Why are Michigan club teams less competitive than Illinois, Ohio & Indiana club teams?
Pretty simple answer: we are the only state to have a winter high school season and, therefore, a much shorter club season. Our club season starts at the end of our high school season in late March. Our teams typically cannot practice until that time. Other states start their practices and organization at the end of their seasons in November. It is not just the extra months of practice that help the other states, it is also the extra months of organization. Similarly, this becomes cumulative — a senior in Michigan has played a year+ less of competitive volleyball than her counterparts in other states. If you play AAU Michigan events, you will not see the teams from other states, so this will not be an issue. However, if you play multi-state USAV events, you will see this disadvantage on a regular basis.
