Victor Villa is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Highland High School for AZPreps365.com 

GILBERT, Ariz – Club volleyball provides Highland girl’s volleyball players with additional competition and college recruiting opportunities, but the added financial costs and time commitment have created challenges for athletes and their families.

For players like senior outside hitter Lila Ellsworth, indoor club volleyball has helped develop their skills and exposure to college coaches. Senior opposite hitter Kendyl Maxwell, chose to focus on beach volleyball instead. Highland coach Jacob Kelty said club participation has become an important part of the recruiting process, but he also believes players need a balance between volleyball, school and their personal lives.

“I want them to go enjoy this because you only get to do this for four years,” Kelty said.

Ellsworth has played for Arizona Storm Elite, where she’s competed against players from across the state. She said club volleyball pushed her to improve in ways that high school competition has not always provided.

“I think the club pushes you more,” Ellsworth said. “I'm surrounded by some of the best girls in Arizona.”

Ellsworth also viewed club tournaments as an important opportunity to get noticed by college coaches. She said coaches regularly attend tournaments, making club volleyball valuable for players interested in continuing their careers after high school.

“Club volleyball is the way to get exposed to college because coaches or other staff attend the tournaments and other events,” Ellsworth said.

Kelty said college coaches generally scout players at club tournaments rather than high school matches. He explained that coaches want to evaluate athletes against strong competition and see how they perform at a higher level.

“If you're just playing school ball, the likelihood of you getting recruited is just way lower,” Kelty said.

The importance of club volleyball in recruiting was reflected in a NCAA survey, which found that more than 90% of women’s college volleyball players had competed on a club in high school, according to USA Volleyball.

Kelty added that players who did not participate in clubs could still find opportunities to play in college, but they often have to take additional steps to get noticed. He encourages athletes to contact community colleges and other programs instead of limiting themselves to Division I opportunities.

“Don’t be afraid to email or call a coach because you think that they're gonna tell you no,” Kelty said. “There is opportunity, but you just have to actually put the work in.”

However, club volleyball also requires a significant financial commitment. Kelty said some high-level programs can cost up to $9,000 annually, while other programs that compete locally still cost a few thousand dollars.

Oasis Volleyball Academy, a volleyball club based in West Valley, listed its highest competitive level, the Legacy Team, at $1,680 for the commitment fee plus five monthly payments of $624 for the 2026-27 season. That brought the total cost to $4,800 for players ages 14-18.

He said those expenses have prevented some families from participating, even when their children have wanted to play.

Aside from cost, the time commitment has also affected Ellsworth's schedule. Club volleyball has taken up her weeknights and weekends, while tournaments have sometimes caused her to miss school. She said staying organized and completing homework before practice has helped her keep up with both responsibilities.

“One of the hardest things is probably time management because it does take up a lot of your time, like your teenage years,” Ellsworth said.

Despite the demanding schedule, she said improving her skills and building friendships were among the biggest benefits of playing club.

Maxwell took a different approach after playing both indoor and beach volleyball. She eventually chose to focus on beach volleyball because she enjoyed it more and wanted to pursue the sport in college.

“I just had a lot more joy,” Maxwell said. “I just noticed when I'd go play indoors it wasn't really as fun as I was having out on the beach.”

The decision was difficult because Maxwell enjoyed both sports and had built friendships through indoor volleyball. However, her family supported her choice to focus on beach volleyball as she pursued playing at the college level.

Maxwell said the mechanics between indoor and beach volleyball differed, which made returning to indoor competition tough. She also recognized that she was missing additional training compared to her teammates.

“She’s an incredible athlete and an incredible indoor player, but she's focused on beach now,” Kelty said. 

For players who continued with indoor clubs, the transition between the high school and club seasons left little time for rest. Kelty said Highland's season has typically ended before club tryouts for the winter season begin.

He added that the schedule could leave players exhausted because they spent much of the year practicing, competing or preparing for another season. Kelty also acknowledged that the demanding schedule has also affected him and other coaches.

“I'm working my full-time job, I'm coaching volleyball at Highland, and I'm also getting ready for club, and it's just like three things that are very time-consuming,” Kelty said.

At Highland, Kelty kept Fridays free of practices so players could attend football games and spend time with friends. He said athletes need time away from volleyball to enjoy high school and maintain relationships outside the sport.

“Sometimes as coaches, we forget that it’s like these are kids and they still have their own lives and they should have fun,” Kelty said.

Kelty believed players need a healthier balance between athletics and their personal lives. Although he recognized the benefits of club volleyball, he said athletes should not feel that volleyball has to take up all their time.

For Highland players, the decision to play club volleyball came down to what they wanted from the sport and how much time and money the player and their families could commit.