• INTRODUCTION

• N3 MISSION STATEMENT

• WHY PLAY J.O. VOLLEYBALL

• WHAT’S NEW FOR N3 IN 2008

• N3 WEBSITE

• AGE GROUP CLASSIFICATION

• ELIGIBILITY RULES

• TEAM SELECTION

• COACHING STAFF

• COACHING AND PLAYING PHILOSOPHY

• TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

• TEAM CLASSIFICATION / COSTS

• PAYMENT SCHEDULE

• FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES

• OUR EXPECTATIONS OF PLAYERS

• OUR EXPECTATIONS OF PARENTS

• PARENT REP RESPONSIBILITIES

• WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM N3

• CONCLUSION

Welcome to N3’s (Northern Indiana Elite Volleyball Academy (NIEVA) and Three Rivers Volleyball Club) third season. NIEVA was operated under the Inside Out Volleyball Club umbrella in 2001-2002. From 2003-2005 NIEVA had grown from a club of 4 teams to one of 10 teams and over 100 players. NIEVA was one of the newest clubs in Northeast Indiana and enjoyed an excellent reputation in the region and nationally. Three Rivers Volleyball Club has been heavily involved with club volleyball in the Fort Wayne area for over 10 years with 12 teams and over 100 players in 2005. N3 has benefited by combining our efforts and building upon each of our strengths to provide the best possible product for the volleyball community.

N3 is governed by an 3 person board of directors. Key club personnel serve on an Advisory Council. We will also have a very active Parent Rep Advisory Committee. We are recognized as a 501(c)-3 nonprofit organization. We are the only club so recognized in the area.

We, N3, are committed to providing the best possible environment for our volleyball players to reach their maximum playing potential through excellence in coaching and community support. Our players will be challenged to excel not only for their own personal growth but also for the betterment of their teams, N3, and the communities in which they live.

Junior volleyball programs have exploded all across the country. Only 20 years ago, the first AAU National tournament was held and only 20 teams made the trip. In 1998, there were more than 50,000 registered junior players in the United States. N3 is part of the Hoosier Region, which encompasses the entire State of Indiana. Last year over 10,000 junior players were registered in the Hoosier Region.

Is N3 and JO volleyball only for the college bound athlete? Certainly not! While our program begins in the fourth grade, college scholarships are often the furthest thing from the minds of our young players. Learning a lifelong sport, making friends, and having fun are often the reasons young girls get into volleyball. We are proud of the number of girls from N3 who have received college scholarships from Division 1 schools. We are equally proud of our athletes who go on to college and play volleyball recreationally and just for fun.

N3 tries to promote the goals set forth by USA Volleyball. The goal of every player should be to improve ones skills to enable them to take their game to the next level whatever that level is. It is true that many of our upper level players have achieved recognition as All Conference, All Area and All State honors. Others have been selected to receive full Division I scholarships. Over 60 N3 players have gone on to play volleyball in college. We believe that N3 has a place for both the elite player and the developing player. Our philosophy allows players of all skill levels to learn, improve, and progress at a pace they can achieve.

N3 continues to grow and is constantly reviewing our club and looking for ways to improve the club and each individual’s experience (players, parents, staff and coaches). This year, we are looking to offer two teams at each age group (12-under and older age groups) along with a starter program for 7-11 year olds. If there are enough players to field a third team at an age group we will consider only if we can find additional qualified coaches.

The N3 website address is www.N3VC.com. Because we have over 20 teams and over 200 girls and coaches participating, the website is an excellent tool to use to communicate with players and parents. We have made some changes in the website this year to make it easier to read and follow. And we will make further enhancements this year. Please check the site weekly (Thursday is our update day) to see if there is anything new and exciting (and there almost always is!) We encourage parents to submit pictures to their parent rep to be posted on the site.

Age group definitions above are binding for the entire season immediately preceding the USAV Junior National Championships, and there shall be no appeal. Players may play "up" in an age group. Players not meeting the USAV age policy WILL NOT be considered for any team competing in any National Qualifying tournament at any age level.

This rule is in effect for students in the 9^th grade and higher. This rule does not impact 8^th graders and younger. Players who did not play for their high school during the school season are not considered in the count of 3. N3 makes every effort to abide by this rule when selecting teams. However, it is up to the individual player to be aware of the rules and to confirm their eligibility. If you have questions about eligibility, please check with your high school coach.

N3 divides its teams into 2 designations. The number 1 team for each age group (14 and up) is designated an "Open" or "National" team. It is the most competitive level of junior Olympic volleyball. The National teams will have the heaviest practice schedule and a greater number of tournament playing dates. It is the goal of the open teams to conclude their season at the USA Jr. National Volleyball Championships. In 2003 our 14-1 team qualified for the National Tournament in Atlanta. This was the first time in the last 8 years that a team from the Fort Wayne area qualified in the "Open" division. In 2008, our 16-1 and 17-1 teams both qualified in the Club "American" division.

The 2009 junior nationals will be held in late June.  USA Volleyball will also host an Invitational Tournament for teams that did not qualify for Nationals. This tournament will be held at the same time as the Junior Nationals.

It is the expectation of N3 and the coaches of the National Teams that volleyball comes first, above all other sports and activities. We attempt to coexist peacefully with the winter sports including basketball, and find that for the most part, the conflicts are minimal. However, the spring sports of softball and track do not mix well with volleyball and numerous scheduling conflicts occur. For that reason, if a player is selected for an open team from age 13 and above, it is required that volleyball is your first priority. Attendance at all practices and tournaments is expected. There is some flexibility afforded the seniors in the program with regards to graduation and proms. We will attempt to schedule around those events, but it is not always possible.

The club board members will select all of the coaches in the N3 program. The Coaches for N3 will undergo training (IMPACT and CAP certification) mandated by the Hoosier Region and additional training by our more experienced coaches. Coaches new to N3 are partnered with a veteran coach for at least 2 seasons, who will serve as their mentor.

It is N3’s philosophy that practices are the time to improve skills and work on new drills. As the teams begin to practice and gel as a team, emphasis is shifted from individual to team building skills. The fundamentals, which are emphasized initially, are used to develop proficient offensive and defensive tactics.

Tournament Information is usually available the week prior to the tournament. For the bigger tournaments, which require overnight stays, information is usually available earlier. N3 utilizes a Parent Rep for each team and one of the responsibilities of the Parent Rep will be to assist the Parent Rep Coordinator in making hotel reservations for the teams traveling to out-of-town tournaments. The Parent Rep Coordinator is in charge of the hotel arrangements for the National teams traveling to qualifiers and the regional bid and regional championship. She will reserve a block of rooms for all overnight tournaments for each team, parents will have a deadline to call and reserve a room in their own name with a credit card. After that deadline all rooms will be released by the hotel. We would like for teams to stay together, however a player or parent may make optional hotel arrangements if they would prefer.

*This fee includes all club expenses except tournament fees. These will be assessed once a tournament schedule is set and will be billed monthly as they are incurred. Individual travel expenses are not included.

Regional: (2) – 2 meetings per week plus position specific training

The majority of teams within N3 will be Regional level teams. The club teams will compete in a minimum of 8-10 playing dates within the states of Indiana, Michigan, Illinois and/or Ohio. Unless the team elects to participate in the AAU tournament in Orlando in June, the season for the Club teams will conclude at the Regional tournament in early May. This level is appropriate for athletes with other spring commitments. It is competitive volleyball but is not as demanding as the National Teams.

*This fee includes all club expenses except tournament fees. These will be assessed once a tournament schedule is set and will be billed monthly as they are incurred. Individual travel expenses are not included.

Fees will not be refunded for Players who choose to leave before the end of the season. Please contact Sherrie Snider or Lane Ross if you need to make other financial arrangements for your club fees. Fees cover the cost of membership in USA Volleyball and the Hoosier Region. They cover the cost of facility rental, coaching fees, uniforms and equipment. Fees do not cover individual player’s travel, food, and lodging costs. Players and Parents often work out car pools to tournaments to reduce costs. In the event a team qualifies for nationals, the entry fee, travel, additional coaching stipend will be charged to each player.

To see a more detailed explanation and breakdown of the club fees please click here.  You can also see a comparison of the club fees that are charged by several area volleyball clubs.

Each year a program book with pictures of all the teams and travel schedules is produced. This program book is used for college recruiting and passed out at our local tournaments and qualifiers. Ads are sold for the book ranging from a $25.00 business card listing to a $250.00 back cover ad. The player selling the ad receives 80% of the cost of the ad to offset their specific fees. The remaining 20% goes to N3 to help offset the cost of producing the book and to provide for a financial assistance fund. For additional info: Sponsorships

Just showing up for practice is not enough. N3 needs players who are punctual, who are in the proper frame of mind to work hard, and who pay attention to coaches and cooperate with teammates and coaches.

Commitment: It is vital to be committed to the N3 program. If you don’t really want to participate, don’t. If you work hard in practices, matches and scrimmages, you are likely to have a successful season. Players who are committed to improving have little time for you if you simply wish to turn practices into social events.

Regular attendance: We know that not all players can show up to every practice. However, it is important to attend every possible practice. 24-hour notice to your coach is expected when you know you will miss practice.

Respect for the rules of the club: This includes the club’s rules as well as the USAV Players Code of Conduct. Rules will be clearly stated, and will be enforced. Each team may have its own rules established by the coach and approved by the club director.

Cooperation: You will most likely take an overnight trip with your team. These trips require that you will have some rules to live by including curfews. It is expected that you will respect all of the rules that are made.

Image Presentation: You are representing yourself, your family, your school and N3 at every tournament. We are a club that is known for good sportsmanship and integrity by our players, coaches and parents. Arguing with officials is never appropriate and not tolerated. For the older girls, you will not always know when a college recruiter is in the gym and therefore it is important to display proper behavior at all times.

Maintaining Good grades: We consider N3 to be a club of scholar athletes. It is important to maintain good grades.

There is no place for parents to be negative about their daughter, their daughter’s teammates or the coaches. Know that you are also representing N3 and good sportsmanship is very important to N3. We have an excellent reputation in the region and nationally for outstanding teams and outstanding parents and we want to keep it that way.

One of the important ingredients to a successful N3 season is the parent rep. Each team has a representative who serves as the liaison between the coach and the parents. Listed below are the responsibilities for the Parent Rep. If you are interested in serving as the parent rep for your daughter’s team, please let your coach know at the "Meet The Team" Night or call Joyce Moss at 260-705-5700 as soon as possible.

2. Serves as the team representative to the N3 advisory board. Attends meetings as Club Director or Parent Rep Coordinator calls them. There are usually three meetings; one preseason, one during the season and one postseason. Any information presented at the meetings is then communicated back to the team parents by the parent rep.

9. THE PARENT REP IS NOT AN ASSISTANT COACH AND IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY COACHING DECISIONS REGARDING LINEUPS, PLAYING TIME, ETC.

We understand that as a player for the N3 Volleyball Club, you are buying a service. It is our goal to deliver that service to you on an exceptional basis. We want your experience with N3 to be positive and rewarding. We recognize that with any type of team sport, it will be difficult to please 100% of the players or parents 100% of the time. You can expect that our coaches are well trained and will treat you with respect. You can expect that the club facilities will be safe and clean. You can expect that we will provide the number of practices and tournaments that have been promised. And you can expect that the Club Staff will be approachable and will return phone calls or emails within a timely basis (24-48 hours).

In conclusion, we hope this handbook has answered many of your questions regarding participating on a N3 team. If you or your parents have any questions, please call Club Coordinator, Sherrie Snider at 260-459-8883.

Please check the N3 website for updates; www.N3VC.com. Thank you for choosing N3. We are looking forward to a very successful 2009 season.