Practices

Loudoun Youth Volleyball (LYV) is a recreational volleyball league serving girls and boys in grades 3-12 who reside in Loudoun County, VA. LYV runs from the end of August through the end of October. LYV is a division of the Northern Virginia Volleyball Association (NVVA) and has been Loudoun's premier volleyball recreational league since 1997. LYV is affiliated with Loudoun County’s Parks, Recreation, and Community Services (PRCS). The goal of Loudoun Youth Volleyball is to provide boys and girls with the opportunity to play and enjoy volleyball in a competitive yet safe and fun environment. LYV's philosophies are to build individual, systems, and situational volleyball skills, encourage players to have fun playing volleyball, and creating life-long volleyball players. LYV coaches help players become the best players they want to be, challenge players to want to learn and grow, and teach players skills that will make them better at volleyball, sports, and life. Based on this philosophy, we encourage all those interested, regardless of experience and ability, to join our program and play on our teams. If you don't know how to play, WE WILL TEACH YOU! We promote maximizing ball "touches" as the best way for players to master volleyball skills, and participating in competitive league matches as the best way to learn and enjoy the game.

LYV is excited to open the sport of volleyball to children in the 3rd grade through 12th grade. Children in these grades are welcome to play, even if they have never played before. Athletes of all ages and skill levels will be placed on a team provided we have enough coaches.

LYV is a recreational league where every participant makes a team provided we can recruit enough coaches. There are no "cuts." However, LYV does offer competitive teams in our Middle School Girls Black Division, which requires a tryout to be placed on.

Find the location that is closest to you on the homepage of this site. Follow the prompts on the page and register for your team based on our team level descriptions. If you are new to NVVA, you will be guided through setting up a parent profile as well as a profile for your child. You will need to select your preferred practice location to be registered for the appropriate assessment session. Continue through the guided process. If you have questions, you can reach out to us using our ONLINE CUSTOMER CONTACT FORM.

It is important that you register your athlete by the registration deadline. This allows our program to finalize coaching needs and county space requirements. In limited cases there may be spots left on already formed teams that may be made available to families who missed the deadline. These spots are granted to families on a case-by-case basis.

Athletes who attend private school, are homeschooled, or live outside of Loudoun County can find the practice location closest to you and select it during the registration process. If you have a small group of friends with similar skill levels, we encourage you to sign up for the same team!

With the exception of our Middle School Girls Black Division, families are welcome to coordinate their team sign ups based on their needs. Please carefully review our descriptions for each team so that you can make the best decision for the season. Signing up for a team that may be too advanced or not challenging enough based on our descriptions can hamper skill development and most importantly, may lead to your child not enjoying the season!

If your child can not attend practices, please speak to the coach of that team.

Yes! LYV offers Boys teams for Middle and High School ages and Co-ed elementary school teams. Please note that game structure for middle school boys will depend on how many boys teams are formed. Our goal is to have boys teams play other boys teams. In the past, however, we have had to schedule some boys teams to play against girls teams if we did not have enough boys teams in a division. Again, we have every expectation of having enough boys teams to play, but please keep in mind this could be a possibility.

The LYV League does not allow for full team registration at this time. Families do have the choice to sign up for any team we offer with the exception of our Middle School Girls Black Division which requires a tryout to qualify for.

All volleyball equipment, including volleyballs, is provided by LYV. Participants are asked to wear appropriate athletic wear. If desired, knee pads and passing sleeves can be purchased during the registration process or at the NVVA online store at any time. Your child will be provided with a team t-shirt before your first match. Many coaches like to coordinate matching shorts and/or socks, but they are not provided or required.

Elementary Division (3rd-6th graders): If you want to become a great volleyball player, the earlier you start the better. The LYV Elementary school league is adapted for player development and enjoyment. The rules are modified and the ball is lighter in this division. Elementary Division teams only play against other Elementary Division teams. On these teams, athletes rotate through all positions on the court. Middle School Division (6th-8th graders) Open Division (Black): Has players of generally advanced level who try-out for and are accepted on the team. Open-1 Division teams play against other Open-1 Division teams. These teams utilize a competition rotation system. House Division (Red): Has players of generally intermediate level. House Red teams play against other House Red teams. These teams utilize a competition rotation system. House Division (White or Grey): Has players of generally novice to beginner level. House teams only play against other House teams. On these teams, players rotate through all of the positions on the court. High School Division (9th -12th graders): Has players of all skill levels who are not playing on one of their high school's volleyball teams. These teams utilize a competition rotation system. Detailed LYV Levels: Level 1: Novice Level LYV - GREY TEAMS LYV - Coed Elementary Level 1 - Description: This level is designed for participants new to volleyball and may have not played any organized sports before. Participants still need to familiarize themselves with executing the basic skills of passing, setting, serving, and hitting. Entry Level is suitable for those who might have infrequently attended volleyball camps or classes or have no prior experience at all. - Target Participants: - Individuals with no previous volleyball experience. - Participants who have yet to play any organized sports before the start of the season. - Those looking to learn the basics of volleyball in a fun and supportive environment. Level 2: Beginner / Cross-Sport Athletes LYV - WHITE TEAMS LYV - Elementary CoEd Level 2 - Description: Level 2 is aimed at participants with experience in other organized sports (such as basketball or softball) but little to no experience in playing volleyball. Participants may need to familiarize themselves with or have an introductory level of knowledge and ability to execute the basic skills of passing, setting, serving, and hitting. This level focuses on building basic volleyball skills while leveraging the athletic abilities gained from other sports or for athletes who have only played 1 season of recreational volleyball or are not year-round volleyball players - Target Participants: - Individuals with a background in other organized sports. - Participants with little to no prior volleyball experience. - Those interested in transferring their general athletic skills to volleyball. Level 3: Intermediate Players LYV - RED TEAMS Description: This level is for participants who have played at least two seasons of recreational volleyball or are active volleyball athletes in a year-round program and possess a good understanding of the game. Participants should be able to execute the basic skills of passing, setting, serving, and hitting with proficiency and have an emerging understanding of game strategies. This level focuses on enhancing existing skills and improving game strategies. - Target Participants: - Individuals with at least one season of recreational volleyball experience. - Participants who understand the basics of volleyball and want to develop their skills further. - Those interested in advancing their knowledge and abilities in gameplay and strategies. Level 4: Advanced Players - TRYOUTS REQUIRED LYV BLACK TEAMS - Description: Level 4 is for highly skilled players who must try out for a spot on the team. These participants have played multiple seasons of volleyball, possibly including club volleyball, and are proficient in both the skills and strategic aspects of the game. This level focuses on fine-tuning existing basic skills of passing, setting, hitting, and serving while incorporating advanced techniques and strategies to help athletes compete at a faster pace. - Target Participants: - Individuals with multiple seasons of volleyball experience. - Participants who may have played club volleyball. - Those with high proficiency in volleyball skills and a strong understanding of the game's strategies and tactics. - Players aiming to compete at a higher level and refine their advanced techniques.

Yes. Typically, 4th graders will not play up but are allowed to do so. 5th and 6th graders are allowed to play up. In certain cases, 5th and 6th graders might be needed to play up to fill out a house team. A 4th, 5th, or 6th grader will not be pulled up to a House team without consulting with the parents first. Families should understand that there are significant changes to the equipment used for LYV Middle School which includes a bigger court size, higher net, and a heavier ball than the elementary school division uses. Anyone considering moving their elementary school athlete up to middle school should ensure they are comfortable with both the equipment changes and the peer-to-peer interactions they will have on a middle school team.