2026/2027 Verbal Commitment Details

Returning Athletes may give a verbal commitment (which is not binding) to their Club starting July 12, 2026.

Clubs may not collect monetary dues from athletes before signing a Letter of Commitment.

2026/2027 Season

Girls 18-17-16-15

The sanctioned tryout dates are:

• The first day of Tryouts: Friday, July 24, 2026
• Returning players may verbally commit after July 12, 2026
• No club may have a written commitment from a player before Wednesday, July 29, 2026
• No club/team can collect club dues (deposits or payments) before Wednesday, July 29, 2026
• The 48-hour waiting period to sign a player still applies to tryouts held after July 29, 2026
  • Example: If your tryouts are held on July 30, 2026 your 48 hours would begin at 12:01 AM July 31 and end 12:01 AM on August 2, 2026.

Girls’ 18-17-16-15 Structure of Season

• Optional Camps, Clinics, and Open Gyms: August/September/October
• NO organized team practices during this time due to the High School season
• Pre-Season: November 1^st – November 30^th
  • Team Practices may begin, with flexibility due to High School State Championships
• Season Starts: December 1^st
  • Team Practices may begin in full no earlier than December 1st

Girls 14-13-12-11
The sanctioned tryout dates are:

• The first day of Tryouts: Friday, October 9, 2026
• Returning players may verbally commit after July 12, 2026
• No club may have a written commitment from a player before Wednesday, October 14, 2026
• No club/team can collect club dues (deposits or payments) before Wednesday, October 14, 2026
• The 48-hour waiting period to sign a player still applies to tryouts held after October 14, 2026
  • Example: If your tryouts are held on October 14, 2026 your 48 hours would begin at 12:01 AM October 15 and end 12:01 AM on October 17, 2026.

2026/2027 Season

Boys 18-17-16-15-14-13-12

The sanctioned tryout dates are:

• The first day of Tryouts: Friday, August 7, 2026
• Returning players may verbally commit after July 12, 2026
• No club may have a written commitment from a player before Wednesday, August 12, 2026
• No club/team can collect club dues (deposits or payments) before Wednesday, August 12, 2026
• The 48-hour waiting period to sign a player still applies to tryouts held after August 12, 2026
  • Example: If your tryouts are held on August 12, 2026 your 48 hours would begin at 12:01 AM August 13 and end 12:01 AM on August 15

 *2026/2027 SEASON*

Important Dates & Seasonal Guidelines

• The NCVA-sanctioned season begins on September 1 and concludes on August 31st of the following year.
• The season concludes the day after the last day of the team’s scheduled USAV-sanctioned event, as stated in the player’s commitment agreement, or the day after the last day of the USA Volleyball Junior National Championships (JNC) their team competed in, whichever comes first.
• The active recruiting period for the following season begins the day after the final day of the USAV JNC and runs through the Player Signing Date (as listed on the Tryouts Page and Letter of Commitment on the NCVA website).
  • After the Player Signing Date, clubs may only recruit non-committed players. A non-committed player is considered an athlete who has not signed a Letter of Commitment for the sanctioned season.
• Summer activities (e.g., clinics, camps, open gyms) may begin on June 1st. Players whose seasons have concluded are free to participate in any club’s summer activities without penalty, regardless of club affiliation. Athletes who are still committed to their club based on their Commitment are allowed to participate in summer activities with other clubs, but cannot practice or participate in an event with another club in a player capacity.

Club Recruitment Definitions

• A Committed Athlete is defined as an athlete who has signed a Letter of Commitment (LOC) with a club after the signing date. Athletes returning to their club, who have accepted verbal offers in alignment with NCVA policies, are NOT considered to be Committed Athletes until the LOC is signed on the club’s official signing date. The Parent(s) of the Committed Athlete are also bound by this obligation if they signed the LOC.
  • Players who have made a Verbal Commitment are not in violation of any recruitment policies. Only Committed Athletes can be in violation.
• A “Recruiter” is defined as a Club Director, Coach, Employee, Athlete, any individual affiliated with a Club, or anyone not directly affiliated with the club but acting on the club’s behalf (parents, relatives, etc.), attempting to convince an athlete to join the club they are affiliated with.

Club Recruitment Policies

• Recruiters are strongly encouraged to avoid making negative comments about other clubs, coaches, or programs, and instead should highlight their program strengths to foster a positive recruiting environment.
  • Recruiters must ask whether a player is already committed before answering questions or providing any information.
  • If the player is not committed, the conversation may proceed without issue.

• Once a player becomes a Committed Athlete to a club by signing a LOC (verbal commitments are NON-BINDING) for the NCVA sanctioned season:
  • Recruiters from other NCVA-sanctioned clubs must respect their commitment and cease all recruiting efforts.
  • Recruiters are responsible for asking whether a player is committed before providing any information about their club or program. Likewise, players are required to disclose their commitment if the conversation is geared toward recruiting or inviting a player to participate in any capacity with the opposing club.
  • If the player is committed, the recruiter must immediately end contact. Continued contact after notification is a violation. If the player lies about their commitment status and a recruiter proceeds in good faith, the player may be subject to penalties.

Recruiting Violations and Penalties

A recruiting violation occurs when a Recruiter from one NCVA-registered club initiates verbal, written, or in-person contact with an athlete or their parent/guardian, who is already committed to another NCVA-registered club, with the intent of persuading the player to leave their current club and join the one they represent.

• Penalties for recruiting violations may include (but are not limited to):
  • Suspension of team/player/coach from NCVA Region Bid tournaments
  • Monetary fines based on Handbook policies
  • Suspension of NCVA membership for up to one (1) year
• Appeals Process
  • Individuals found guilty of a recruiting violation may appeal.
  • A Board of Inquiry Committee will review the case and make a final decision.
• Event-Specific Policy:
  • There is absolutely no recruitment allowed during NCVA or USAV-sanctioned events, as all athletes in attendance are committed athletes. This applies to all club-level recruiting activity.
  • College coaches who are also affiliated with a club may speak to players only about college recruitment during events.
    • If they use their college status to influence club decisions, it constitutes a violation.

Committed Athlete Specific Violations

• If a Committed Athlete or Parent of a Committed Athlete makes initial contact with a club that differs from their commitment, with the intention to gather information about another club’s program or joining a new club:
  • They must disclose if they are currently committed to another club. A Committed Athlete and/or Parent(s) acknowledges that if a player or parent knowingly misrepresents their commitment status, they will be subject to penalties.
  • If the player is committed, the recruiter may provide the player/parent with the desired information only. Once the information is provided, they are not engaged further or attempt to recruit the athlete.

Player Club Releases and Transfer Requests

• A Committed Athlete who wishes to transfer must follow the NCVA’s official Procedure for Player Transfer, regardless of the length of time spent with the original club. If an Athlete would like to leave a club and chooses not to participate in volleyball with any other club, then a release is not needed.
• Committed Athletes must have permission and a signed Club Transfer Request Form from their Current Club Director to break their LOC.
  • A Committed Athlete is allowed to request a release from their current club to be able to transfer to a new club.
  • A Committed Athlete is not allowed to participate with a new club that differs from their LOC until they have been released from their current club.
• Financial Agreements:
  • All financial agreements, arrangements, or obligations entereinto d between a club and a player and/or the player’s parent, or legal guardian shall be deemed private contracts solely between those parties. The Northern California Volleyball Association (NCVA) is not a party to, nor shall it be considered to have any involvement in, oversight of, responsibility for, or liability arising from such financial agreements. The NCVA expressly disclaims all connection with the terms, enforcement, or consequences of such arrangements.

Reporting Violations:

NCVA encourages clubs, players, and parents to report any suspected or potential recruiting violations. All reports will be taken seriously and investigated in accordance with NCVA procedures.

Commitment Additions for Verbal Commitment:

Starting on July 12, 2026, clubs may offer current Committed Athletes positions for the next season, prior to tryouts. Returning Athletes may give verbal commitment to their Club starting July 12, 2026, with the acknowledgement that the commitment is non-binding until the Letter of Commitment is signed on the appropriate signing-date.

• Clubs may NOT offer any verbal offers or accept verbal commitments to players who are not returning from the previous season. Clubs may encourage athletes to participate in their tryout and express interest, but no offers or commitments, verbal or written, can be made.
  • Example: An athlete who attends a summer clinic for a club other than the club they played for during the season. The coach running the clinic offers the athlete a guaranteed position on a team with their club for the upcoming season if the athlete commits verbally before tryouts. This is a VIOLATION, as that player is new to the club and cannot be offered a position prior to tryouts.

If a club gives a verbal offer to a returning athlete a position for the new season, and:

• The athlete accepts and verbally commits. The athlete is then verbally committed to participating, but this is not a binding agreement. No dues, deposits, or fees of any kind are allowed to be collected. Athletes are still allowed to attend as many tryouts as desired with other clubs, even if verbally committed. However, they may only select one club on the signing date. Clubs must hold to the offer until the signing date, when the player can officially commit.

The athlete declines to commit. After declination, the club may revoke the offer. However, the athlete may still attend tryouts. Clubs are not obligated to verbally offer current athletes returning positions, nor are clubs required to offer returning players a position on the team at the conclusion of tryouts.

The following sanctions apply directly to the person(s) violating the policy.  The penalty for the first violation will be suspension from all NCVA/USA competition for a minimum of one (1) week up to a maximum of one (1) month, depending on the severity of the violation. Multiple offenses arising from the same incident (multiple players on the same team, e.g.) will incur separate penalties. 

The penalty for the second violation will be suspension from all NCVA/USA competition for a minimum of one (1) month up to a maximum of one (1) year, depending on the severity of the violation.  Multiple offenses arising from the same incident (multiple players on the same team, e.g.) will incur separate penalties.

All suspensions begin on the date of the first competition following the violation for the penalized person(s).  All to begin with the first tournament of the season. 

If any person fails to adhere to the terms of a sanction, the individual will be suspended from NCVA competition and National-Level events for one (1) calendar year and subject to a lifetime ban.  Furthermore, the coaching staff of the team on which the person is registered will be suspended from NCVA competition and National-Level events for one (1) calendar year and subject to a lifetime ban.  In the event the individual is the club director, all coaches in the club will be suspended from NCVA competition and National-Level events for one (1) calendar year and subject to a lifetime ban.

26/27 Girls 18-17-16-15 Letter of Commitment

26/27 Boys Letter of Commitment 

26/27 Girls 14-13-12-11 Letter of Commitment