Tryout Age Division Chart

JVA places every junior athlete by birth date, using the same July 1 cutoff as USA Volleyball — each division's window runs July 1 to June 30, so two athletes in the same school grade can land in different divisions. JVA does not use USA Volleyball's grade-based exceptions; instead it offers an age waiver that lets an athlete play down one division to compete at grade level with their peers, provided they are no more than one year older than that division. It requires a certified birth certificate and proof of grade sent to the tournament director before the roster deadline.

Which division is your athlete in for the 2026–27 club season?

Click on the link below to be taken to an age group calculator to help figure out what tryout age group your son belongs in.

Under Age Definitions, Choose: JVA

How are JVA age groups determined?

JVA places every junior athlete by birth date using a July 1 cutoff. Each division’s window runs July 1 through June 30, so an athlete’s age group depends on the birth date, not the school grade. JVA does not use USA Volleyball’s grade-based exceptions.

What is the age cutoff for JVA?

July 1. A division’s birth-date window runs from July 1 of one year through June 30 of the next, so an athlete born on July 1 lands one division younger than a teammate born June 30 of the same year — the same cutoff USA Volleyball uses.

Can a player play up or down an age group in JVA?

Players can always play up (older). To play down, JVA offers an age waiver: an athlete may play one division down to compete at grade level with their peers, provided they are no more than one year older than that division. It requires a certified birth certificate and proof of grade sent to the tournament director before the roster deadline.

Does school grade affect my JVA age group?

Placement is by birth date. Grade matters for JVA’s age waiver — the play-down that lets an athlete compete at grade level with their peers when they’re one year old for their grade. Enter a grade and the calculator surfaces the waiver division when it applies.

Are JVA and USA Volleyball age groups the same?

The birth-date windows are identical — both use a July 1 cutoff, so an athlete’s base division is the same either way. The rules layered on top differ: USA Volleyball adds grade-based exceptions (the 18U 12th-grade rule, the 17U 11th-grade rule, and boys’ play-down notes), while JVA uses birth date alone plus an age waiver that lets an athlete play down one division at grade level with their peers (with a certified birth certificate and proof of grade sent to the tournament director). Switch organizations at the top of the calculator to see each set of rules applied.