The Au-Zone Files 2017-2019

[Cajunsmike]

Seems to me a lot of gifted athletes are being overlooked.

Agreed. Kids who can't afford all the travel ball costs have to show more in their HS games. If it is not football however, apparently you don't even get looked at if you are not in the travel ball circuit.

[Policarp]

Travel volleyball here in DFW is a large investment. 1 daughter + 2 seasons a year (court/sand) Conservatively is 15k year.

Sand volleyball tournaments typically have booze which adds to the Visa bill....Best Bloody Mary ever is Bradford Beach, Milwaukee, WI.

[ManAboutTown]

Holy crap Poli! I would have never thought..

I listened to much of this as well. (Great job btw Ian).

I also found the recruiting comments odd. I get the club angle but how can you not at least send assistants to watch HS Vball? That surprised me a lot.

[CAJUNJUDO]

Especially within a 15 mile radius.
Don’t STM and Teurlings always have pretty good volleyball teams?

[CRAWFISH61]

I am guessing it is like HS school soccer. A few really good teams with a lot of bad teams. If you want to see girls play at a high level with good competition you need to see the travel teams play. And volleyball is first with girls which has really lowered level of athletes in high school basketball.

[Turbine]

I get the point of diminishing returns on local and the value added proposition of travel volleyball.

However it seems to me that taking your tablet to local games and doing office work in the stands is the right use of time, and you might spot a gem.

[Cajunsmike]

Especially within a 15 mile radius.
Don’t STM and Teurlings always have pretty good volleyball teams?

There are plenty of local kids on the team. Best players on those teams play at the club level.

[Cajunrunner]

There are plenty of local kids on the team. Best players on those teams play at the club level.

My oldest tried out for her 7th grade volleyball team here in TX a few years ago. There was an A, B and practice team. She didn’t even make the first cut for any of them.

We put her on a local club team for the Spring. A few years later, she’s been playing with their elite team and is on her high school JV team. That first Spring of club helped her start to catch up with girls who she was competing against for school team spots.

And actually (this isn’t the case with us), some players and parents seem to have more pride in their club team than their school team. I don’t understand it, and I enjoy the school season more. I guess because Lafayette area was more in school pride for your sports. But for sports like volleyball around here, some get more excited for the club season.

[CAJUNJUDO]

There are plenty of local kids on the team. Best players on those teams play at the club level.

I know that as I've scoured the roster; however, is it a fact that every "best" player plays at the club level? I get that the majority probably do, but how can one be certain if the teams are NOT evaluated?

[Policarp]

My son is a top 6A lefter pitcher here in Plano.....Club baseball ranks well above HS. True in baseball, softball, soccer and volleyball. Club coach does 98%+ of the networking/recruiting for their players. College coaches will call a players club coach almost exclusively before their HS coach. With exception of football.....HS coaches are little more than your typical govt employees here. Player skills development happens at the Club level.

If you want to see your kid excel.....you need to invest & buy it. Sucks, that is just the way it is.

FWIW....Can add that club baseball is NOT as expensive as club volleyball or soccer.