CHATHAM BALLHAWKS VOLLEYBALL CLUB
Competitive Teams FAQ's
Tryouts
Tryouts are generally held mid to late September and some teams may have additional tryouts in October. The Ballhawks club follow the Ontario Volleyball Association's (OVA) policy for tryout windows. Please refer to the OVA's website for further information.
Practices
Competitive teams practice 2-3 times per week, from October to April. Practices are typically 90 minutes in length, and run weekday evenings but due to gym availability, may have some Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
Tournaments
Tournaments are run by the Ontario Volleyball Association, and teams generally compete in one age-group event per month, culminating in the Provincial Championships in April. The standard season has five tournaments (incl Provincials). These events are held throughout Southwestern Ontario, however older-age teams may have to travel to more distant locations, occasionally requiring an overnight stay.
Note: Coaches will often elect to compete in additional events. Some teams may compete in tournaments in the United States. The cost for AAU registration for players and tournament costs are not included in the base registration. Some teams may also go on to compete in the Canadian National Championships in May. These costs are not included in the base registration unless specifically noted at the beginning of the season.
Cost
Registration fees for recent seasons for full competitive teams [U13-U18] have been between $700-$1300. The fee covers such costs, not all, as:
–OVA player, team, coach registration fees, coach and club costs
–Uniforms
–Practice gym times
–Equipment
–Tournament entry fees to all provincial age-division tournaments (4) and Provincials
Teams may fundraise to offset costs associated with competing in additional events.
Practice Player Fee: Any athlete registered as a practice player for a specific team, the fee is $175 which includes OVA Player registration, practice T-shirt, gym times and equipment.