QCVA is focused on creating a community environment. Being part of this community means assuming the best of others and treating everyone with respect, empathy, kindness and compassion. Since volleyball is a team sport, it is important that all parties are committed to building a partnership – amongst athletes, coaches and parents – to position everyone to have a positive experience this season. We expect everyone to help cultivate a positive and empowering environment. Conduct that creates an intimidating or hostile environment is not tolerated.
Our culture centers the collective, not the individual. Parents who enjoy their experience at QCVA are patient, reasonable, inclusive, supportive, and also low-ego. They are “team-first” oriented and don’t play politics. They don’t expect perfection, and they know that mistakes are a natural part of life. They are curious and cooperative in nature. They support QCVA athletes and coaches in a positive manner at all times.
We fully understand that parents are committing a lot of time and money, which naturally brings a set of high expectations. We invite parents to help build a partnership with their athlete’s coach to contribute to their family having a positive experience at QCVA. Please do not sit on your concerns or frustrations if they arise. We’re happy to have healthy, productive conversations to explore solutions and find common ground.
DO
- Exemplify our values and expectations
- Support your athlete’s efforts to arrive to events on time
- Help cultivate a supportive and empowering environment for the team and coaches
- Cheer for your athlete’s team for their play
- Wait at least 24 hours after practices or a tournament’s end to approach a coach
- Attend other QCVA team’s matches during tournaments
- Get to know other athletes and parents
- Place the emotional and physical well-being of your child ahead of your personal desire to win
- Plan proactively for tournament travel and lodging
DON’T
- Instruct or criticize players, coaches and officials from the sideline
- Use discouraging words, threats, or profanity
- Approach the bench, sideline, referee table or stand at any point during a match
- Heckle the opponent’s team, officials, or work teams
- Engage in gossip or unproductive conversations with your athlete, her teammates or other parents
Parents who do not act in accordance with this policy may face removal from a tournament. If QCVA faces sanctions as a result of a parent’s actions, we reserve the right to hold that individual responsible for paying the fine or the tournament costs. If a parent continues to cause disruptions and has not adjusted their behavior after being given explicit feedback to do so, that athlete and parent will be asked to leave the team.
Playing Time
Playing time in matches is not guaranteed nor equally distributed. Families pay for regular training and the opportunity to play on a travel team in a high level of competition. Our coaches’ intention is for every athlete to get regular opportunities to compete in tournaments. However, playing time is earned – not given. We trust our coaches to make the decisions that put the team in the best position to perform – and we support them to do so.
Leading into a tournament: Playing time is determined by a number of factors, including skill, performance, attitude, communication, leadership and the athlete’s adherence to our values and expectations. It is also influenced by the coach’s strategy/game management and expected absences by athletes.
During a tournament/match: There are many considerations that go into a coach’s lineup selection and playing time decisions, including game strategy, strength or weakness of an opponent, number of substitutions and its impact on rotations, athlete performance or attitude in the moment, athlete absences or injury, etc.
We encourage our coaches to proactively share the reasoning for playing time decisions and to give specific feedback about what they’d like to see in order to secure more playing time. That’s not always possible in preparation for or during a tournament, so we also encourage athletes and parents to communicate their curiosities or concerns with their coach to build mutual understanding and prevent unnecessary conflict or resentment.
Communication
Our interest is to maintain open and timely communication throughout the season. We ask each family to trust the process of training and respect the expertise of our coaches and team.
- Coaches will organize parent-coach-athlete meetings at least twice in the season. The goal is to create a shared understanding of performance and growth, and share feedback.
- In the rare event that an athlete has to miss a practice or a tournament, she is obligated to communicate to their coach and team with as much notice as possible.
- Athletes are expected to initiate conversations with their coach regarding questions, concerns or ideas. Parents, please be open-minded and curious before jumping to judgment.
- If outstanding questions or concerns remain, contact your coach. Please be mindful to respect boundaries and be reasonable when texting/communicating with coaches.
Please do not engage in conversation with a coach about playing time, positions, lineups, etc. during a tournament. Our coaches are intensely focused on match management. It’s best for all parties to let cooler heads prevail. If you’d like to have a conversation with the coach, please wait at least 24 hours after the tournament’s conclusion to approach them. Parents will be fined $150 in their LeagueApps account for each violation (plus a penalty of $50 if the fine is not paid within seven days of the infraction).
- If an athlete has a concern, we strongly encourage that the athlete first approach their coach to have a conversation before a parent gets involved.
- If concerns remain, please reach out to the QCVA staff to set up an appointment to discuss the matters with you and the athlete.
- If there is a concern about a coach’s performance, please reach out to [email protected] to arrange a time for a conversation.
PLEASE DO NOT contact your athlete’s coach without your athlete’s knowledge and permission.
Tuition Policy
Parents are responsible for meeting tuition payment expectations, which you consented to during the travel team registration process. Following tryouts, an athlete must pay the deposit tuition payment within 48 hours of an offer to play on a team in order to officially secure their roster spot. That payment is non-refundable. Once an athlete has formally committed to a QCVA team, they are obligated to pay the entire season’s tuition (in full or three installments).
A late payment fee of $25 per week will be applied to the athlete’s account after one week passes from the tuition due date. At that time, athletes with an outstanding balance will not be allowed to compete in tournaments until the payment is paid in full. Special arrangements can be organized in situations where extenuating circumstances complicate the family’s ability to pay. A request must be approved by QCVA’s directors.
QCVA has a strict refund policy. As a small non-profit organization, QCVA relies on the tuition payments to ensure that we can deliver a high-quality experience for our athletes and families. Similar to college tuition, you must pay your balance on time in order to remain in the program.
- QCVA will only consider refunds in extenuating circumstances, including but not limited to athlete injury, personal/family emergency, family relocation, etc. In medical circumstances, the athlete must submit a doctor’s note to QCVA to secure the stop payment.
- An athlete and their family will not be refunded for voluntary withdrawal, continued absences, poor performance or failure to meet the club’s expectations and the code of conduct.
- An athlete’s family who takes a last resort decision to withdraw from their commitment to their team at any time after they make their first tuition payment must adhere to the terms of the payment policy that an athlete’s parent consented to during the travel team registration process.
Athletes and parents are expected to be fully committed to participation at all of your team’s tournaments in the schedule. We will not refund payments to families who decide not to attend the tournaments that our club and other families have committed to.