...for thought and examples seem to work best on this board:

In our particular region there are about 100 registered teams in the 17s Division. Again, this is only one data point but the generalization holds true after a quick glance of the other age divisions in our region:

(The Top 5%)

Of those 100 teams, five are considered Open teams in skill level, team, program, goals and competition disparity between themselves and the next group. For those players and their families' exposure to a high level of competition, a high level of coaching and recruitment is a necessity to meet both current development needs and long-term goals (scholarship, play at the next level, etc.). With that endeavor comes a price including travel, multiple uniforms, gym time, hotels, NQ tournament fees, missed school days, etc. to attend competitions where teams of those same skill level and goals (supposedly) also attend. These teams must travel, not by choice, but to engage in competitions with opponents of similar skills and needs that their region, including neighboring regions, cannot offer. For these Open teams the season will last from November to the first week in July.

(The Next 29%)

The next groups of teams in our region are the Club teams that have some of the same aspirations of an Open team but are simply not of the skill level, coaching level, or need for recruitment exposure. These teams would like the opportunity to attend JR Nationals and whether it's National or American Club is not of critical importance. In our region, a total of twenty-nine teams have signed up our Regional Championship where Club bids to Nationals are awarded. Comparative costs for these Club teams to an Open team are lower in that there is a sufficient number of team and skill level for these teams in-region to meet their development needs close to home, therefore travel costs and club fees are lower. Our region offers some very good (and large) regional tournaments that draw teams of similar skill level and developmental needs from several of the surrounding states and regions with the understanding that an Open team would not find these competitions challenging or in-line with their goals and therefore do not attend. In addition, the majorities of these twenty-nine teams seldom travel or chase Club bids at NQs as their chances are better in the Regional Championship. These teams may travel and incur costs but it's by choice not USA Volleyball edict. The season for the majority of these teams will last from November until April with only those Club teams winning a bid to Nationals continuing.

(The 66% Majority)

The final group of teams in our region is the sixty-six teams whose seasons run from November until April….or whenever they choose to start or end their season. These clubs teams enjoy the sport but have no aspirations to attend Jr. Nationals, play in the Region's Championship, travel overnight on any occasion or play beyond high school. Coaching may be a mom or dad, one set of uniforms, five to six local tournaments, and one practice at week, and very low cost. The cost for these teams are (or should be) very low.

So what are the "take-ways" from the above? Well…

1. First the majority doesn't give a ratz behind about Junior Nationals, National Qualifiers, Zonals whether it be a USA Volleyball or JVDA event.

2. Maybe 3%-4% max (based on the above) of the total USA Volleyball membership will actually attend JR Nationals extending their season to July…for the vast majority (JVDA) the season is November to April.

3. There's a place, season length, and associated cost for everyone…so be willing to pay the respective cost for the level what you sign up…not ruling out continued research in ways to cut costs including at the club fee level

4. There are already JVDA Zonals, namely USA Volleyball Regional Tournaments, but they don't offer the competition level for the Open teams.

5. In conjunction with the above is the understanding that the Open Division at the NQs has become so watered down increasing the NQ field to forty-eight teams last season that USA Volleyball has brought it upon themselves where a JVDA Zonal of mixed Open and Club teams would indeed be as competitive as the Open Division of any NQ…so why travel is a great question JVDA.

6. Reestablish a competitive true Open Division USA Volleyball where there are three solid days of competition then maybe the uproar of travel cost will die down. Stop using the first, and sometimes the second day of NQ (or now Zonals) to filter out teams that don't belong in Open...do your job, research and field a good Open product...the product we're paying high club fees to support, The Open Teams and families are paying for prime rib and your feeding them dried out chicken!

7. JVDA…sixty-four Open Teams? Pleeze. There aren't sixty-four Open teams in any age division in the nation much less split among two competing organizations. Not the answer yet JVDA as there's all kinds of USA Vollyball Regional tournaments of size and competition level (mixture of club and Open teams in the field) to match up with the Zonals your offering...same product, different package.