Let’s be honest — two hours is not long enough to truly evaluate an athlete. 🙅♀️
At NSSC, we see the heart, hustle, and work ethic your athlete pours into their game. And as coaches and staff who genuinely care about helping each player find the right fit, we know meaningful evaluation takes more than just fast footwork and a quick serve during a high-pressure window.
This year, as we have done in the past, we’re taking a more intentional, athlete-centered approach to tryouts — one that allows us to get a clearer, more complete picture of skills, growth potential, and overall team fit.
Here’s exactly how it works 👇
Table of Contents
💡 How High School Tryouts Will Work for the 2025–26 Season
When you register online for tryouts, you’ll receive a brief questionnaire sent via email— where we ask a crucial question:
🔍 Do you want to be considered for a Nike-level team?
We ask this for a reason: for families, the Nike program involves a higher level of travel, commitment, and financial investment. You know what’s best for your student-athlete and your schedule, and we respect that.
✳️ Your choice is communicated to coaches via a Nike symbol on the athlete’s tryout name tag:
- ✅ Nike-eligible: considered for Nike.
- 👌 Not Nike-eligible: considered for Black, White, or Gray.
This helps our coaches focus on placing your athlete where they are most likely to grow, thrive, and succeed given all factors.
🏐 Let’s Talk Team Selection for 15U-18U
During tryouts, our staff doesn’t just assign players to final teams that day. Here’s what we do instead:
1. Top 20 Athletes = Nike/Black Consideration Pool
If your athlete ranks in the top 20 during tryout evaluations, they’ll be in the Nike/Black pool.
This doesn’t guarantee placement on a Nike or Black team — it simply reflects where their current performance lands.
2. Next Tier = Black/White Consideration Pool
Athletes in this range will be considered for Black or White teams based on skill level and team needs.
3. Developmental Pool = White/Gray Consideration
Players here may land on a White or Gray team — but again, this is just a snapshot, not a final judgment.
Why the range instead of final assignments?
Because we know transformation can happen during the school volleyball season. 🏫📈
We believe in earned excellence, and we’ve seen many athletes dramatically improve between July tryouts and November team practices.
🔁 Final Team Placements? They Happen After School Season
Final teams will be determined two weeks into November practices.
That way, we’re making decisions based on a bigger body of work — including what we see during:
- School season performance
- Practice dedication
- Coachability and growth
- Team chemistry
If your athlete was originally placed in a White/Gray consideration pool and levels up dramatically — they can absolutely be moved into a higher-tier team. 💪
🗓️ 15U-18U Tryout Details
Tryout Date: Saturday, July 26th, 2025
All tryouts are at The Sportsplex, Cape Girardeau, MO
- Saturday, July 26th, 2025
- 15U & 18U runs 8AM – 10AM
- 16U & 17U runs 10:30AM-12:30PM
- Check-in opens ONE HOUR before tryouts start.
- $25.00 non-refundable fee
✅ Online Registration is Strongly Encouraged
It saves time, ensures you get the pre-tryout form, and gets your name tag ready ahead of time.
But if you decide to come last minute — no worries! We’ve got you covered on-site, too!
👋 One Final Thought
We don’t believe in rushing evaluations, and we don’t believe that a two-hour window defines your athlete’s future. NSSC is here to walk beside your family through the full journey — not just a tryout.
Team placement is ultimately about giving every kid the opportunity to grow — confidently, competitively, and consistently.
No matter what team your athlete lands on, we’re here to coach, support, and develop them every step of the way.
We can’t wait to see you at tryouts!
—
The NSSC Volleyball Club Team
🏐 Nike Sponsored | Southeast Missouri’s Largest Volleyball Club 🌟
