Volleyball

Join us this fall 2026!

Learn everything you need to know about the fall 2026 season here. 

• Practices: August 1, 8 & 15 (Saturdays) – one hour each.
• August 1: Open gym by grade level. Coaches are encouraged to attend and work with their team if their schedule allows, but if you can't make it, your players will still receive instruction and plenty of reps.
• August 8 & 15: First official team practices.
• Beginning the following week: One weeknight practice, either 6:45–7:45 PM or 7:45–8:45 PM (the earlier practice time is typically reserved for 4th grade teams).
• Games: Starts August 22 Saturday mornings and early afternoons.
• Locations: Primarily Riverside Intermediate/Junior High and Fishers Junior High.
• Labor Day Weekend: No practices or games.
• Season Finale: End-of-season tournament on Saturday, October 10.

Interested in Rec+? Please visit our page here. 

Rec+ League Overview & Expectations

Rec+ is a step up from recreational volleyball for 5th–8th grade players (for the 2026–2027 school year) who are looking to challenge themselves in a more team-focused, skill-building environment.

Our goal is to provide a higher level of play while still keeping the experience organized, positive, and enjoyable for everyone involved. That said, this is still a community-based program, and equal playing time remains a priority for all athletes.

During games, there is no substituting within an active game, so players should be prepared to rotate and play all positions rather than specializing in just one. This approach helps athletes continue developing well-rounded skills.

We understand this may feel different from club-level volleyball, where specialization is more common, but our focus is on growth, teamwork, and giving every player a chance to contribute and improve.

Rec+ Evaluations Dates:

Registration for Rec+ opens on May 1 at myathletics.com. Players MUST register to be eligible for tryouts. Thank you!

Phase One: Select one date to attend.

Sign up here for a timeslot. Please note this is separate from your program registration. 

May 3 
Riverside Junior High Main and Aux Gym
4-6 p.m.

May 13
Fishers Junior High Main and Aux Gym
6-8 p.m.

Phase Two:

May 17 
Fishers Junior High Main and Aux Gym
9:30-12 p.m.

May 18 
Fishers Junior High Main and Aux Gym
6-8 p.m.

Evaluation Requirements

Players interested in Rec+ will go through a two-step evaluation process:

1. Skills Benchmark
Successfully complete at least 5 out of 10 overhand serves from the 30-foot line
Successfully complete 5 out of 10 passes to target from a tossed ball from the opposite side of the net.

2. On-Court Evaluation
Players who meet the initial standards will be invited back for additional evaluations.
This phase focuses on overall skills, court awareness, and communication with teammates.
Volleyball is the ultimate team sport, and advancing to higher levels requires strong coordination and communication on the court.

Attendance Expectations

We understand that many Rec+ players are multi-sport athletes with multiple commitments. That said, this program does require a higher level of commitment than traditional recreational play.

• Consistent attendance and commitment to all team practices and games are expected throughout the season.
• Advancing volleyball skills requires consistent teamwork, clear roles, and strong on-court communication.
• It is not fair to players who attend regularly to slow down team development in order to accommodate teammates who have missed multiple practices.
• Many Rec Plus teams practice on Friday evenings.
• Practice days cannot be guaranteed and may vary by team.

Team Structure

We are planning for eight total teams:
4 teams for the 5th/6th grade division
4 teams for the 7th/8th grade division

Each team will consist of 9–10 players.

For the 7th/8th grade division, teams cannot be finalized until Junior High teams are announced in early August.

Season Overview

Boys volleyball will be offered as a skills clinic for 5th – 8th graders this spring. Players will start the season working on developing skills and as skills are assessed, teams will be formed to apply what is learned in scrimmage-style game play. Sessions will run on Sundays from March 15th - May 3rd. 

FIND THE 2026 SPRING BOYS INFORMATION PACKET HERE


Registration opens January 1st at myathletics.com. 

League Information

Mudsock Youth Volleyball Rules and Information - Revised 7/28/25

Resources

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRYhZw_swuc

Overhand serve 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeWsWW-QNJU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW2KSrgo5ss

Underhand serve

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZFbkbqG7J8

Passing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI5l0uIxxOc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJEQr5Lhbsc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmgT_Pi91S8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQkjzsB-5TM – good example to see what a good pass form should look like. Notice how they 1. Stay on the feet and move to the ball 2. Pass ball and hold their form.

Setting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prSfG7gN7Js

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RvFE3OLChI

Hitting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EXwruyLHIs

Coaching Resources - Start Here!

Welcome to your Mudsock Youth Volleyball coaching hub, your one-stop shop for all things game day (and everything leading up to it). 

We’ve pulled together all the good stuff in one place: the tips we wish we knew when we started, drills for every level to build strong fundamentals, easy-to-follow court maps, and a handy cheat sheet for serving rotations when the pressure’s on. Need a quick refresher on rules? We’ve got you. Prefer to learn by watching? There are videos for that, too.

Whether it’s your first season or your fifth, this page is here to make coaching a little easier and a lot more fun.

Game Day Resources

• Volleyball Rules and Information
• Volleyball Serving Rules and Rotating
• Game Day Roster - Rotation and Serve Tracking
• Riverside and Fishers Junior High Court Maps
• What I Wish I Knew Before Coaching Mudsock Volleyball

4th Grade Resources

• Skills Clinic Drills - Part 1
• Skills Clinic Drills - Part 2
• Skills Clinic Drills - Part 3
• Skills Clinic Drills - Part 4

5th-7th Grade Resources

• Skills Clinic Drills - Part 1
• Skills Clinic Drills - Part 2
• Skills Clinic Drills - Part 3
• Skills Clinic Drills - Part 4

Videos

Videos - Passing Skills

• Beginner Volleyball Passing by Storm Performance Volleyball
• Beginner Volleyball Passing Drill: Shuffle Passing by Volleyball Drills TV
• Basic Passing Drill by Coach Chijo
• Easy Passing Drill for New Volleyball Teams by Get The Pancake
• Shuttle Passing Drill by Coach Chijo
• Wake up drill! Try this with middle school or beginner athletes!

Videos - Overhand Serves

• Volleyball Overhand Serving Progressions
• How to Overhand Serve for Beginners by Koko Volley
• How To Overhand Serve A Volleyball For Beginners - Float Serve by Better a
• Serving (Youth Volleyball) by City of Sandpoint
• Easiest Overhand Serving Drill by KoKo Volley

Videos - Underhand Serves

• 4 Steps to Master the Underhand Serve
• Drills to Develop Your Underhand Serve
• Basic Skills Underhand Serve by Volleyball Canada
• The Underhand Serve by SportsEdTV Volleyball Training
• Volleyball Under hand serve by Purvis Cromarty

Videos - General Serving Drills

• Volleyball at Home Drills (Serving) by Kristi Tekavec
• Serving For Beginners - At Home Drills by The Art of Coaching Volleyball

Videos - Watch These Practices

Hear from Tracy Bondren with Columbus Volleyball Academy as she runs through a practice with 10 to 12-year olds.
Passcode: .gd93M?.

Run through a high energy practice with the Art of Coaching.
Passcode: @+=PTZ6h