Our Program
Travel teams are for the following Age Groups: U12, U13, U14, U15, U16, U17 & U18. Depending on the amount of overall player interest, each age group will support different team levels: Legacy, Black, Teal, and White.
The levels of play have different tournaments, club fees, amount of travel and associated costs. 12U -14U Team Levels and Pricing information is coming soon.
Players must try out and based on their skill level may be invited to participate on either a Legacy, Black, Teal or White level team. The Legacy & Black divisions represent the highest skill level.
Our season begins with tryouts in July 2024 (15U-18U) and September 2024 (12U-14U) and continues through late March/early April 2025 for Black, Teal and White levels. Legacy will have an extended tournament schedule, ending in June 2025 this club season. To determine your correct age group, please see our Age Definition Chart.
Financial Assistance
If you are seeking Financial Assistance to assist with payment of your team fees, please apply before tryouts. If you receive a bid, the financial information will be available and completed, so you will know what assistance you may be eligible for.
The YMCA offers Financial Assistance to those who qualify; however, it would be a limited percentage deducted from the team fee installments. You are still required to pay the entire initial fee by its deadline. To ensure your Financial Assistance request is processed, you must submit no later than 24 hours before the Initial Fee Deadline which will be no later than 48 hours after receipt of your bid.
How to Apply
- Go to: https://www.ymcagreensboro.org/financial-assistance-application
- Under Program/Activity (select if applicable), select "Other," then write in "JO Volleyball"
The Financial Assistance deadline is within 24 hours of receipt of the application, so it is best to apply before the end of tryouts.
For any questions about Financial Assistance, please contact Bethany Willard at [email protected].
Please Note: The YMCA offers Financial Assistance to those who qualify; however, it would be a limited percentage off the team fee installments. You are still required to pay the entire initial fee by its deadline. To ensure your Financial Assistance request is processed, please submit by Wednesday, September 20, 2024.
Carolina Spike Force Volleyball
Carolina Spike Force is a travel volleyball club affiliated with & supported by the Spears YMCA of Greensboro, USA Volleyball Association & the Carolina Region Volleyball Association. CSF offers a reasonably priced high-level volleyball program for youth girls. Our goal is to provide high quality skills training in a positive environment while teaching life lessons through the club volleyball experience.
Please stay tuned for future tryout and registration information.
Training
Spears Y offers volleyball in the Spring and Fall. It is offered for girls grade 4-12th grade. For 3rd grade girls, we offer the Mozgai Academy which is designed to introduce basic volleyball skills to girls with limited experience. Under well-structured instructions, students learn warm-up routines, basic volleyball movements, focus on passing, serving and an introduction to setting and spike approach.
Volleyball Clinics
Carolina Spike Force hosts Middle School Clinics during August. Clinics are conducted by our Carolina Spike Force JO Volleyball Coaches. These clinics are skill-specific (passing, setting, hitting & serving) and sessions typically will last 1.5 hours. Registration is required.
Skills & Drills
Carolina Spike Force typically hosts Skills & Drills in September and October in the weeks prior to tryouts. Players will get court time with CSF coaches. Registration is required.
Strength and Conditioning
During our regular season, Carolina Spike Force provides advanced strength and conditioning training sessions in addition to the normally scheduled practices.
Regular Season Practice
During our regular season, Carolina Spike Force provides practice 2-3 times a week depending on team level. Practices will start in early November. When tournaments start, we will adjust the Sunday schedule depending on the teams’ travel schedule.
History
The Spears Y began a youth volleyball developmental league in 2006 with 32 participants. Currently, there are more than 600 participants in fall and spring leagues across 3 divisions: recreational, intermediate and challenge. The Y also offers summer camps, clinics and grass volleyball tournaments.
In 2014, the Spears Y added the Carolina Spike Force Volleyball Club (CSF) to its programs. CSF was a long-time dream of the first coach, Darci Mozgai. In 2014, Darci lost her battle with liver cancer but through a gift from her estate, the CSF program was created and continues to grow.
Our Mission
Our mission is to teach life lessons through the sport of volleyball by providing high-level training in a positive environment that fosters our core values.
Core Value 1 | Commitment: The state or quality of being dedicated to a cause or activity
CSF team members commit to give their best effort, put the good of the team first and always maintain a positive attitude. Coaches commit to being prepared and positive, and to inspire and encourage athletes and teams to become the best they can be. Together, we commit to working toward a common goal and define success as giving our very best effort to help our team, rather than focusing solely on our win-loss record.
Core Value 2 | Sportsmanship: Fair play, respect for opponents, and polite behavior by someone who is competing in a sport or other competition
CSF team members and coaches are expected to always show sportsmanship. We cannot always control whether we win or lose, but we can always control how we behave. The way we treat referees, the other team, our teammates and ourselves is a true reflection of our character. Together we will conduct ourselves with the highest level of sportsmanship and integrity and remember that we are representing ourselves, our team and our club at all times.
Core Value 3 | Fortitude: Courage in pain or adversity
CSF team members are expected to show fortitude when things are difficult or do not go their way. Coaches will help players and teams face challenges and overcome obstacles. Together we will learn from our mistakes and develop toughness in the face of adversity.
Are we able to watch the tryout process?
We would prefer that parents did NOT attend tryouts so that their player can concentrate on playing volleyball instead of worrying about making mistakes in front of mom or dad.
Volleyball is a game of mistakes. It is up to the CSF club and coaches to teach players how to “own” their mistake and make reasonable gains in mindset and skills to push through those mistakes and make improvements to their game.
For younger players, it is sometimes a comfort to the player to have a parent in the gym, so that situation would be allowable. Additionally, any medical or safety reason that requires parent monitoring is also permitted. Contact the coaches to let them know of your needs or situation prior to the tryout.
My daughter will be trying out for other clubs after the CSF tryouts. If she's offered a spot with CSF, will she have to accept it or risk losing her spot before she hears from the other clubs she is trying out for?
Since the beginning of our clubs, CSF has followed guidelines to limit the amount of stress associated with tryouts. We schedule our tryouts as best as possible to allow players the opportunity to try out at various clubs. Additionally, we give a generous amount of time after the close of tryouts to choose the club that is right for the player (and parent).
What if my athlete is sick or injured for her tryout?
First, make sure you have registered your player for tryouts. Registration is required to be assigned a tryout number and be evaluated. If special circumstances come up, please contact Carolina Spike Force immediately so that a solution can be discussed.
What is the Carolina Region Letter of Commitment?
Carolina Region Letter of Commitment (2023-2024) (carolinaregionvb.org)
What is junior club volleyball?
USA Junior Olympic (sometimes called JO) Volleyball or club volleyball is a nationwide junior volleyball system. It is made up of individual clubs organized by region under the parent organization, USA Volleyball, for the primary purpose of growing and supporting the sport.
USA Junior Olympic (JO) Volleyball or Club Volleyball offers athletes the opportunity to participate in various clubs after their school volleyball season. Club Volleyball is an avenue for girls 10 (or even younger) to 18 to play in competitive tournaments and receive advanced training.
When does club volleyball take place?
CSF club volleyball begins in November.
What factors (other than cost) should one consider when selecting a club volleyball program?
Club culture, coaching staff, specific team coach, and time commitment.
How do you determine the age-eligibility of a student-athlete for the purposes of team placement?
This is set by USAV. Please click the link below for details:
Age Classification (carolinaregionvb.org)
Are athletes required to play in the age-level specified by the USAV eligibility standards?
Yes, for the most part, but there are exceptions. Contact CSF for review of a specific situation.
My daughter is only 10 or 11, can she play in 12s?
Yes, it is possible. She will have to go through the tryout process and be chosen for the team based upon her abilities.
Is CSF a member of any nationally recognized volleyball organization?
Yes, CSF is a member of the USAV (United States Amateur Association) (https://usavolleyball.org) and the Carolina Region Volleyball Association (https://www.carolinaregionvb.org).
What is the Carolina Spike Force mission?
Our mission is to teach life lessons through the sport of volleyball by providing high-level training in a positive environment that fosters our core values.
Commitment: The state or quality of being dedicated to a cause or activity
Sportsmanship: Fair play, respect for opponents, and polite behavior by someone who is competing in a sport or other competition
Fortitude: Courage in pain or adversity
How many teams will the CSF Volleyball Club field this year?
Typically, Carolina Spike Force will field between 12 and 14 teams.
How many players will be on each team?
Typically, it is 10, although there is a possible range from 9-12 players on a team.
How often do teams practice?
For pre-season, November to December, and in-season from January to March.
Legacy National teams have 2 team practices and 1 master practice per week.
Black Zonal / Travel teams have 1 team practice and 1 master practice per week.
Teal Regional Teams have 1 team practice and 1 master practice per week.
White Regional Teams have 1 team practice and 1 master practice per week.
For extended season, April to June.
15 – 18 Legacy National teams have 2 team practices over an 8-week period (as scheduled by the coach).
13- 14 Legacy National teams have 2 team practice per week over 3-week period.
Do teams have a fixed practice schedule?
November to December practice times are mostly fixed. All teams have practice on Sunday and the other team practice or Master Practice is during the week. Master Practices are typically on Tuesday and Wednesday.
January to March Sunday practices will vary, as some teams will be away at tournaments. We will try our best to keep times the same, but we also must make sure we take advantage of open court spaces to practice and try to finish at a reasonable time of day.
Extended season practice days and times for Legacy teams are determined by the coach.
Where do teams practice?
All practices are held at the Spears YMCA at 3216 Horse Pen Creek Rd, Greensboro, NC, 27410.
What is the difference between Legacy, Black, Teal and White teams?
Legacy/National teams compete in travel tournaments. For most of our national level teams, travel tournaments are held in the southeastern United States.
Black teams compete in regional NC tournaments, held every other weekend throughout the State of North Carolina, and several larger-multiday-travel tournaments.
Teal teams compete in regional (North Carolina) tournaments, held every other weekend throughout the Carolina Region. These locations range from Greensboro to Wilmington. Additionally, some Teal teams will receive the additional experience of competing in at least one multi-day travel tournament.
White teams compete in regional NC tournaments held every other weekend throughout the Carolina Region. The locations range from Greensboro to Wilmington.
What tournaments do CSF teams play in?
Each season is a little different to keep it “fresh” for the players. CSF Legacy has participated in many of the following over the years: Quest, Volley by James, Spikefest Gatlinburg, Myrtle Madness, Nike DC Harbor Showdown, ACPL GSO Grand Prix, Sunshine Qualifier Orland, CR Carolina Classic R. Mount, City of Oaks, Greensboro AAU Super Regional, Battle in the Burg SC, Ice Breaker Savl, NEQ Philly, Shamrock, ACPL Roanoke, AA Urock Mount Spring Fling GP, SC Grand Prix Spartanburg, CR Locomotive Challenge, AAU Mid South Challenge Franklin TN, Queen of Mountain Gatlingburg, K2 Peak Challenge, SAC Richmond, Nationals Orlando, Myrtle Beach, CR Carolina Cup, Carolina Challenge, Big South.
How much do uniforms cost?
CSF offers several uniform packages to support all team levels, which typically range from $115 to $240 dollars.
Other price points are available depending on the player’s needs (below is an example of previous seasons uniform packages).
Package A: $240
New Player Uniform Package
2 Long Sleeve Jerseys
1 Short Sleeve Jersey
1 Backpack with Embroidery
1 Practice Shirt
Package D: $115
Returning Player Uniform Package
1 Long Sleeve Jersey
1 Short Sleeve Jersey
1 Practice Shirt
How do I pay for the club?
When you accept your bid, you will be asked to fill out the Financial Commitment Form. This will include a down payment and credit card entry for future payment schedule. When the Financial Commitment Form and down payment are received, the player’s spot on the team is secured.
Parents also have the option to pay 100% of the tuition due with a personal check made out to the Spears YMCA. This transaction will need to take place at the Spears YMCA’s front desk.
Building A Foundation in Volleyball and Life Skills
Carolina Spike Force (CSF) is a travel volleyball club a part of the Alex W. Spears III YMCA and is supported by the USA Volleyball Association and the Carolina Region Volleyball Association. CSF offers a reasonably priced high-level volleyball program for youth girls. Our goal is to provide high-quality skills training in a positive environment while teaching life lessons through the club volleyball experience.
For questions, please contact Cathy Sescourka or call (336) 387-9624.
Our Program
Travel teams are for the following Age Groups: U12, U13, U14, U15, U16, U17 & U18. Depending on the amount of overall player interest, each age group will support different team levels: Legacy, Black, Teal, and White.
The levels of play have different tournaments, club fees, amount of travel and associated costs. 12U-14U Team Levels and Pricing Information is coming soon.
Players must try out and based on their skill level may be invited to participate on either a Legacy, Black, Teal or White level team. The Legacy & Black divisions represent the highest skill level.
Our season begins with tryouts in July 2024 (15U-18U) and September 2024 (12U-14U) and continues through late March/early April 2025 for Black, Teal and White levels. Legacy will have an extended tournament schedule, ending in June 2025 this club season. To determine your correct age group, please see our Age Definition Chart.
Carolina Spike Force Coach Staff
Lauren Watson
Coach
Khaira Bolden
Coach
Andy Leung
Coach
Casey Wellinsky
Coach
Chelsea Ryan
Coach
Alanna Johnson
Coach
Ed Sescourka
Coach
Cathy Sescourka
Coach, Program Coordinator
Regina Ritter
Coach
Christian Ritter
Coach
Kate Lopez
Coach
Heather Sorrell
Coach
Zoe Whisnant
Coach
Victoria Harper
Coach
Pamela Harper
Coach
Callie Shannon
Coach
