, and fees associated with travel are the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian. AAU Volleyball requires all teams to check in on-site the night before the first day of play for all tournaments. Your coach will perform this duty. However, you will be required to arrive the day before all out-of-state tournaments for numerous reasons: AAU compliance, length of travel, and any weather or traffic delays. Also, it is difficult to perform your best after lengthy travel.

If you are unable to travel with your son to a tournament, please let your coach know immediately. Occasionally, other team members have allowed an additional player to travel with them and bunk in their rooms. Vanguard Volleyball Club doesn't make these arrangements but encourages you to seek out other parents on your son's team to see if this may be an option.

Any weather concerns related to tournament travel should be directed to the tournament website first, then to your team coach.

Flying to Tournaments

It is critical to remember your uniform, volleyball shoes, knee pads, and other volleyball equipment when preparing for a tournament. It is very difficult to replace these items on the day of the tournament, so please check to make sure you see your player has all their volleyball items before leaving home. If you are traveling by plane, we strongly suggest you carry on your uniform and shoes and not check them as baggage.

We are often asked how soon we will be done at a tournament in order to fly home. It all depends on how many teams are entered in your age division, what bracket you're in, etc. The Directors generally recommend flights out no earlier than 6:00 PM.

Many sites sell food, most often not nutritional, and occasionally no food is available. Bring water or a water bottle marked with your name. Travel and tournaments may require very early start times and competing late into the night. We need to make sure

our players have as much rest as possible to compete at their best.

To support our teams and coaches, we respectfully request that all team members be in their rooms no later than 10:00 pm. Lights, television, and electronics, including cell phones, computers or any other device that would keep the room's occupants awake should be turned off.

AAU does not require you to stay in one of the hotels they provide at a discounted rate. Discounted hotel arrangements will be made by Vanguard Volleyball Club and will be posted on our website and/or sent via email for your convenience, but are not required.

When using the link to book your rooms, be sure to include your player's name and their team name, 18-1 Gold Webb (example), on the reservations/ rooming list

Staying together at the team hotel encourages comradery and supports all Vanguard teams and coaches.

If you have additional questions about this policy, please email us at vanguardvbc@gmail.com

Families are asked to let their coach or team chaperone know if they are leaving the hotel. There may be important last-minute changes or announcements from your coach. Players are not allowed to leave the hotel or playing venue without their parents or legal guardian.

In consideration of other hotel guests and staff, Vanguard Directors, coaches, players, chaperones, and family members will be courteous and respectfully obey hotel policy at all times. This includes being quiet in all hallways, lobby areas, rooms, and elevators.

Any player who damages any property at the team hotel tournament or practice facilities will be personally responsible for the damages. Any individual(s) who fail to comply with the Travel and Overnight Travel Policies and Procedures will be suspended and possibly released from Vanguard.

Vanguard Volleyball Club policy prohibits any member of the opposite gender in hotel /team rooms, and players are not allowed in hotel /team rooms with members of the opposite gender or significant others. Family members are not subject to this policy. Failure to follow this policy may result in player suspension or dismissal from the team.

Any player found in possession of alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs or engaged in inappropriate or unlawful behavior will be immediately released to the custody of their parents or legal guardian, and in the event of a player not accompanied by his parents or legal guardian will be sent home immediately at the expense of the parent or guardian. Additional penalties may include dismissal from the club. Any violation of local, state, or federal laws will be dealt with by the parents or legal guardian and proper law officials.

Tournament Formats and Procedures

Club volleyball tournaments are held on weekends from November until the end of February. The gold team season starts again after Ohio’s boy’s high school season, usually in June through the AAU Boys Volleyball National Championships, the first week of July.

Each team will play at least four matches, and possibly more, depending on the tournament. Some, but not all, tournaments use pool play matches to determine seeding for elimination play, but the exact format varies both by tournament and age group. Events can begin as early as 8:00 AM . and may finish as late as 10:00 PM. Tournament pools and schedules are generally posted on the Advanced Event System website, AES, www.advancedeventsystem.com, on Wednesday, just prior to the tournament. A few tournaments do not use AES; questions about the tournament format can be directed to your coach.

Generally, on most tournament days, players should arrive 1 hour before the first match and should be at the court stretching at least 45 minutes prior to a match. About 30 minutes before game time, the team should be warming up. If a team is scheduled to ref first, then players will generally arrive one hour prior to officiating, warm up, then ref, warming up again before their first match.

During the day, each team should stay together as much as possible and must advise its coach or team chaperone if players leave the site to obtain food. Be aware of the match schedules and when your team plays, referees, or rests. Failure to referee a match will result in penalties for your team that may include forfeiting a match or losing the chance of placing in the finals.

Sometimes, after the last match of pool play, a team that has not qualified for the playoffs at a tournament may need to stay and referee one additional match. Before leaving for home or the team hotel, each team should meet with their coach for any updates for the next day’s play. Also, make sure we have all the volleyballs brought for warm-up. Each team should properly dispose of its own trash.

Teams are typically grouped into pools of four or five teams. Each team plays every other team in its pool once. In a four-team pool, there will be three games per match, while five-team pools will have two games per match. Teams not scheduled to play supply officials (two referees, two scorers, and two line judges) or enjoy a rest period. The rest periods should be used for meals.

Per AAU rules, all teams are required to officiate other matches during tournaments we attend. Tournament organizers will penalize a team and/or club if a team misses or skips their team’s officiating duties. All players are required to stay until the team has either won the championship match or completed their officiating assignment. The team coach will determine who does each officiating task and when. Players who are not officiating should rest and get a snack, then swap with another player so they may rest and get a snack, too. All players are required to complete the mandatory referee or scoring clinic in person and/or online.

In many tournaments, the top two teams in each of the four pools will advance to the elimination rounds. There may be a playoff, in the event of ties for first or second place in a pool, to determine which team advances. Teams that do not advance to the elimination rounds might still need to be provided by officials. Semifinals and finals are sometimes officiated by adult Certified Referees, at least one of whom will be present throughout a tournament to supervise youth officials.

Teams can earn bids to the AAU Boys Volleyball National Championships by winning a qualifier.

Recruiting

Many players wonder about being recruited by a college to play volleyball. It is challenging work for the players, parents, and coaches to get the attention of college coaches. There are many questions about the process: “ Am I good enough to play in college?” “Will I get recruited?” “When will I get recruited?” ” How do I get a college to recruit me?” “What colleges would be interested in me”? These are many of the concerns eager players and their families have.

Vanguard coaches maintain communication with most of the men’s volleyball colleges and coaches around the country. By taking Vanguard teams to AAU Qualifiers and to the AAU Nationals, we are exposing our top players to many college coaching staff. Player participation in USAV and OVR High-Performance programs also gives our top players additional exposure to college coaches. Attending college volleyball camps and clinics is an additional way for college coaches to see you play.

For more information on recruiting guidelines and the recruiting process, we suggest you visit the USA Volleyball website page for collegiate athletes www.teamusa.org

Also, see the Middle Hitter website. This is the most comprehensive website for male college and professional volleyball players. It is for all playing positions, not just middles! Go to www.middlehitter.com

NCAA for rules, regulations, and information about men’s collegiate volleyball www.ncaa.com

If you are interested in playing volleyball in college, talk to your coach and contact Vanguard Program Director Bryan Webb at vanguardvbc@gmail.com

Elevate Your Game With Our Competitive Programs

Vanguard Volleyball Club