Q. Who can register?
A. The Spring program is open to GIRLS in grades 4th through 12th.  The Fall program is open to BOYS in grades 4th through 8th.  Both McLean residents and non-residents are welcome to join. During the spring season, active club volleyball players in grades 7 to 12 cannot join team rosters.  They are always welcome to participate as coaches and referees (HS-only).

Q. Is prior volleyball experience required?
A. For House leagues, no prior experience is needed to play. It's open to youth athletes regardless of playing experience and skill level. Every registered player is placed on a team. MS Select, HS Select and HS Travel teams are for more experienced players and require a tryout to be placed on a team, with the exception of self-formed HS Select teams.

Q. Where can I find out more about volleyball rules, terminology and other playing opportunities?
A. Answer

Q. What is a "House" league?
A. The recreational HOUSE leagues are open to everyone regardless of volleyball experience or skill. Unlike the Select and Travel leagues, there are no tryouts or cuts -- anyone registered is placed on a team. The focus is on learning, playing and enjoying the sport of volleyball in a casual environment. Teams are formed around friend requests and school affiliations. Some special rules are followed to encourage learning.

Q. What is a "Select" league (girls only)?
A. Unlike the inclusive nature of House, Select pulls in top players after an optional tryout (or self-selection process for High School). Select is ideal for athletes looking for a more advanced volleyball experience. There are no minimal skills required to tryout for Select but the tryout is very competitive. Those who do not make a Select team after the tryout are automatically placed on a grade-appropriate House team.

Q. How are the "Select" and "Travel" teams determined (girls only)?
A. There are two select leagues (MS & HS) and one HS travel league. The MS Select and HS Travel require a tryout to make a team. HS Select allows self-formed teams of experienced players and may include league-formed teams based on a tryout. All tryouts take place in early March.

Q. On which day of the week do teams practice?
A. MYA Volleyball has access to public school gyms in the McLean-area from Monday through Friday between 5:30pm and 9:00pm. Each House and HS Select (girls-only) team practices once per week for 90 minutes on a dedicated court, with MS Select (girls-only) and HS Travel (girls-only) practicing twice a week. One team could practice on Mondays from 5:30pm-7:00pm while another team in the same league could end up practicing on Thursdays from 7:30pm-9:00pm at a different location. During registration, participants indicate which weekday evenings are available for practices and other special requests (friends, coaches, etc.). MYA Volleyball schedulers then work to assign each player to a team that practices on an available evening while honoring special requests.

Q. When are matches?
A. League matches are always on Saturdays between 9:00am and 6:00pm at schools in the greater McLean area with the exception of Boys where away matches could take place around Fairfax County. House leagues play one 60-minute match while Select and Travel leagues play one 90-minute match. The scheduling software randomly selects the start times, locations and opponents. Teams only play against other teams in the same league.

Q. Can participants identify teammate and practice preferences?
A. Yes. During the registration process, participants can make special requests such as friends, coaches, gym locations, etc. as well as identify days and times that are available for volleyball practices. MYA Volleyball will accommodate these special requests as best as possible. During the spring season, the RosterBuddy Player Portal provides families the opportunity to update availability in late February.

Q. Can club volleyball athletes play on MYA Volleyball teams?
A. During the spring, active club players in grades 4th - 6th can play on a House team (but not MS Select or HS Select). Active club players in grades 7th and above cannot play on any team. This is to keep matches fair and balanced. The one exception is for those serving as club "practice-only" players. For example, an athlete in grade 7th or above playing on a club team for just the winter months can join MYA Volleyball during the spring season, but an athlete playing on a club team during the spring cannot also play on an MYA Volleyball team during the same spring season. However, HS club players are always welcome to service as coaches and referees.

Q. Is there an equal playing time policy for the House leagues?
A. Yes. As an instructional recreation program, we promote equal time on the court. During House matches, teams utilize "Continuous Substitution" which uses the players on the bench and the players on the court as one continuous line-up. With each new service rotation, a player in a specific position leaves the court and the next available player on the bench enters the game into that position.

Q. Is there an equal playing time policy for the Select and Travel leagues?
A. No. During Select and Travel matches, coaches follow a more common model practiced by club, high school, college and competitive adult programs where playing time is earned during practices and determined by the head coach as part of game strategy. This structure results in some players playing more than others. See the MYA Volleyball Playing Time Policy for additional details.

Q. What happens with those on the waitlist?
A. The hope is to pull everyone off the waitlist - anyone interested in playing volleyball should have the opportunity to play in our program. Unfortunately, the program is constrained by the availability of gyms and the number of volunteer coaches. The more coaches, the more teams and therefore the more players we can support. To this point, anyone on the waitlist with a parent who volunteers to coach will be switched from the waitlist to the active registration list.

Q. Where can I learn more about volleyball rules, terminology and other playing opportunities.
A. MYA Volleyball House teams follow a modified set of rules to encourage learning. If new to the sport, its rules and terminology, visit the following volleyball resource page. Finally, to learn more about volleyball in the area including high school and club volleyball playing opportunities, visit the NoVA Volleyball Alliance website.

Q. What is the relationship between McLean Youth Volleyball and MYA?
A. McLean Youth Volleyball is the volleyball affiliate of McLean Youth Athletics, Inc. (MYA). MYA also sponsors youth basketball, lacrosse, field hockey, wrestling, flag football, track & cross-country and rugby.

Q. Do participants need to live in McLean?
A. No. MYA attracts athletes from locations around the region including Vienna, Great Falls, Falls Church, Arlington and Bethesda. Note that non-residents of Fairfax County must pay a $30 surcharge during registration. This is the amount Fairfax County charges MYA for each non-resident in our program for their use of Fairfax County Public School facilities.

Q. What gear do participants need?
A. Knee pads are the only specialized equipment strongly recommended - they can be purchased at local sporting goods stores or online. T-shirt uniforms are provided to all players at no additional cost. New court shoes are also recommended.

Q. What do you recommend if we want to purchase a volleyball?
A. Quality volleyballs can be purchased at local sporting goods stores or online. We highly recommend purchasing the same type of ball used in the different MYA Volleyball leagues:

• Girls & Boys 4th-6th House use Tachikara SV-MNC Volley-Lite Volleyballs
• Girls 7th-12th House use Tachikara SV-5WSC Sensi-Tec Volleyballs
• Girls MS Select, HS Select and HS Travel use Molten Super Touch IV58L-N Volleyballs
• Boys 7th-8th use Molten Flistatec V5M5000 Volleyballs