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LibertyVolleyball Club – Player and Parent Policies Handbook
Season 2026-2027

Participation in LVBC is a privilege earned through commitment to the club’s standards, coaching expectations, and USA Volleyball guidelines. All members are expected to demonstrate sportsmanship, respect, and integrity in every club activity.

Eligibility Requirements

Athletes must remain in good standing with the club and USA Volleyball. All required forms must be completed and submitted. Athletes are strongly encouraged to maintain passing grades in school. A pre-participation medical physical exam, including a physician’s signature and parent/guardian consent, is highly recommended before beginning workouts or competitions.

Player Expectations and Conduct

Athletes are expected to:

Arrive on time and prepared for all practices, tournaments, and team events.
Demonstrate strong sportsmanship both on and off the court.
Show respect and maintain a positive attitude toward the sport, teammates, coaches, officials, and spectators.
Prepare mentally for competition and handle pre-match details responsibly.
Notify their coach in advance of any absences or tardiness. Failure to notify the coach counts as an unexcused absence and may affect future playing time.

Athletes will be ineligible to participate in practices or competitions for any of the following:

Possession, use, sale, or distribution of alcohol, tobacco (including e-cigarettes), or any illegal/controlled substances (zero-tolerance policy).
Possession, use, or distribution of weapons or any illegal substances (zero-tolerance policy).
Disrespectful or unsportsmanlike behavior toward coaches, officials, administrators, teammates, or opponents.
Any illegal or inappropriate conduct that harms the team’s image or performance goals.

Immediate removal from the club may result from:

Insubordination toward coaches, chaperones, officials, or other club members.
Obscene gestures, profanity, or swearing.
Fighting or physical altercations.
Theft.
Repeated unexcused absences from practices or games.
Non-payment of membership dues (the club enforces a “no pay, no play” policy).

Any athlete removed for disciplinary reasons must follow USA Volleyball policies regarding transfers to another club and will not be eligible to practice or compete elsewhere until resolved.

Practices, Tournaments, and Playing Time

Playing time and court assignments are determined solely by the coaching staff based on what is best for the team. All athletes must attend practices to be eligible for the next tournament. Missing practices may result in reduced or no playing time at the coach’s discretion.

Communication and Grievances:

No discussions about playing time or other concerns should occur at tournaments. The club requires a 24-hour cooling-off period after a tournament before addressing issues. The proper process is:

The athlete speaks directly with her coach first.
If unresolved, parents may schedule a meeting with the coach.
If still unresolved, parents may schedule a meeting with the club director.

Practice attendance is essential for skill development. School activities take priority; athletes should discuss unavoidable school conflicts with the head coach in advance. Repeated absences reduce repetitions needed for improvement, create unfairness to teammates who attend consistently, and may lead to loss of playing time, limited skill growth, or eventual removal from the team. Limited-team athletes may receive more flexibility, but persistent issues can still result in dismissal. Playing time in tournaments is not guaranteed. Athletes pay for quality instruction and practice opportunities and must earn court time through attitude, skill level, consistent attendance, positional needs, and keeping payments current.

Fees and Financial Obligations

Payment of membership dues and acceptance of the participation agreement commits the athlete and parent to the club and all its policies. All fees must remain current for continued membership. Delinquent accounts will result in suspension from practices and tournaments until paid in full. Failure to fulfill the financial contract may lead to expulsion from the club and ineligibility to participate with this or any other USA Volleyball club until the balance is cleared. The club’s philosophy is that athletes pay for the opportunity to develop volleyball skills through instruction and practice. Playing time must be earned and is not guaranteed.

Parent Expectations

All parents must follow club and USA Volleyball rules. Parents are expected to fully support the coaching staff and club director and respect their decisions. Failure by a parent to follow these policies may result in their child’s removal from the club. Parents should recognize that coaches make difficult decisions in the best interest of the entire team. Positive support from the stands is required. Parents may not enter the team bench area or approach the team during active play. If a parent needs to remove their child early from practice or a tournament, they must speak with the coach first. Fundraising in the club’s name requires prior approval from the director. Athletes are responsible for their issued uniforms. Lost or damaged items must be paid for before replacement. Uniforms are to be worn only for official games or approved team events.

Social Media and Electronic Communication Policy

All electronic communications (including social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, TikTok, etc.) must remain appropriate. Prohibited content includes:

References to drugs, tobacco, e-cigarettes, or alcohol.
Sexually explicit language, conversations, or images.
Bullying, harassment, or degrading comments about players, coaches, or the club.

Use this guiding question before posting or messaging: “Would this be appropriate or acceptable in a face-to-face conversation?” or “Would I be comfortable saying this directly to the recipient in front of their parents, coaches, directors, or teammates?” Coaches and players should not connect as “friends” or “followers” on personal accounts. Players may follow or like the club’s official pages. Violations of this policy may result in dismissal from the club.

Travel PoliciesLocal Travel:

Parents/guardians are responsible for transportation arrangements to local events. It is the parent’s duty to confirm that any driver meets all safety and legal requirements. Club coaches or directors (who are not the parent/guardian) should not transport an unrelated minor athlete alone.

Team Overnight Travel: For regional or national competitions requiring overnight stays, the club will designate a hotel. Players must stay with their own parents or guardians. Travel to and from tournaments is generally the parent’s responsibility. Additional rules:

Coaches may not share hotel rooms or sleeping arrangements with minor athletes (unless the coach is the parent, guardian, or sibling).
One-on-one coach-player meetings must occur in public areas or with other adults present.
No coach or chaperone may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs while performing duties.
Coaches will clearly communicate all travel expectations and rules in advance.
Disciplinary issues during travel (without parents present) will be addressed promptly. Parents will be notified as soon as possible (or immediately if urgent action is needed). Any early return home will be at the family’s expense.

When traveling or competing, athletes represent both themselves and the club. Their behavior must reflect the club’s high standards at all times.

Acknowledgment
Signing the participation contract confirms that you (parent/guardian) and your athlete have read, understood, and agree to follow all policies above.