Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How is club volleyball different from recreational volleyball?

A: While we believe there is a place for recreation-style programs, we are passionate about playing volleyball year around. The club plays indoor 6v6 and beach 2v2. We play inside via gyms, outside via grass, outside via sand – basically whenever and wherever I can find a net, we are playing volleyball. Our practices, events, and leagues focus on players getting a large number of game-like ball touches, thus creating volleyball IQ (reading of the ball). The more you play, the more you learn, the more you grow.

Q: How is outdoor volleyball different from indoor volleyball?

A: Indoor volleyball is played with six per side. As the players develop and progress – each person has a specialized position and there are complex rotations and switches going on throughout games to ensure that each person remains in their designated position. Outdoor (beach) volleyball is typically played with doubles. On grass and on the sand. There are no specialized positions, only a left and a right side. Most beach players are well-rounded and can hit, dig and block.

Court sizes for indoor and beach volleyball are very different. Indoor courts are 60′ x 30′, with a parallel attack line that is 10′ from the center line. Back-row players must stay behind this line when attacking the ball. Beach courts are smaller, 26’3 x 52’6 and there is no attack line. A player may hit the ball from anywhere on their side of the net. If you wonder why the beach court is smaller, try a quick lateral sprint through the sand and see how much speed (and breath) you lose. A smaller court ensures that the ball will stay live longer and rallies will be more entertaining.

Indoor volleyballs are made of leather and are heavier than outdoor balls. Indoor volleyball is a game of power and the heavier balls move quicker and can be hit harder. Beach volleyballs are softer, lighter, and a bit bigger than indoor balls. The lighter weight allows them to float more in the air, allowing good players to use the weather to their advantage.

Beach volleyball there are no tryouts, and there are no cuts. Anyone is welcome to participate. We have plenty of space available.

Indoor volleyball there are tryouts, and there are cuts. We are extremely limited on indoor court space.

Pro-Indoor
With 6 people on the floor and a massive block, it is much harder to score indoors.
There is more size and power involved indoors.
Indoor players are highly specialized in their skills and are very good at the skills required by their positions.
Indoor is a much faster game than beach and is harder to keep up.
Having a coach on the sideline makes it tougher on the other team because they are making analyses and adjustments with their teams during the match.

Pro-Beach
In beach, there is nowhere to hide. If you are struggling, there are no substitutions so you either figure things out or lose.
There is no coach, so players have to make in-game adjustments on their own.
With only 2 people on the court, there is a lot more area to cover.
Beach is much more physically demanding than indoors.
There is more individual strategy involved in beach than indoors.
Beach is much much cheaper, money-wise. Events are typically $25-30 per player and leagues, and camps and clinics are $150-$300.

Indoor age divisions:
U12, U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U18

Beach age divisions:
U12, U14, U16, U18

Beach volleyball is recognized by NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, and CCCAA schools as an emerging sport for women and is an equivalency sport which means athletic scholarships can be split into partial awards in any proportion up to the maximum allowed.

Current beach program college statistics (2023):

CCCAA (44 programs)

NAIA (31 programs)

NJCAA (16 programs)

NCAA D1 (67 programs)

NCAA D2 (18 programs)

NCAA D3 (10 programs)

Common myths when it comes to indoor club volleyball:

  • Bigger is better.
  • A #1 team in any club is better than a #2 team in any club.
  • Team labels can be misleading. “Elite”, “Select”, “National” etc. mean nothing within the club volleyball world. It all boils down to which division you are playing in. The strongest teams will be playing events where an “open” division is offered.
  • More expensive is better.
  • A paid coach is better than a volunteer coach.
  • A coach who played DI is better than a coach who never played at a high level.
  • If I play club volleyball, I will get a scholarship.

College statistics when it comes to indoor volleyball:

  • % of US high school female volleyball players competing at any college level 5.7%
  • % of US high school female volleyball players competing at NCAA DI schools 1.1%
  • Odds of a US high school female volleyball player making an NCAA or NAIA roster 23:1
  • Odds of a US high school female volleyball player making an NCAA DI roster 92:1

Questions to discuss as a family:

  • How serious is my daughter about volleyball, how much does she love to play?
  • How much time do I have to dedicate to volleyball: will it interfere with school, other sports, and hobbies?
  • How much can we afford: dues, travel, family travel?
  • How important is it that I am on the same team as my friend(s)?

Q:  How many indoor teams do you anticipate having (offering) for the 2023-2024 season?

A: 1-2 U12, 2 U13, 2-3 U14, 2-3 U15, 2 U16, 2 U17, 1-2 U18

Q:  How large are the indoor teams?

A: Gaston Galaxy tries its best to cap teams at 9 players. In order to form 2 teams for an age division, we will need at least 9 qualified players committed per those teams.

Q: What is your policy on playing time?

A:   All decisions about playing time are left to the coach.  At younger age levels, we believe it is important for each player to have the opportunity to play in matches and will do our best to make sure this occurs (even at younger ages, however, equal playing time is not promised, and in truth, is sometimes not possible due to the randomness of the game and coach’s limitations on substitution logistics).

Q:  When do indoor teams practice?

A:  Club teams practice 2 nights a week.

Q:  How long does the indoor season last?

We have tryouts in November, form teams, fit and order jerseys and start practicing in December. Tournaments start in January and run until the end of March. Our indoor season runs December-March (4 months). We take the week of Thanksgiving and Christmas OFF.
We live in NC. Weather-wise our kids play multiple sports (spring especially). We also play outdoor volleyball (beach) on sand and grass starting in April and ending in October. We are only indoors club-wise for 4 months but remember the players have been indoors for 2-3 months BEFORE our club season playing for their middle and high schools. Trust me they ARE playing plenty of indoor volleyball.
Q:  How many indoor tournaments do teams play in?
ALL Galaxy indoor teams are guaranteed 6 tournaments from January through March and 1-2 tournament-style scrimmages in December. Depending on the team rankings and skill levels, teams play either USAV, AAU, JVA, or a combination of all 3. Tournaments are either 1 or 2-day events. Travel is not far (and trust me when I say this- it doesn’t need to be far away, club volleyball is HUGE in our area/region). Furthest we go for example is Charleston SC and Atlanta GA.

Q: Do teams scrimmage other clubs?

A:  Absolutely. We are always looking to set up scrimmages and even host some small indoor tournaments with clubs within our area.

Q:  What are the fees for each indoor team?

A:   Gaston Galaxy Volleyball is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Gym rental, coaching, tournament entries, business/Website fees, insurance, equipment, etc. require money. 2023-2024 club dues:

2023-2024 ALL TEAMS: $950-$1200

*Club fees do not cover USAV yearly junior membership ($50), AAU yearly junior membership ($35), and personal travel expenses. Fees do include 1 new indoor volleyball and 1 ROX jersey.

Q:  Is my child too old to play U12/U13/U14/U15/U16/U17/U18?

U12 age cap – must be under 12, or have turned 12 on or after July 1st, 2009. For example, if your junior turned 12 on July 1st, 2023 she is cleared to play U12 for the 2023-2024 season.

U13 age cap – must be under 13, or have turned 13 on or after July 1st, 2008. For example, if your junior turned 13 on July 1st, 2023 she is cleared to play U13 for the 2023-2024 season.

U14 age cap – must be under 14, or have turned 14 on or after July 1st, 2007. For example, if your junior turned 14 on July 1st, 2023 she is cleared to play U14 for the 2023-2024 season.

U15 age cap – must be under 15, or have turned 15 on or after July 1st, 2006. For example, if your junior turned 15 on July 1st, 2023 she is cleared to play U15 for the 2023-2024 season.

U16 age cap – must be under 16, or have turned 16 on or after July 1st, 2005. For example, if your junior turned 16 on July 1st, 2023 she is cleared to play U16 for the 2023-2024 season.

U17 age cap – must be under 17, or have turned 17 on or after July 1st, 2004. For example, if your junior turned 17 on July 1st, 2023 she is cleared to play U17 for the 2023-2024 season.

U18 age cap – must be under 18, or have turned 18 on or after July 1st, 2003. For example, if your junior turned 18 on July 1st, 2023 she is cleared to play U18 for the 2023-2024 season.

Q:  Indoor boys (Palmetto Region rules)

  • U12 girl’s teams can accept an unlimited number of boys 10U or younger
  • U13 girl’s teams can accept a maximum of 4 boys 11U or younger
  • U14 girl’s teams can accept a maximum of 3 boys 12U or younger
  • U15 girl’s teams can accept a maximum of 2 boys 13U or younger
  • U16 girl’s teams can accept a maximum of 2 boys 14U or younger

General rules:

All Boys teams U14 and under are eligible to play in girls’ *selected* tournaments but have to play at least up one age division (Girls U15 for example).

All Boys teams U15 and over, cannot participate in girls’ competition (Boys U15 and above may only play against boys teams, etc.).

USAV 2023-2024 Age Definitions

Q:  When are indoor Open Gyms and Tryouts?
Galaxy holds our indoor tryouts in November to allow for most of the NCHSAA season to be completed AND to let middle school-age players develop during their school volleyball seasons.
So enjoy the high school and middle school seasons.

2023-2024 GALAXY INDOOR TRYOUT DATES POSTED:

LOCATION TBD

YOU MUST REGISTER BEFORE TRYOUTS (YOU WILL NEED A SPORTSENGINE ACCOUNT IT IS FREE)

Tryouts U12, Friday, November 10th, 6:30-8:30 PM @ FIRST ARP CHURCH GYM (317 S Chester St, Gastonia, NC 28052)

Tryouts U13, Saturday, November 11th, 9-11 AM @ FUMC-GASTONIA GYM (190 E Franklin Blvd, Gastonia, NC 28052)

Tryouts U14, Saturday, November 11th, 11-1 PM @ FUMC-GASTONIA GYM (190 E Franklin Blvd, Gastonia, NC 28052)

Tryouts U15, Saturday, November 11th, 2-4 PM @ FUMC-GASTONIA GYM (190 E Franklin Blvd, Gastonia, NC 28052)

Tryouts U16, Saturday, November 11th, 5-7 PM @ FUMC-GASTONIA GYM (190 E Franklin Blvd, Gastonia, NC 28052)

Tryouts U17, Sunday, November 12th, 5-7 PM @ FIRST ARP CHURCH GYM (317 S Chester St, Gastonia, NC 28052)

Tryouts U18, Sunday, November 12th, 7:30-9:30 PM @ FIRST ARP CHURCH GYM (317 S Chester St, Gastonia, NC 28052)

COST: $20

COST COVERS gym rental and coaches