WELCOME TO RIPS VOLLEYBALL CLUB!

Rips Volleyball Club is a youth volleyball club in Rabun County GA seeking to bridge the gap for rural players who are seeking to play highly competitive volleyball. Our balanced approach emphasizes technical skill development, confidence, and teamwork in a competitive yet supportive environment in order to help athletes grow as players and individuals. We expect a high level of commitment from everyone involved and seek athletes who want to put in the time and work necessary to be the best volleyball player they can be.  Our Directors and Coaches share that commitment and work tirelessly to build highly successful teams and athletes.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

Coaching Philosophy:

The lessons we teach and the experiences that club volleyball provides will stay with players for years to come. Above all, we seek to help develop good humans AND excellent volleyball players. Confidence, integrity,  perseverance, sportsmanship, teamwork, and a standard of excellence are all principles that are introduced in sports but extend far beyond the gym. 

We are not focused on any single high school program. The relationships that players build across schools are an extremely valuable part of the club volleyball experience. In the past, our teams have been very diverse and represent 3 different states!

Team Philosophies:


Developmental & 12u Teams

Our 12U and Developmental teams focus on laying the groundwork for a lifelong love of volleyball. Our philosophy centers on creating a positive and educational environment where young athletes learn the basics of the game, proper form, and fundamental skills. We believe in:

  1. Skill Foundation: Our primary goal is to instill a strong foundation in the fundamental skills of volleyball. We emphasize proper mechanics in serving, passing, setting, and hitting to ensure players develop the right techniques from the start.

  2. Fun and Encouragement: We strive to make every practice enjoyable and full of enthusiasm. We encourage a love for the game by creating a supportive and fun-filled atmosphere that fosters a passion for volleyball.

  3. Individual Growth: We understand that every player progresses at their own pace. Our coaching staff is dedicated to the individual development of each player, helping them set and achieve their personal goals.

  4. Team Values: While focusing on individual growth, we also emphasize teamwork, effective communication, and sportsmanship. We promote respect for teammates, opponents, coaches, and the game itself.

  5. Preparation for the Future: Our 12U and Developmental teams serve as the starting point for a successful volleyball journey. We prepare players for the challenges ahead, both on and off the court, and instill a strong work ethic and a growth mindset.


13u &14u Teams

Our 13 and 14u players have been introduced to the game, either from developmental leagues in the area or through middle school ball. Playing time will start to be influenced by the player’s skill but there will still be an enormous focus on skill development and fine-tuning techniques and effort, commitment, and work ethic will be influential in their role on the court. This age is critical for developing solid fundamentals. Because poor habits become increasingly difficult to reverse after this age, we will place a great deal of emphasis on proper form, technique, and mechanics in passing, serving, hitting, setting, and digging. 

Players will begin to find their specific positions and spend more time increasing proficiency at position-specific skills. They should demonstrate good communication skills and understanding of game momentum and offensive and defensive systems. 

15u & 16u Teams

At this age, we expect our players to be committed to their volleyball experience. Winning will become more important as it’s a qualitative demonstration of the individual and team skills acquired. Playing time will be determined by a player’s ability to contribute, but commitment, hard work, and healthy competition among teammates are encouraged to push the individual to always be striving to be their best version of themselves. These years are important in terms of the growth of “volleyball IQ”. Players are taught to begin to think beyond their individual skills to see the game, develop court awareness, anticipate opponent moves, and make good decisions. Mental toughness and strategy become increasingly important and continue to be reinforced to players in this age group. By this point, teams should be continuously communicating on the court. More sophisticated offensive and defensive systems will be introduced with the expectation that teams can make adjustments mid-game. Players who are thinking about playing in college will begin to lay the foundation to keep those doors open.

17u & 18u Teams

By this point, basic skills should be mastered and only need minor refinements. The finer points of the game both offensively and defensively are enhanced. Mental toughness, strategy, and cohesiveness of team dynamics dictate the game rhythm and match results more often than not, so development and understanding of these facets is a focus. Physical training remains a top priority and critical for the strength, power, and explosiveness needed to be a top-tier athlete. While we recognize not every player that participates in club volleyball will end up playing at the collegiate level, at this age group,  we know many of our players have the talent and drive to take their game to the next level. Recruiting, strength & performance, and understanding competition strategies and tactics are highlighted in order to help get to the next level.

Meet THE DIRECTORS:

With a combined 26 years of coaching experience across several levels, directors Ali Wilkins and Tammi Nowack are no strangers to the game of volleyball or club sports. After participating in a number of clubs as athletes and then as coaches (and Tammi as a parent!), their unique perspective into the club volleyball scene made them realize the need for a high-level competition club offering in their rural area between the major cities of Atlanta Georgia, Asheville North Carolina, and Greenville, South Carolina.


  • Founder/Coach

    Ali, graduated in May 2021 from Piedmont University with an Applied Health Science Degree. She played collegiate volleyball at Berea College and Piedmont University as a setter and a libero. Throughout high school, she played club volleyball, travel basketball, softball, and ran track. Ali has always had an interest in training and coaching which is what has led to this year being her sixth year of coaching volleyball. Ali and her business partner Rylie recently opened up a gym on Main Street in Clayton, GA called Rips Fitness. She focuses on weight training, kids sport’s specific training, and small group classes out of that facility. This is the first year co-directing Rips Volleyball Club, and she is excited to see the growth of this program.


  • FOUNDER/COACH

    A proud native of Michigan, Tammi Nowack has been coaching high school girls since her senior year of college. Hard work, discipline, solid fundamentals, mental toughness and character development are the foundations of her coaching philosophy. She loves the comradre and sisterhood that comes with the game and helping to develop confident, powerful women.

    She has co-founded 3 club teams, won 10+regional club tournament championships, 2 top-4 school state finishes, had over 30 players with college volleyball scholarship offers (DivI, II and III), and 50+ all-region players covering Michigan, Ohio, Florida, and Georgia. She’s now entering her 21st season of coaching and is thrilled to bring elite volleyball to rural northeast Georgia.

    Coach Nowack lives in Rabun Gap with her husband, 4 sons, and her dog Juno.

Coach With Us!

Interested in coaching, assistant coaching, or volunteering? Fill out our interest form and we’ll be in touch

2023-2024 Season Info:

  • Girls Teams:
    (split into 3 or more payments. First payment due upon commitment.)

    Developmental $1150

    Club $1600

    Elite $1850

    Optional AAU National Add-On $750


    Boys Teams: $600

  • All Girls Teams:

    Practices 2x/s week (Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs and/or Friday) in Clayton GA

    Open gyms/skills clinics

    One weekly strength and agility training session at Rips Fitness

    Informational Seminars/panels for parents and players

    6-8 Tournaments

    Developmental 3 Tournaments

    Media Day

    Uniform Package:

    2 practice tshirts

    1 Hoodie

    1 warmup sweatpant

    2 jerseys

    1 backpack for new players

    Whistle

    Decal

    Boys Teams:

    3 tournaments

    1 practice/week

    1 practice shirt

    1 jersey

    whistle

    decal

HISTORY OF OUR CLUB.

Ali and Tammi first met on the volleyball court when Ali was a junior in high school and Tammi was her coach, first at her high school and then at her club. After Ali graduated college, she came back to coach at the same club where she started her volleyball career and she and Tammi became friends over the next 5 years. Seeing a need for elite volleyball training in the area, in 2022 they started Rips Volleyball Club. Although RVC is just launching it’s inaugural season, it’s bringing with it seasoned coaching, and experienced and dedicated athletes ready to elevate their game to the next level.

FAQs

  • "Club" volleyball is generally considered to be Junior Olympic volleyball which is governed at the national level by USA Volleyball (USAV). USAV is responsible for the United States National and Olympic teams. Club volleyball is designed for players that truly enjoy the sport and want to take their volleyball skills to a higher level. USAV is divided into 40 regions, and we are in the Southern Region (SRVA). Each year, players and teams must become members of USA Volleyball in order to participate in practice and tournament play. Club programs in our area and across the nation range from those with a low commitment level and emphasis on fun to the most competitive and elite players seeking to play at the highest levels of the collegiate and national ranks. Because of limited resources in terms of space and qualified coaches, club programs are competitive and will hold tryouts and not every player who tries out will make a team..

  • Tryouts are in early July and mid August, and tournaments begin in January and run through late April/early May.

  • 2-3 hour practices, 2xs a week and optional open gyms each month. Club and elite teams will get one agility and strength workout a week.

  • Tournaments occur 2-3x a month, typically in the Atlanta area, but we also may have tournaments in Gatlinburg, Chattanooga, and Florida. The tournament schedule largely depends on the team. Additional cost/fundraising may be required for tournaments outside of Georgia and North Carolina.

  • Playing time is based on attendance, attitude, skill, and practice outcomes, not necessarily in that order. While all team members will generally play at some point in all events, court time will NOT be equal. Volleyball is largely a position-specific sport and each player has a role. The coach’s primary responsibility is to the needs of the team, over any given individual. No one is guaranteed playing time. Athletes should discuss issues regarding playing time with the coach, and only at appropriate times. Playing time concerns should NOT be discussed during tournaments.

  • Club team cost for all girls teams start at $1150 for developmental ages 12 and under, $1600 for club teams, and $1850 for elite teams. This includes a uniform package, team tournament entry fees, coaching instruction and practice December-May, a media day, regular open gyms and skills clinics, and other team/parent activities throughout the season. It does NOT include hotel costs or transportation at/to tournaments, compression shorts, or footwear.
    Boys Team price is $600 and includes 3 tournaments, 1 practice shirt, 1 jersey, media day, and 1 practice/week.

  • No more than 12 players per team.

  • Generally, players should play in their age group, particularly in the younger age groups. Our experience has shown that the teams comprised of the strongest skilled players that are all at the same age level generally perform the best. Some players who are ‘young’ for their grade (for example, a 10th grader whose age would put them on a 15s team) may "play up" with their grade provided they are selected to the older team during tryouts. We evaluate players individually and make decisions based on the needs of the team.

    Find out your player’s SRVA age by clicking HERE.

  • USA Volleyball uses July 1 of the following year as the cutoff date for each age level. Your age on 7/1/2023 is the youngest age group you qualify to compete in. For a more detailed explanation, click here

  • Tryout rules and dates have changed for this season. Our tryouts are July 26th and August 20th at the Rabun County Recreation Department. 13 and younger will tryout 6:30 to 7:30 pm and 14 and older is 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm

    * ALL PLAYERS ARE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN AN SRVA MEMBERSHIP PRIOR TO TRYOUTS. This is a separate charge of roughly $65 and is required by the Southern Region Volleyball Association in order to play Club volleyball (Click Here to obtain your initial $15 tryout membership. The difference must be paid once the player makes a team)

    The registration link for Rips Volleyball Club will be posted in September, where you can register for tryouts and enter your SRVA Membership number.

  • Club sports are a big commitment and we know that not everyone may be ready to jump into it.
    We do accept a limited number of practice players - for athletes who desire to improve and get better but may not be ready - either skill-wise, financially, or for the travel commitment required to play on a team. For a reduced cost, practice players receive the same team/skill training and practice time as their peers, but a smaller uniform package, and do not travel to tournaments.
    There will be a maximum of 2 practice players per team. Practice players must also come to tryouts and are offered by invitation only.