Girls Championship

Championship Club Level

These teams are for athletes who want to pursue the highest level of play, including National Bids to USAV, JVA, AAU Nationals, Recruiting Showcases, Collegiate Scholarships, and Junior National team rosters.  

Skill levels range from Intermediate to Intermediate Advanced, with the desire and ability to progress.  

Teams will be registered with the Arizona Region of USAV Championship Division, which provides 6 one-day events on Saturdays and the Arizona State Championships.

National Qualifiers: Championship teams will participate in two National Qualifiers from the list below. Team registration for these qualifiers takes place in September and October 2026; we will not know whether we have been accepted until December 2026. 

  • Golden Gate Classic National Qualifier (San Francisco)
  • Nike Music City National Qualifier (New Orleans)
  • Arizona National Qualifier (Local)
  • Far Western National Qualifier (Reno, Nevada)
  • Salt Lake City Showdown National Qualifier (Utah)
  • Nike Big South National Qualifier (Atlanta, Georgia)

Recruiting Showcase: Championship teams will participate in two recruiting showcase events. According to recruiting experts, three of the best events to attend for aspiring college athletes are the Triple Crown series, USAV Nationals, and AAU National Nationals.

Extra Tournaments Included:

  • Fiesta MLK Classic (Local)
  • Festival Fiesta (Local)
  • USAV National Championships (Vegas) or
  • AAU Volleyball National Championships (Orlando, Florida)

If teams qualify for USAV Nationals or are accepted into AAU Nationals, Volleyball Festival will be removed from the list.    

Extra Tournaments Not Included:

  • Stars and Stripes (Local)
  • Triple Crown Invitational/Qualifier (Utah)
  • Volleyball Festival (Local)

Age Classifications: 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

Level Description: National = Championship

Championship Level teams are highly competitive, and limited roster spots are available. You must be able to commit to the entire season, which ends in July.

Our goal is to earn a bid and qualify for USAV Nationals. If we do not qualify, we will register to attend one or more end-of-season national championships, such as the USAV Invited bid category, or AAU Nationals in Orlando, Florida.

Characteristics

An intermediate to advanced level volleyball player has moved beyond the basics and can execute fundamental skills consistently, but is still developing advanced techniques, game awareness, and competitive readiness.

1. Skill Mastery and Consistency

  • Can pass, set, and hit proficiently, with most of their passes getting to the setter and most hits going in bounds.
  • Has good control of momentum and lands safely after going up for a hit.
  • May not yet use a standard hitting approach, but can still score points through solid execution.
  • Possesses reasonable consistency in skills, with only a few points lost to execution errors.

2. Positional and Strategic Understanding

  • Understands offensive concepts (e.g., 6-2, 5-1 sets) and defensive positions.
  • Plays the position they rotate into rather than being strictly assigned.
  • Can attempt to block when a hitter is in front of them.
  • Begins to integrate more advanced skills, such as defensive positioning, offensive plays, and blocking, into their game.

3. Game Awareness and Teamwork

  • Shows good sportsmanship and encourages teammates.
  • Communicates effectively on the court, calling for the ball and understanding rotations.
  • Works on teamwork and communication to support more collaborative play.

4. Physical and Technical Development

  • Has 1–2 years of team experience and plays positional volleyball.
  • Focuses on refining techniques and improving game-speed decision-making.
  • Works on serve receive consistency, attacking footwork, and defensive positioning.
  • May still be working to solidify skills, especially if they’ve had a break from playing.

5. Competitive Readiness

  • Competes in some travel, local tournaments, club teams, or recreational leagues with a higher level of competition.
  • Can handle the pace and demands of organized play but may still need reps to reach advanced levels.

In summary: An intermediate player is confident in their fundamentals, can execute most skills reliably, understands basic strategies, and is ready to take on more complex game situations. They are in the process of building advanced skills, game awareness, and competitive endurance, bridging the gap between intermediate and advanced level competition.