21 Elite Lioness Volleyball Club

The 21 Elite Volleyball program has been established to guide players, and the people that coach them, through a level-appropriate system of volleyball development. Using scientific guiding principles developed by coaches; 21 Elite has designed a practical, functional and sequential development model to properly impart the game to a student-athlete.

2025 SEASON INFORMATION

21 Elite Lioness Volleyball Club is proud and honored to be the fastest growing Club in the State of New York!

Included are the details for the 2025 season including Practice schedule, Tournament schedule, Coaching staff and Club dues as well as other pertinent information regarding description of team levels, what’s included in your dues and the Tryout Process.

Please keep in mind that all of these details are TENTATIVE and subject to change.

We thank you for your interest in our club and the 21 Elite Lioness Volleyball family.  We hope you will join us for 2025 and for years to come!

Teams

9U-12U

14U

16U

18U

Tryouts:

HOW TO JOIN A TEAM:

- These teams are formed through a series of TRYOUTS starting with our Early Tryouts in September and once again throughout the Fall.
- Athletes will be evaluated during the tryout and placed at the appropriate level from evaluation. We will notify you shortly after the tryout of placement and work with you to find the right team
- Tryouts require registration

September Tryouts Don’t Work for you?

These tryouts are for players that are interested in placement for an opening on one of our 2025 Teams!

Location: 41 Riley Street, Buffalo, NY 14209
Cost: Free
Date/Time: November 23, 2025; 9:00am-11:00am

Registration will be available Late-November

- Our teams are open to girls ages 11-18 of any experience level.
- We do not have a Boys Volleyball Program but we do train boys ages 8-10
- If you are 8-10 years old, girls or boys, please email coachb@the21elite.com for more information on our 10U teams (tryout not required for ages 8-10 but those ages are welcomed).

More important information about joining a team:

  • We recommend that you Tryout for your GRADE (Fall of 2025)

    18U Division/Seniors: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2006 or players who were born on or after July 1, 2005 and are a high school student during some part of the current academic year.

    16U Division/Sophomore: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2008

    14U Division/8th Grade: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2010

    12U Division/6th Grade: Players who were born on or after July 1, 2012

    10U Division/4th Grade: Players must still be 10 by July 1, 2025

    • Within 1 week after tryouts are complete, you will receive an email with your TEAM PLACEMENT. You will have 24hrs (from the time the email was sent) to ACCEPT or DECLINE your placement

    • If you ACCEPT, you will have 1 week to make a deposit to hold position on team. You will receive emails from TeamSnap and Square with links to begin PAYMENT & REGISTRATION process.

  • 12U

    Practice Schedule: To be announced

    3 local and/or Rochester tournaments (AAU Nationals, if we qualify):

    Final Cost $525 per player

    Team Payment Schedule

    $200 Non Refundable Deposit one week after tryouts

    $200 due Jan 1, 2025

    $125 (final payment) Due Feb 1, 2025

    14U

    Practice Schedule: To be announced

    4 local and/or Rochester tournaments (AAU Nationals, if we qualify):

    Final Cost $650 per player

    Team Payment Schedule

    $250 Non Refundable Deposit one week after tryouts

    $250 due January 1, 2025

    $150 (final payment) Due Feb 1, 2025

    16U

    Practice Schedule: To be announced

    5 local, Rochester, Pennsylvania, and/or OH tournaments (AAU Nationals, if we qualify):

    Final Cost $650 per player

    Team Payment Schedule

    $250 Non Refundable Deposit one week after tryouts

    $250 due Jan 1, 2025

    $150 (final payment) Feb 1, 2025

    18U

    Practice Schedule: To be announced

    6 local, Rochester, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Eastern Coast and/or OH tournaments (AAU Nationals):

    Final Cost $1250 per player

    Team Payment Schedule

    $500 Non Refundable Deposit one week after tryouts

    $500 due Jan 1, 2025

    $250 (final payment) Feb 1, 2025

    *WE KEEP THE SAME UNIFORM DESIGNS FOR 2 YEARS, IF YOU HAVE A JERSEY ALREADY YOU WILL RECEIVE A $50 DISCOUNT.

  • COSTS INCLUDE:

    JERSEY(S), TEE(S), REGISTRATION FEES, PRACTICE TIMES, COACHING CERTIFICATION AND EXPENSES, TOURNAMENT ENTRY FEES

    *WE KEEP THE SAME UNIFORM DESIGNS FOR 2 YEARS, IF YOU HAVE A JERSEY ALREADY YOU WILL RECEIVE A $50 DISCOUNT.

    COSTS DO NOT INCLUDE:

    TRAVEL EXPENSES, TEAM GEAR (BACKPACKS, HOODIES, SOCKS, ETC)

  • Hotels are booked at discounted rates for the club. Families just have to call to reserve.

  • * When you are accepted to a 21 Elite Team, a link will be emailed to you to MAKE A DEPOSIT, or MAKE A PAYMENT

    Partial payments are made through our Square links, if your link has not been sent email coachb@the21elite.com

    If you are paying your dues in full you are welcome to mail a check.  Please send payments to:

    21 Elite Sports Training LLC (payable to 21 Elite)
    170 Manhattan Ave #1177, Buffalo, NY 14215

    * Be sure to make note of your daughter’s name and/or team in the Memo Line of your check. Thank you!

    Payment Policies:

    - We understand that if my daughter incurs an injury, becomes ill, is dismissed from the club, or decides not to play at any time that I remain liable for my total club season dues. Any outstanding fees and dues will be due within seven (7) days of my daughter’s termination from the club.

    - Each player must pay a deposit in order to confirm their position on their team. This deposit is NON-REFUNDABLE as are all club payments thereafter. 21 Elite Lioness Volleyball Club will NOT refund any payments.

    - If any payments are late or in default, my daughter will not be allowed to attend any practices or tournaments until payment is made. I will also be held liable for any and all attorney, court and administrative costs associated with the collection of unpaid fees.

    Sibling Discount (deadline 11/30/25) - families with multiple athletes in the club are eligible for a 10% sibling discount for each athlete UPON REQUEST. To receive the discount, please contact Coach Blair Helton (coachb@the21elite.com) with the names and teams of your athletes. The deadline to request the discount is NOVEMBER 30th, 2025. Credit will be applied to the final payment. If dues are paid in full a refund will be issued.

  • Each season commences with tryouts in 

    August and finishes with our local program in May and our travel programs as late as July

    . Therefore, our staff is hard at work starting in July each year before players step foot on the court for tryouts.  Most of the planning and preparation for the season takes place by our full-time staff in July, August, and September. The remainder of the season is equally as busy with managing parent and player communication, adjusting tournament schedules, handling hotel accommodations, creating rosters, tournament scheduling each week, parent, coach and player management, practice planning, uniform dissemination and adjustments, etc.  Running a volleyball club is a massive undertaking and the associated costs.

    Please know 21 Elite will work with any family that needs financial assistance through payment plans that work for their family, to a certain acceptable extent.

    Player fees include:

    • practice court time

    • tournament entry

    • coach expenses

    • training equipment

    • administrative fees  

    Player fees do not include:

    • accommodation, travel, and meal expenses for player/families

    • tryout registration fee

    • team attendance and expenses at season ending National Championship Tournaments for USA Volleyball or AAU

    IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT NATIONALS:
    It is expected that teams interested in attending the Girls National Championships in any division must decide if they will attend by January 15th and the club will initially enter them in the Patriot division. If a team qualifies for a higher division, they are expected to attend that division. This allows enough time for the club and the WEVA region to notify USAV of our desire to participate. The club will NOT Local teams to nationals in 2025.
    For ANY interested National teams that attend USAV or AAU nationals, attending players will need to cover additional coach, travel and tournament entry expenses. 
    Depending on the location of the National events, team costs can range between $3500 and $6000 per team.
    Disclaimer-The club will attempt subsidize a portion of the expenses to keep the family fee at $350, but this is not a guarantee. Most of the subsidizing will be done via fundraisers. 

    If your team decides to not attend Nationals, your last scheduled season tournament will be the end of your season.

    REFUNDABLE ITEMS

    • Tournament entry fees of cancelled events THAT ARE REFUNDED TO OUR CLUB. These vary per team based on the event and can range between $150 and $1000 based on location (downtown/large city); length of event (1, 2, or 3 day); and/or type of event (1-day event in Rochester, JVA 2-day tournament or a 3-day qualifier).

    • Unused coach travel expenses for tournament that are cancelled  (which varies based on travel distance, length of event, and location of event)    

    • Percentage of unused court rental time in the event of a "pause" for the season or facility regulations implemented due to events such as Covid (which varies based on time of day and time of the season)

    NONREFUNDABLE ITEMS

    • Tryout fee 

    • Individual membership fees that are paid directly to WEVA/USA Volleyball or AAU are not refundable. (However, player’s membership will be good through October 31 and will allow players to participate in sanctioned summer and fall events or tryouts through that time.

    • Uniforms and warm-ups 

    • Prepaid coach stipends 

    • Tournament entry fees of events an individual team withdraws from that are not refunded to us due to payment or participation deadlines.

    • Staff salaries

    • Marketing and Advertising Fees

    • Technology Fees (computers, printers, website fees and management, Sports Engine subscription)

    • Education/Training Fees (as required by USAV Volleyball, WEVA and AAU)

    • Dues/Subscriptions to WEVA, USAV, AAU, JVA

    • Unified staff apparel

    • Accountant Fees

    • Office Supplies

    • Equipment Replacement Costs

    • Property and Liability Insurance 

    • Facility/Court Rental which includes:

      • Building Staff

      • Custodial Staff

      • Custodial Supplies

      • Utilities

      • Floor Maintenance Costs

      • Parking Lot Maintenance (plowing and repairs)

      • Lawncare and Landscaping

PROGRAMS, TRAINING & CAMPS

We offer many different programs, trainings and camps throughout the year for all ages and skill levels. Players DO NOT need to be committed to play on a 21 Elite team to attend any of the following below:

YOUTH PROGRAMS:

BITTY RALLY (Grades K-4): These weekly classes will introduce attendees to the basics of volleyball. These classes are designed for youth girls and boys in Kindergarten - 4th grade. No experience necessary! During these sessions players will work to master the fundamentals of the game through individual skill work and game-like scenarios. Visit our skills training page for more information.

JUNIOR BALL (Grades 5-8): These weekly training sessions are open to boys and girls grades 5th-6th (girls only starting 7th grade). During these sessions players will work to master the fundamentals of the game through individual skill work and game-like scenarios.

RAPID21 Volleyball League

RAPID21 is a 3v3 league is for both boys and girls from grades Kindergarten to 12th grade with emphasis on proper fundamentals such as Passing, Setting, Attacking and Defense.

Training & Camps

SMALL GROUP LESSONS: We will offer 1.5hr sessions (typically limited to 12 athletes per session) for $12.50 each. These are also broken down by age group and specific skill focuses (ex: hitting, passing, serving). When registering, you can pick and choose individual dates that work best for your schedule.

SPECIALTY TRAINING: We offer specific skill training and programs throughout the year.

CAMPS: These 1-5 day events are typically offered in the summer or around holidays and range in cost. These are broken down by age groups and have a specific skills focus or are All Skills.

  • We accept cash but we do not prefer cash. We accept all payments including Cash App, check (ACH), gift card and all major credit cards through our Square account. Please make all checks out to “21 Elite Sports Training LLC”.

  • Click the “Schedule” tab above. The most updated availability can be found in the "Schedule" tab or at www.the21elite.com/schedule

  • We have a 24-hour cancellation policy. Clients can cancel their workout free of charge up to 24 hours before their workout. At this point the client will have the option to receive a refund, that will take 2-7 days to process or reschedule the appointment with a 2-week expiration. If they cancel within 24 hours, they will be charged the full amount.

  • We start at 5. As long as the participant is attentive enough and coordinated enough to do the basic drills and exercise then we will help them reach their goals.

  • We have our 12 Athlete Skills Group Trainings which are divided into three age groups, 5-9, 10-12, 13-18.

  • We currently use TeamSnap and SMS for all team communication.