Tawa’s Club Volleyball Dots: The growth of AAUs, getting ready and getting rated

The 50th AAU Girls Volleyball National Championships begin in Orlando, with 39 teams competing in the 14 Open division and 13 teams in the 18 Open division starting Wednesday. Historically, AAU Nationals were considered a low-key warm-up for USA Volleyball's Junior Olympics until the Junior Volleyball Association (JVA) formed in 2006. Many Midwest clubs then left USA Volleyball, abandoning Junior Olympics participation.

An agreement between AAU and JVA reshaped the landscape: AAU supported JVA's April World Challenge, while JVA endorsed AAU Nationals and discontinued its own June championships. This partnership dramatically boosted AAU participation—from 612 teams in 2009 to over 1,200 in 2010, growing to a record 4,200 teams this year. The surge made AAU Nationals essential for college recruiting.

USA Volleyball's 2016 decision to move its 18s championship to late April initially had minimal impact on AAU 18s attendance. However, AAU shifted its 18s to a standalone May event in 2019. Post-COVID, reverting to June led to declining elite participation: only 168 18s teams competed in 2021, with just 32 in top divisions. This year, 40 teams are in 18 Open and Premier (13 in the top tier), though lower divisions like 18 Club and Classic grew to 181 teams. Changes for 18s are anticipated, including adjustments to JVA's World Challenge.

The 18 Open field lacks top-tier representation. Only two of its 13 teams—Kairos 18 Alpha (3rd at Junior Nationals) and USANY 18 Fortitude (47th)—attended Junior Nationals. No Junior Nationals Open division teams or traditional JVA powerhouses (e.g., KiVA, Tri-State) are competing. A club director attributes this to 18s becoming a "dying age group," as players prefer ending their season earlier unless teams include juniors.

The 18 Open format involves two days of pool play (6-team and 7-team pools). The top four from each pool advance to two four-team pools on day three, culminating in semifinals and finals on the last day.