Timelines

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Professional Volleyball has some strange timelines. To get a contract its best to have a grasp of when things generally happen and how long it actually takes.

When should I start talking to Agents?

Agents will generally start reaching out to Athletes throughout their Junior & Senior years. Initial conversations will generally be pretty high level, maybe congratulating on a result or just having a few conversations. Most of these will happen over Facebook or Instagram to start and move over to WhatsApp (might as well download it now).

During these times you should be pretty aware of the fact that Agents operate at different intervals. If you are not one of the top players in the country, you will have to wait a bit longer and be proactive to drive the process. Persistence is key, and you should look for Agents that have worked in countries that fit your skill level.

If Agents don't reach out to you, feel free to get a video together and send it to them. You might play on a team that they don't watch, or they could have overlooked you. You should reach out to Agents as soon as you decide that you want to play (while staying NCAA compliant), to help figure out what your situation might look like. Agents may or may not want to speak with you, you will just have to keep looking until you find one. It's important to note that some Agents avoid players of certain positions, because of how difficult it is to find a contract. If you're in a situation where the clock is winding down and you can't find a contract, it's entirely possible to find a contract with out an Agent.

How long is the season?

Players start reporting to their teams between August and September. Some teams will have their players to come earlier in the summer to get acclimated, but this is not the norm. The regular season will continue through March, followed by playoffs and cup games, which go into April. The last matches of the year, the Champions League finals, are in the first week of May.

When does the Market Open?

The market is the period where teams will begin to pick up players and start to make deals with players to come and join them for the upcoming season. It starts in January and continues through the beginning of the upcoming season.

When you get into your professional season, you'll often have to make decisions concerning where you will play mid way through the current season. Most pros with an established track record will have everything tied up through the early summer. It's important to note that during your first season it will be difficult to get a top tier contract, because of how late you will join the market.

When should I expect to commit after college?

You cannot commit to playing professional volleyball until after your final college match (includes playoffs). In general your first contract is the most difficult to get, because teams don't really know how to estimate the strength of the NCAA.

You will generally commit to a team as soon as possible, because the NCAA men's season ends late and teams fill up pretty quickly. The top leagues and teams tend to finish their window first, while teams in other leagues fill their rosters out later. It's not unheard of to learn about what team you're playing for a few weeks before you get on the plane to your new destination. It's also the norm to walk into your new playing situation sight unseen.