Volleyball clubs can become successful small businesses or valuable non-profits in the community. And a well-run volleyball program can provide opportunities for young players in your region to learn, play and grow in the sport.
Starting a youth volleyball club can feel like a lot to manage, from finding coaches and volunteers, creating a brand, setting up a website, handling registrations, and keeping everyone on the same page.
To help you get your club off the ground, here are 8 key steps to take, from building your team and establishing your identity to running your first season and planning for the future.
How Much Does It Cost to Start a Volleyball Club?
The total cost to start a volleyball club can vary depending on your location, number of teams, and the level of competition you plan to offer. On average, you can expect to invest $10,000 to $20,000 in your first year if you have around 3 to 5 teams. As your club grows, expenses can increase quickly, and larger clubs often spend $100,000 or more each year.
Here are the most common expenses to plan for:
- Practice facility rentals
- Tournament registration fees
- Logo and branding
- A professional website
- Staffing or coaching fees
- Uniforms and gear
- Administrative help
- Insurance coverage
💡 Want a full breakdown? Check out our detailed guide: How Much It Costs to Start a Volleyball Club
Step 1: Recruit Coaches, Volunteers, and Club Staff
One of the most important steps in starting a successful volleyball club is building a strong support team. Running a season is a big job, and trying to do everything on your own can lead to burnout. Instead, focus on finding reliable coaches, volunteers, and administrative help from the very beginning.
Start by reaching out to your network: friends you’ve coached or played with, parents in the community, or even family members who have some extra time. Use social media, local community groups, and word of mouth to help spread the word. For volunteers specifically, consider connecting with the local high school program to see if volleyball players or parents are interested in helping.
In your first season, staff can often be volunteers if your club is small and community-based. For more competitive programs, offering pay will help you attract high-quality coaches. As your club grows, you can add stipends or salaries.
Once your team is in place, set clear goals together. Make sure everyone agrees on:
- Age groups your club will support
- Practice times and locations
- Whether you’ll focus on competition or skill development
- Expected time commitments and travel
A strong, aligned staff will set the foundation for a smooth and successful season.
Step 2: Create Your Volleyball Club's Brand Identity
Once you’ve got a team in place, it’s time to think about your club’s brand! A strong identity helps your program stand out, builds trust with parents, and makes it easier to attract players and coaches. From your name and logo to your club website and social media, your brand tells the community who you are and what you’re about.
Choose a Name for the Club
Picking the right name is one of the first steps in creating your volleyball club’s identity. Your club name should reflect your community, the sport, and the values you want your program to represent. Aim for something that is memorable, easy to pronounce, and simple enough for players and parents to share with pride.
Before making a final decision, do a quick search online and on social media to make sure the name isn’t already in use by another organization in your area. This will help you avoid confusion, make it easier for your website to show in search results and help your club stand out within the community.
💡Need ideas? Check out our guide: 100+ Youth Sports Team Names and How to Choose One
Getting a Logo for your Volleyball Club
Getting a logo and color scheme for your club is a big step. You'll want to get a quality logo that you can use for at least several years.
In many cases it's not too difficult to find a volunteer designer to create a logo for your club. You can also get high quality logos by posting a job on sites like Upwork or Freelancer for just $100 or so.
When creating a new logo it's important to have several variations and formats you can use for different purposes.
- Your logo should have a few color versions and a black and white version. One color version should be in your main color and one in a secondary color.
- You should have a version of your logo with no text, and a version of your logo with text - the name of your club and a short slogan if you'd like.
Store your logo variations so they can be used over the next few years. If you have a designer create your logo for you, they should send you all of the Vector Files and Working Files of the logo so they can be changed in the future if needed.
A strong brand for your new club can build immediately credibility with coaches, parents, and players.
Set Up Social Media Accounts for the Club
Every volleyball club should have a Facebook Page. Even if you don’t use Facebook yourself, it’s a great way to keep parents in the loop, share updates, and post important info. A page that’s active with posts and comments can also help your club show up higher in Google searches, making it easier for families in your area to find you.
You’ll also want an Instagram account since most players spend more time there than on Facebook. Use it to share photos, celebrate players, and give teams a place to interact and feel part of the club.
In the beginning, posting a few times a week is plenty. As your staff grows, you can hand off social media duties to one coach or volunteer so your accounts stay active and consistent without anyone feeling overwhelmed.
Step 3: Register Your Business or Begin Your Non-Profit Application
Before your club can start operating officially, it’s important to make sure it’s legally recognized. This means either registering your club as a business or beginning the process of setting up a non-profit organization. Taking care of this step early will help you open bank accounts, secure insurance, and ensure your club is compliant with local laws as you grow.
After you register your business you'll need to officially register your club with USA Volleyball so your teams are eligible for events. Find which of the 40 USA Volleyball Regions that your club will fit into, and visit your region's website to register your new club.
Registering a Business
If you'll be the one person primarily responsible for your club initially, you will probably just be a Sole Proprietorship in the eyes of the IRS. A Sole Proprietorship will be super quick to set up and you'll just use your personal information and be personally responsible for taxes on any profits from the club.
In future years you can reclassify as a Partnership, an LLC, or a 501(c)(3) as your club grows. You can learn more about options here > Choosing Your Business Structure.
Setting Up a Non-Profit
If you expect to run the club as a non-profit organization, you'll eventually want to register as a 501(c)(3) so that the club is tax exempt. A 501(c)(3) is deemed a charitable organization by the government, and is not required to pay federal taxes on earnings.
A few of the basic requirements your volleyball club will need to meet to qualify as a 501(c)(3) are:
- Three years of existence before applying.
- Any profits must be re-invested in the club.
- The sole purpose is to "meet public needs", or in your case grow the game of volleyball.
- No one person can benefit from the club financially.
- Completing and updating your 501(c)(3) documentation on a yearly basis.
Once your club has existed for 3+ years and you want to apply for 501(c)(3) status head here - Application for 501(c)(3).
Filing your LLC or 501(c)(3) paperwork may seem like a lot of work - but you should definitely do it. It will just take a few hours but will save you a lot of hassle in the long run, especially as your club grows.
Step 4: Set Up a Bank Account and Establish Initial Budgets
Once your club is legally registered, the next step is handling the finances. Setting up a dedicated bank account and creating a budget for your first season will help you keep track of income and expenses, plan for tournaments, equipment, and uniforms, and make sure your club stays financially healthy from the start.
Opening a Bank Account
Opening a separate bank account has a lot of advantages. Even if you'll just be running a small club at first you should still set up separate banking for your club - don't use your personal bank account.
Never set up an account before? Check out: How to Open a Bank Account for a Sports Team
You can more than likely set up your account entirely online without ever visiting a branch. Make sure your bank has online access and a mobile app so you can easily access everything you need while traveling to tournaments and events.
Managing all of your club finances online will help save time throughout the year.
Budgeting for Your First Season
Determining how much it will cost to fund your club in the first season can be tough since you don't have data from previous seasons.
If you have coaching experience or have helped run other clubs in the past you should have a good idea of facility, apparel, tournament, and travel expenses. You'll want to spend some time estimating how much your tournament fees will cost the club in your first season. Decide if your club will cover all or some of the travel costs for teams, or if players will pay for their own travel and hotels
At first, a simple spreadsheet will probably work well to help budget. Find a budget template that you can use to build out a plan for your season. As your club grows you can look into using simple sports team accounting software to help manage expenses.
Identifying Fundraising Opportunities
Running a volleyball club comes with costs, but there are plenty of ways to raise money to support your teams! Donations from parents, community members, or alumni can provide a strong financial foundation, especially when paired with an easy way to give online.
Sponsorships are another great option. Local businesses often want to support youth sports in exchange for having their logo on uniforms, banners, or your website. Building partnerships like this not only brings in funds but also strengthens ties with the community.
You can also explore fundraising events such as bake sales, car washes, clinics, or tournament concessions. These events engage families, give players a chance to help out, and add visibility for your club while raising money.
Step 5: Build Your Online Hub for Registration, Payments, and Communication
Having a centralized hub to post information, make registration payments and communicate with parents and coaches is essential to successfully running a youth volleyball club.
Building a Website for Your Volleyball Club
Social media is a great way to generate interest, showcase your brand, and interact with players, but your club also needs a website to serve as the central hub for all information. Website builders made for sports, like Jersey Watch, make it easy to create a professional, easy-to-manage site without needing any coding experience.
On your website, be sure to include key details like team ages and names, coaching staff bios, tryout dates, and any photos or mission statements to give visitors a clear picture of your club.
A youth sports website created on Jersey Watch
As your club grows, you can add more content, such as:
- College commitments and player testimonials
- Team accomplishments and highlights
- Fee details and payment due dates
- Team photos from past seasons
Setting up your first website? Check out our guide: How to Build a Club Volleyball Website.
Collecting Registration & Payments Online
A key feature of any club volleyball website is the ability to register players and collect payments online. Parents prefer to pay with a card, especially for larger expenses like club fees, and offering online payments saves you and your coaches a ton of time by eliminating the need to chase checks or track who owes what.
With Jersey Watch, you can set up secure online registration, accept payments directly on your website, and even offer flexible payment plans so families can pay in installments instead of all at once.
Many clubs offer the option for players to pay their fees in full, or choose installments spread out over a few months.
Communicating with Coaches, Players, and Parents
Clear and efficient communication is key to running a successful volleyball club. Coaches, players, and parents all need access to schedules, practice updates, game reminders, and announcements. Without a streamlined system, important information can get lost and cause confusion and frustration for everyone involved.
Using a tool like Jersey Watch makes communication simple. You can send email and text messages, share schedules, and post updates all in one place. Keeping everyone on the same page saves time, reduces miscommunication, and helps your club operate smoothly.
Step 6: Schedule Initial Events and Tryouts
Running a free event like a 2-day camp or weekend tournament can help generate interest in your club and get the word out. Events in the summer can be a great way to prepare players for the high school season and get them acquainted with your new club and coaches.
Your first events can be free or have a very low cost to players. Focus on building a fun environment to generate interest. If you can, collect email addresses from parents so you can send tryout details and notifications at a later date.
If you haven't already, get in touch with high school coaches and make them aware of your new club. Encourage them to promote your club as an offseason option for their players. You and your coaches should be reaching out to any contacts in the volleyball community to help get the word out!
Step 7: Post Rosters and Lock In Your Schedules
Now the fun begins - the season is almost here! After tryouts you should begin to extend offers and finalize your rosters as quickly as possible.
Set expectations before releasing tryout results with parents and players. Here are a few tips:
- Post tryout results on your website when they become available. Everyone should receive an email from your Club Director or their Head Coach when results are available.
- Be available to answer questions and respond quickly if parents have concerns. Give feedback and advice to players who don't make the team.
Be clear about expectations on team acceptance for each player. Players and parents should know how long they have to commit, when their first payment is due, and when initial team meetings will take place well ahead of time.
Once you've got commitments from players you can also officially begin to register for tournaments. It's possible you'll want parents to pay a deposit to reserve their spot on the team so that you can begin to register teams for tournaments.
Parents need to know well in advance of your season when they'll need to attend tournaments. If you can publish team schedules before tryouts begin it will be a huge help for players evaluating your club.
If you've never registered for tournaments you can begin doing research well in advance online. Get started at the links below:
- Search for your USAV Region for a list of events in your area.
Step 8: Plan for the Future to Grow Your Volleyball Club
As you're probably already aware, running a successful club can be a year-round job. Even in your first year you should be making plans for the long term. Make sure to clarify club goals with your Assistant Club Directors, coaches, and even parents of your current players.
You can also ask yourself a few questions as you embark on your first season:
- What are the goals for the club 1, 3, and 5 years from now?
- What role(s) do I need on my staff to help grow the club?
- Is this a club that I want to run for more than 5 years? Or just a few years?
As your first season gets started you can begin to build a vision for future years. Do you want to grow your club to become for-profit, have 20+ teams and create a full-time work opportunity for yourself? Or do you prefer to have a smaller regional club that you run as a non-profit?
Get your volleyball club off the ground with Jersey Watch
Starting a volleyball club takes planning, organization, and a great team, from building your staff to creating a website, managing registrations, and keeping everyone connected. Jersey Watch simplifies every step of the process, making it easy to register players, collect payments, communicate with coaches and families, and manage your club online, all in one platform.
Ready to get started? Sign up today and see how Jersey Watch can help your club thrive: Get Started with Jersey Watch!
