From its birth in 2006, the JVA has been an association that serves junior volleyball club directors, created by junior volleyball club directors who recognized the need for an organization that provided resources and education to those serving juniors. The founders, at the time, were all running a junior volleyball club that started out with a few teams that trained at a local high school for five months out of the year. The directors had other careers; some were educators, some ran other businesses. After much trial and error, followed by success, their part-time clubs grew into year-round businesses serving more than 300 athletes through various programming at a designated volleyball facility.
Fast forward to today, and our sport has evolved significantly in terms of the number of opportunities there are for girls and boys to learn the game of volleyball and compete on the indoor side, as well as the beach side. Junior volleyball is an industry, encompassing the most popular high school female team sport in the country. However, one thing still remains the same: the majority of volleyball clubs are formed and run by athletes and/or coaches turned club directors, without formal business backgrounds.
Since its inception, the JVA has recognized the importance for junior volleyball club directors to have a place for business specific education and resources to help them run their clubs. 15 years later, JVA remains the sole organization that is 100% focused on the needs of junior volleyball club directors. Therefore, the JVA, alongside The Art of Coaching Volleyball, recognized the need for a formal learning platform designated to offer guidance on how best to handle the day-to-day operations of running a junior volleyball club. The JVA released the Club Management Guide featuring advice from a dozen experienced club directors in over 5 hours of easily digestible videos.
“If you’re gonna start a volleyball club you’re going to get a master’s degree in business really quick by making a lot of mistakes” shares WAVE Volleyball Director Brennan Dean. “I wish I could just pass that knowledge to someone in a video (series) like this.”
The guide provides a comprehensive look into how some of the top clubs in the country run a successful business. It covers a wide variety of important topics, including strategic planning, financial management, hiring/firing, retaining players, managing facilities and planning tournaments. Viewers take away actionable information to make an immediate impact in their club.
“There are tons of resources for coaches but very little for club management, and that has been JVA’s focus for over ten years” states JVA Executive Director Jenny Hahn. “Our greatest asset is that our members and viewers have the opportunity to tap into their expertise and have some of our library of resources included.”
The first step in forming a volleyball club is having a business plan that aligns with your vision and philosophy of what kind of club you want to be. In the first few years, new club directors often lack the ability and/or discipline to follow their business plan and accomplish their goals because they struggle with the financial aspect of running their club. Furthermore, as a club grows, so does the need for checks and balances, a revised business plan, and an enhanced club operations manual.
“I am really thankful I purchased this as I begin to start the third quarter of the year – when we hit the reset button and begin planning for the next year like so many other clubs” shares Scott Jackson, seasoned Club Director of Minnesota Select. “I don’t feel alone in this adventure as a club director as I listen to the experts who have provided their best insights on each topic!”
The Club Management Guide can serve as an essential resource for all club directors. Whether you run an established club or are looking to start a new club, you have a challenging job, and we’re excited to help you build a foundation that will shape the next generation’s love of the game.
The guide is only $49.99 for JVA Club Director Members! That means you save $150, and it’s only $120/year to become a JVA member. If you’re already a JVA Club Director Member, email members@jvavolleyball.org to get your discount code before purchasing. View more information about the Club Management Guide here.
