2026 Volleyball information

Welcome to the Greenville Homeschool Athletics Archer Volleyball family! A LOT of details for our 2026 season are outlined below. Please read through everything and do not hesitate to let me know if you have any questions!

Program Overview

The mission of Greenville Homeschool Athletics is to provide homeschool students with a platform for competitive sports, aiming to foster the development of individuals grounded in Christian values.

Greenville Homeschool Athletics (GHA) is a Christian faith-based organization dedicated to assisting parents as they educate their children spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. We serve as a social network for students as well as a support system for parents as we encourage and assist each other on our homeschool journey. As such, it is our expectation that all participants behave in a way that is honoring to Christ and builds up those around them.

As a homeschool program, it is the sole responsibility of each athlete’s parent(s) to ensure the wellness, health, safety, and eligibility of their child to participate in this program. If an athlete is injured or sick, it is up to the discretion of the athlete’s parent(s) whether or not they are fit to continue participation. We recommend that each athlete receive and pass a full athletic physical prior to participation in this competitive sports program.

Fees and Liability Release Waivers:

All participants will be required to sign a liability release waiver during the online registration process before any athlete is allowed to participate in clinics, practices, games, or special events hosted by GHA. All signed liability release waivers and the entire registration fee will be due before any athlete is allowed to participate in in-season practices that will begin August 3.

Team Communications

We use the Band app to communicate effectively with all volleyball players and their families. Please make sure you have downloaded the Band app and joined our Greenville Homeschool Athletics Volleyball group. You will also want to make sure that you have turned on notifications so that you do not miss any pertinent information. If you have any frustrations using Band, please ask.

Note that ALL team information will be posted in our Band group. There are also separate individual team chat groups where communication can be posted to just one specific team. Please be mindful of where you post questions/information – use the main group posts for things that are relevant to ALL players, regardless of which team they play on, and use the individual team chat groups for team-specific posts.

For general information regarding GHA, we also encourage you to join our Facebook Group.

Schedule:

We will have either practices or games every night of the week except Wednesday. All practices and home games will be held at The Net, 1661 I30 Frontage Rd, Greenville, TX. Our official season starts on Monday, August 3 and goes through the end of October.

Middle School Practices will be from 2-4 PM.

High School Practices will be from 4-6 PM.

Please reference the team game and practice schedule in the Band app. Note that there may still be minor schedule changes. All schedule updates will be posted in the Band app. You are highly encouraged to subscribe to our team Google calendar so that all changes are automatically reflected on your personal calendar.

We plan to have 2 high school and 2 middle school teams this fall. Our Varsity, JV, and MS Black teams are highly competitive. Developmental level players will be placed on JV (high school) or MS Yellow (middle school). While these teams are still competitive, they are also meant to provide a place for our developmental level players to grow and refine their skills in practices to prepare for competitive level play. Developmental players on the JV team will not play during games until they are at the appropriate level of play to contribute to their team’s success. All players should plan to attend games of every GHA team so that they can support the program and also learn how the game is run at the higher levels of play.

Jerseys and Equipment:

The expense of one jersey is included in the $300 registration fee. Liberos only will also receive a second contrasting color jersey, which is also included in the registration fee. Your player’s jersey size and number preference will be collected during the online registration process.

Below is a list of additional items that will be the responsibility of each individual player.

Required:

Solid black jersey bottom – these can be whatever the athlete is most comfortable wearing during games (spandex, leggings, athletic shorts, etc.) but other than a small brand logo, they MUST be solid black. Brand does not matter. If a player wears traditional loose fitting athletic shorts, I would highly recommend that they wear spandex underneath if possible for modesty while diving for balls. Here are the ones most girls prefer:

(Spandex shorts: https://tinyurl.com/nikespandex)

(Leggings: https://tinyurl.com/vbleggings)

*Please note that for the Homeschool state tournament in October, players are required to wear traditional loose fitting athletic shorts with a minimum 3” inseam. These may be worn over spandex/leggings if desired.

Kneepads – black or white is fine. Bigger is NOT better – just something thin and not too bulky works best. These are the ones most players really like, though there are similar other ones that may be cheaper: (https://tinyurl.com/nikekneepad)

Tennis Shoes – must be close toed, lace up, athletic shoes. Volleyball shoes are preferred as they are specifically designed to be lightweight for easier jumping and also reduce slipping on the court surface. Optimally, each player would have a good pair of volleyball court shoes that they ONLY wear indoors on the court, not as every day tennis shoes, as the dirt on the bottom will reduce the effectiveness of traction. It is recommended that they keep their court shoes in their bag until they arrive at practice/games and then change into them once they are in the gym.

Jump rope – any style is fine – whatever the athlete is most comfortable using. Please keep this in your backpack and bring it with you to every single practice. There are usually speed ropes available in the sports section at Walmart for under $5.

Backpack or bag to hold all of your gear – any brand/style is fine

Water bottle – MUST HAVE A SEALED LID – NO STRAW TOPS; if a ball hits it and knocks it over, it should not make a mess. My rule is that if you bring a drink that does not seal and it is knocked over, you will be removed from the game/practice to clean it up and you will not re-enter the game until your position rotates all the way back around to when you would normally sub in (if a sub is available). Many facilities that we use (including The Net) DO NOT have a water fountain for refilling water bottles. Please come prepared with extra water to every single practice and game. Though we often share what we can, it IS NOT the coach’s responsibility to provide water for you. Bottled water is available at The Net front desk for $1.

Practice ball – any ball is better than no ball! You can buy a ball for about $5 at Walmart. Many people often ask me for a link to our regulation practice balls because they are softer and more durable than the cheaper balls you would find at Walmart. Here is a link to the regulation balls that I would recommend if you’d like to invest in a good one: (https://tinyurl.com/tachikara5wsc)

Optional:

Arm sleeves – these are used when wearing short sleeves or a sleeveless shirt to protect the elbows and forearms from court burn when diving. I would highly recommend these for defensive players/liberos, but they are helpful for all players. (www.tinyurl.com/vbarmsleeve)

Elbow pads - some girls like to wear these for extra protection when diving. (https://tinyurl.com/vbelbowpads) 

Ankle braces – I HIGHLY recommend these for protecting your athlete’s ankles, especially if they are a front row player!!! I have been playing/coaching this game for over 30 years and haven’t had a season yet where we didn’t have SOMEONE hurt an ankle – and the only times it couldn’t be walked off was when the athlete wasn’t wearing good braces. I personally wear them when I play. I once went up for a double block where the hitter came under the net and landed on the ankles of my teammate and me. His ankle was shattered and he couldn’t play for

over 2 years and had multiple surgeries, while I walked it off – even though I took the majority of the hitter’s impact. One note: ONLY wear these when playing – if possible, do NOT wear them when working out. You want to make sure that you are doing plenty of agility and ankle strengthening exercises while NOT wearing braces so that you don’t develop weak ankles. (www.tinyurl.com/asobrace)

Parent Volunteer Opportunities and Work Assignments

This program is run almost solely by parent volunteers. There are many jobs that will need to be filled. Every family will be required to have at least 1 adult attend a bookkeeping training (during a practice) and be available to help keep books during games. This job as well as the gatekeeper for home games (collect money from spectators as they arrive) will be assigned to every family in our program on a rotational basis. If you are unable to fulfill one of your assigned work duties, it is your responsibility to find another adult to cover for you. Every family will be required to assist in some way. If we can get multiple parents working together on each job then it should not be overly cumbersome for any one family. 

Team Assignments and Playing Time:

GHA is a COMPETITIVE volleyball program. As such, it is our expectation that athletes commit to taking care of their bodies by consuming a healthy diet and include exercise at home so that they are in shape and ready to compete during the season. The only way you will truly progress as an athlete is if you are willing to put in the time and effort necessary to improve!

We have tried to provide opportunities for every level of athlete to have a place in our program. However, just because an athlete is a strong player does not necessarily mean that there is a place for them in the top team’s lineup. Volleyball is very unique in that there are MANY very specific rules that a coach must follow when making substitutions to put new players into the game, and each rotational position requires a different skill set. We do our best to roster our teams with all of these factors in mind to try and put the strongest teams on the court possible for each level of play, but also respecting the time and effort that each player has to put in by placing them onto a team where their skill set is needed and they will get playing time.

When a parent or athlete is frustrated by lack of playing time, they often do not realize the limitations that the coach is working around. Our top level teams (Varsity, JV, and MS Black) are all competitive teams with the goal of having the strongest lineup on the court at all times as necessary to win the game. The coaches will of course look for opportunities to play every athlete, but know that there will be at least a few games where some athletes do not get in to play at all. This usually is NOT a reflection of our lack of trust in your athlete or her skill level. It is simply a strategic decision made by the coach for the overall success of the team based on that specific opponent, game situation, and the combination of various athlete skills at our disposal. Please be supportive of our coaches by reassuring your athlete and encouraging them in these situations rather than simply focusing on playing time. Encourage them to be the best cheerleader for their teammates anytime they are on the bench. 

Every single athlete will sit on the bench at some point during the season. It is our expectation that all bench athletes are actively watching the game and cheering for their teammates at all times. Continually engaging in conversations unrelated to the game and/or displaying a negative attitude while sitting on the bench are sufficient reason for an athlete to be removed from the bench for the remainder of the game. If you have any questions about playing time, please make it a point to wait for the next day after a game/tournament to speak with the coach.

Big Sister/Little Sisters

Each player this season will have a big sister/little sister. This is a way that we will help to build comradery between our high school and middle school players, and also provides a great opportunity for mentorship and building leaders. The volleyball commissioner will provide more direction on this during mini-camp. Anything your athlete wants to do special for their sister is encouraged! Kind notes of encouragement, pray for them, text to check in, help with schoolwork, little treats for games, birthday, etc. The volleyball coaches will provide a list of assigned partners at the start of the season.

Team Merch

We are working to have new team merch made available for purchase. Details will be posted in Band.

Club Volleyball

I often have parents ask about club volleyball. It is NOT an expectation for our athletes to participate in club volleyball, but I want to put this information out there for those of you who are interested in improving your game even further and potentially even playing in college. The local club in Greenville is Allegiant Volleyball Club. Allegiant is a Christian based club that is run by Ricky and Heather Basye. I have also been a coach at Allegiant, and my girls have played there for multiple seasons. The Net is the home facility for Allegiant. Heather (501-259-9319) has asked me to share her contact information with our families so you contact her directly for information at any time.

There are also many clubs in the Rockwall/Royce City/Dallas areas. All of these clubs are a part of the North Texas (NT) Region of USAV. Pre-tryout clinics usually start up in the spring around mid-April and continue until official tryouts start mid-May. Official offers will start being given to athletes this year starting Tuesday, July 7. Club volleyball is a large financial and time commitment, but it is also a great way to get LOTS of playing time and coaching if that is what you want. We have also made tons of amazing friends through our time participating in club. If your daughter is interested in playing club volleyball, please come talk to me privately AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, and I am happy to give you a lot more information, including advice and tips.

Conflict Resolution:

If you have any questions or concerns, please discuss it directly with your daughter’s head coach. If you are concerned about your daughter’s position or playing time, please make it a point to wait 24 hours after a game/tournament before discussing it with the coach. At no point should you confront a coach, parent, or athlete in an aggressively confrontational way - especially during or immediately following a game. You are welcome to reach out the same day to let the coach know that you would like to follow up with them the following day. This will help both you and the coach to process the situation fully then discuss it the following day in a calm, respectful manner. We do ask that at least one additional adult (ideally a second coach) be present in conversations as well to help reduce miscommunication. Ultimately, if there is a conflict that cannot be resolved between you and the coach, you may bring it to the attention of the Volleyball Commissioner, and ultimately the Board of Directors for resolution.

Volleyball Calendars: