Frequently Asked Questions
What is J.O. volleyball?
J.O. volleyball stand for Junior Olympic Volleyball. It operates under the management of North Country Region Volleyball (NCR), which is a regional division of USA volleyball. It is a non-profit organization trying to promote and encourage the growth of volleyball in Minnesota and surround states. JO programs are not tied to school programs and run independently from school district programs.
Who can play J.O. volleyball?
Anybody can play J.O. volleyball. However, the Litchfield Juniors program is designed to work with Litchfield area girls in grades 4-11.
Why are J.O. volleyball programs so different?
J.O. volleyball is a national program. Therefore, it is easy to see how there can be such variety when it comes to participation and commitment. The Litchfield Juniors program is designed as a opportunity for Litchfield girls to participate in volleyball outside of the school's competitive season, while still allowing the opportunity to be involved in other activities. There are a few programs in the state which start in November and run through the summer. However, we are not one of these types of programs and have no goal of becoming one. We encourage our participants to be involved in other programs during the winter and spring seasons. Year long programs are designed for single-sport athletes that are specializing in volleyball alone.
How much does it cost? Where does this fee go?
There are two participation level fees for the Litchfield Juniors. The fee to participate at the 12s level is $175 and the 13s-17s level is $200. Fees help pay for individual membership fees, team membership fees, tournament entry fees, facility use fees, equipment, and coaches' salaries. There are also two refundable fees. Each participant will need to pay a $30 jersey fee and a $20 concession fee. The jersey fee is returned at the end of the year when the player turns in her jersey. The $20 concession fee is returned if players and parents work the concession stand at the Litchfield Juniors Tournament. We try and enter every team into 6 tournaments during the competitive season and most of these tournaments cost on average $100 to participate. If you were to compare the Litchfield Juniors prices to other area programs, we are confident you will find that we are very competitively priced.
What is the practice schedule like?
Most weeks during the season, all teams will practice twice. All teams practice on Sunday, and then depending on the age group you are in, you will practice on either a Tuesday or Thursday. Sunday practices run from 1-3pm and 3-5pm, depending on the age group. Tuesday and Thursday practices will run form 6-8pm. If a team has a weekend tournament and the tournament is on a Saturday, the team will still practice on the Sunday of that weekend. If the tournament is on a Sunday, there will be no practice that weekend.
What is the tournament schedule like?
Our goal is to have all teams participate in 6 tournaments during the competitive season. We make an effort to enter teams into a variety of size tournaments (8-20+ teams). We also make a deliberate effort to keep these tournaments relatively local (about an hour drive). We are not always able to achieve these goals, but if we have to make changes, they are done with the team's best interests in mind.
Who are the coaches?
Coaches are current Litchfield High School coaches, former volleyball coaches, and former Litchfield High School volleyball players. Occasionally, parents will also coach teams. We also work closely with new coaches to provide them guidance as they work to learn all of the intricacies of being a volleyball coach.
What if there is a conflict with a school activity?
We have no intention of pulling athletes away from school activities and players are not allowed to use J.O. volleyball as an excuse to miss school sponsored events (practices or competition). If there is a conflict between attending a school activity and a J.O. activity, players must attend the school activity. If coaches become aware of players missing school activities because of J.O., it will result in the reduction of participation in tournaments.
Who is in charge of the Litchfield Juniors program?
Litchfield Juniors is managed by the Litchfield Volleyball Association (LVA). The LVA is governed by a 4 member Board of Directors. To learn more about the Board of Directors click here.