Northern Chill Volleyball Tryouts - Fall 2025

 

Registration for the 2025-2026 competitive season opens on July 23rd, 2025, and Tryouts may begin as early as September 6th for all 6v6 (13U) – 18U athletes. Schedule to be announced closer to the end of August.

 

*Athletes who are playing in our Grassroots programs do not need to try out unless they are looking to move up to the competitive level.  All competitive athletes attending tryouts will receive a Northern Chill performance t-shirt to be worn with an assigned bib number to be worn at every tryout. You will be responsible for bringing the bib to every tryout in order to participate.

 

Testing/sizing will begin the week of September 3rd - details/schedule to follow. 

 

Early-bird registration (lower cost, guaranteed shirt size) opens July 23rd, 2025 and ends on August 10th (midnight). Early-bird cost is $50.00. 

 

Standard registration $75 (higher cost, no shirt size guarantee) will begin on August 11th.

 

Registration portal closes on September 1st (midnight). There are no registrations permitted after September 1st - NO EXCEPTIONS!

 

Tryout registration is a 2-step process and contenders will not be admitted without having completed both steps:

1. Online Chill registration via SportsEngine

2. MRS registration opens on September 1st -OVA MRS registration opens on September 1st – You MUST wait to complete this step. The OVA resets their system each year, therefore if you try to register before this date it will be lost and you’ll need to do it again.

3. If you already have an account, use the same login information.

4. Register each athlete using the athlete’s name (NOT the parent’s name), as a ‘Tryout Player’ for the ‘2024-25 season’ – there is NO cost to register as a tryout player.

5. In order to complete the MRS tryout player registration, you will be required to read and acknowledge various policies and disclaimers.

6. Proof of MRS registration must be shown at a registration event (see screen shot which shows the athletes name, and indicates they are registered as a tryout player).

7. If you have multiple children, they will each need a different email as their login – the one exception is if you use a gmail account, you can register multiple family members by adding +1, +2, etc., to the username (eg. Username+1@gmail.com). You can use a parent email, but must ensure you set the account information up with the athlete’s name.

8. Here is the link to the MRS System: https://mrs.ontariovolleyball.org/Account/Login .

9.  We are Region 2.  Here is the link to the guide: MRS Registration Guide

 

Age Categories – 2025-2026 season

All athletes should sign up for their true age category based on their birth year:

 

12U – born in 2014
13U – born in 2013
14U – born in 2012
15U – born in 2011
16U – born in 2010
17U – born in 2009
18U* – born in 2008

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*19U athletes born in 2007 are eligible to compete at the 18U level provided they are not a part of any OCAA, OUA, U-Sport, CCAA, etc. volleyball team for the 2025-2026 season.

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Playing Up or Down

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Athletes must register in their correct age group based on birth year (see above age categories overview). If evaluators believe it’s appropriate for an athlete to play up or down (e.g., late-year birth), they will consult with evaluators from the other group. If both groups agree, the Technical Director will speak with the athlete and their family to explain the reasoning and options. Only the evaluators of the athlete’s assigned age group or the Technical Director may initiate this process.

 

Tryouts are a 6-part process, and all are mandatory for selection to a competitive level. There are multiple tryout sessions for each age group and gender, and the athletes should attend them all to make sure they are properly and fairly evaluated (sizing, testing, skills and on-court).

 

PART A - Pre-tryout 

1. Arrival and Check-in 

• Volunteers will confirm that your Chill and MRS registrations are complete.

• Tryout bib number handed to each athlete (to be pinned on tryout shirt back)

 

2. Sizing Stations

• Tryout shirts distributed

• Uniform sizing/Player Package (jersey, shirts, shorts, pants)

 

PART B - Tryout

3. Physical Testing/Measurements

• Physical measurements (height, standing reach, block touch, vertical and speed)

 

4. Fundamental Skills Assessment

• Basic technical skills (agility, med ball toss, spike & block touch)

• Evaluators collect data

• Athletes are ranked and either invited to an on-court team assessment as required  (1st team, 2nd team) or released to Grassroots/Chill Academy

 

5. On-Court Team Assessment/Release of athlete

• Ranked athletes are evaluated via gameplay scenarios to determine final team selections.

• Released athletes receive a recommendation for Grassroots/Chill Academy

 

6. Offer

• All athletes selected for a first or second team will receive an offer letter via email.

 

More Details:

 

MRS/SportsEngine

Athletes must be registered with Northern Chill Volleyball Club (signed up and paid the tryout fee) and with the Ontario Volleyball Association (created or activated an MRS account as a Tryout Player) to be allowed into the Fitness Facility or On-Court Tryout Gym. The MRS account cannot be updated until September 2025 to be eligible for the current competitive season.

 

MRS Registration Guide link: MRS Registration Guide

 

*All athletes must attend Fitness Measurements. 

 

*Athletes without fitness measurement data will not be allowed entry to any gym for On-Court Tryouts.

 

*Athletes will be given a Northern Chill Volleyball Club Tryout Shirt and numbered bib to be worn at ALL tryouts - no exceptions!  

 

What to Expect?

Athletes should arrive 5-10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time of session to prepare themselves (shoes/kneepads, shirt/bib, water bottle filled).

 

Fitness Measurements will assess physical attributes and athleticism. Athletes will have their height/length/reach measurements, test their agility with quick feet drills, and measure their jumping height/vertical.

 

Sizing - all athletes will be sized for a player kit - only athletes selected to a competitive team will receive the player clothing package.  We do this to speed up the ordering process for when teams are selected - turn around time for clothing in the OVA is always very tight.

 

On-Court Tryouts will have expert coaches on-site; including our Technical Director, Head Coaches, Assistant and Development Coaches, and trained Evaluators. Evaluators will input data into a specialized software system to help us better understand the pathway for each and every athlete. We have chosen to use this software in an effort to make our tryouts as objective as possible for athletes and families.  Athletes will be evaluated based on their physical attributes, volleyball skills as well as their attitude, effort and teamwork.

 

On-Court Tryout Sessions: Skill Assessments (the first two sessions) and Team Assessments (the third session onward). All athletes are expected to attend both Skill Assessment sessions, but all Team Assessment sessions will be invite-only for 14U/TLS to 18U. 

 

After Tryouts: All athletes will receive communication about the outcome of the Tryout Phase. This can include: a competitive team offer or a recommendation letter for development programming (Mini-Volley, 4v4 or Chill Academy). *After making a competitive-level offer, the club will hold that position for 24 hours before offering the position to another player.

 

Responses (from athlete families): Guardians/athletes have a response window of 24 hours in which to accept (or reject) before the club can offer that position to another player. Acceptances must be accompanied by a $250 deposit towards team fees. If you know you will not be accepting, please let us know as soon as possible for the sake of other players awaiting the opportunity to play.

 

Outcome: This outcome is just one moment in your journey — it does not define your talent, your potential, or your worth. Keep believing in yourself, because your path is out there, and it’s full of possibility. Stay focused, stay passionate, and keep moving forward with Passion - Poise - Purpose.