Volleyball recruiting camps are one of the biggest line items in a recruiting family's budget — and one of the hardest to evaluate. A single college-run camp costs $150–$400. A weekend showcase or exposure tournament can run $500+ with travel. Multiply that across a year of events and families easily spend $2,000–$4,000 on opportunities that may or may not put their athlete in front of the right coaches.
The challenge specific to volleyball is that the camp ecosystem overlaps heavily with the club tournament circuit — and the two serve different purposes. Understanding which format delivers real recruiting value, and which is an expensive weekend with minimal coach interaction, is the difference between a smart investment and a wasted one. For the general framework that applies across all sports, see our guide on whether college recruiting camps are worth it.
How volleyball camps differ from other sport recruiting events
Volleyball's camp landscape is distinct from sports like baseball or football. In baseball, third-party showcases (Perfect Game, PBR) dominate the evaluation pipeline. In football, mega camps and combines are the primary camp format. In volleyball, college-run camps are the dominant camp type — and the club tournament circuit serves as the primary exposure mechanism.
| Event type | Run by | Format | Recruiting value |
|---|
| College camp (position-specific) | A single college program | Position-specific training and evaluation, typically 40–80 athletes | High — if the coach is actively recruiting your athlete's position and the camp is capped at a reasonable number |
| College camp (general/team) | A single college program | Mixed drills and scrimmages, often 100–200+ athletes | Variable — can be a genuine evaluation or a revenue event depending on coaching staff involvement |
| Club tournament (USAV qualifier, JVA, AAU) | Sanctioning body or third-party | Full 6v6 matches in front of multiple college coaching staffs | Often the highest-value exposure per dollar — coaches plan their scouting calendars around national qualifiers |
| Third-party showcase | Private operator | Skills testing, short matches, or combine-style format | Varies widely — some draw legitimate coaches, many are primarily revenue events |
The critical difference in volleyball: club tournament exposure often delivers more recruiting value than paid camps. Coaches at every level attend USAV national qualifiers, JVA events, and AAU championships as part of their evaluation schedule. Your athlete's club team playing in these tournaments puts them in front of dozens of college coaches simultaneously — at a cost your family is already paying through club fees.
This doesn't mean college camps have no value. It means the question isn't just "should we attend camps?" but "should we attend camps in addition to the exposure our club season already provides?"
College-run volleyball camps: which ones coaches actually use for evaluation
Not all college-run volleyball camps serve the same purpose. The difference between a genuine evaluation camp and a revenue generator comes down to structure, size, and coaching staff involvement.
Position-specific camps are the highest-value college camp format. These camps focus on one or two positions (setters, middles, outside hitters), cap enrollment at a manageable number, and are run by the coaching staff responsible for recruiting that position. If your athlete is a setter and a program runs a setter-specific camp with 30–40 athletes and the head coach and setter coach present, that camp has real evaluation potential.
General prospect camps are the most common format — and the most variable in quality. At a well-run general camp, the full coaching staff actively evaluates during competitive scrimmages, takes notes, and follows up with athletes who impressed them. At a poorly run one, 200 athletes rotate through drill stations while the head coach gives a welcome speech and disappears. The number of athletes relative to the number of evaluating coaches is the single best predictor of quality.
Elite or invite-only camps signal a higher level of interest. If a coach personally invites your athlete to a smaller camp after prior communication, that invitation carries weight. It suggests the coach wants to evaluate your athlete in a controlled setting — essentially an extended audition. These camps are almost always worth attending.
Team camps (where entire club teams attend and play matches on a college campus) provide exposure but are less targeted than individual prospect camps. The coaches are watching, but they're watching hundreds of athletes across many teams. The value depends on whether your athlete's club team is competitive enough to draw attention.
Club tournament exposure vs. paid camps: where the real recruiting happens
For many volleyball families, the club season — especially the tournament schedule at the national level — provides more meaningful recruiting exposure than any camp they could attend.
USAV national qualifiers are the tentpole recruiting events of the volleyball year. College coaches from D1 through D3 build their spring scouting calendars around these tournaments. If your athlete plays on a nationally competitive club team, these events put them in front of more coaches, in a more authentic game environment, than any prospect camp.
JVA (Junior Volleyball Association) events draw strong coaching attendance, particularly at the regional and national level. JVA World Challenge, JVA Summerfest, and similar events are legitimate scouting opportunities.
AAU championships serve a similar function, particularly for athletes in regions where AAU club volleyball is strong.
The practical implication: if your athlete plays on a strong club team that competes in national qualifiers and top-tier JVA events, your recruiting exposure budget is partially covered by club fees you're already paying. The additional value of a $300 college camp needs to be measured against the exposure already happening at tournaments.
That said, club tournaments and college camps serve different functions. At a tournament, coaches are scanning broadly — watching dozens of matches and hundreds of athletes. At a camp, the evaluation is focused on a smaller group. Both have value. The question is which one your family needs more of, given where you are in the volleyball recruiting timeline.
How to evaluate whether a specific volleyball camp is worth attending
Before registering for any volleyball camp, answer these questions:
Does the program have a roster need at your athlete's position?
Check the current roster and recent commitment lists. If the program signed two outside hitters in last year's class and has four more on the roster, their general prospect camp is unlikely to be an evaluation event for outside hitters. This single question eliminates more bad camp investments than any other.
Has a coach communicated directly with your athlete?
A mass email camp invitation is marketing — programs send thousands of them. A personal message from a coach who references your athlete's club team, a specific tournament, or their Hudl film is recruiting interest. If a coach suggests attending their camp after direct communication, that camp moves to the top of your list. If the only contact has been a generic brochure, the invitation means nothing.
What's the enrollment cap?
Ask the number directly. A position-specific camp with 40 athletes and a full coaching staff gives meaningful evaluation time. A general camp with 200+ athletes is optimizing for revenue. Programs that cap enrollment are prioritizing evaluation quality.
Is the camp structured around competitive play?
Scrimmages and game situations reveal what coaches need to see: decision-making, court awareness, composure under pressure, and how your athlete competes. Drill stations and skills testing tell coaches very little they can't get from film. The more competitive play in the schedule, the better.
Can you verify past results?
Talk to families in your club. Search recruiting forums. If athletes who attended previous years received follow-up communication, campus visit invitations, or offers, the camp has a track record. If no one you know has ever heard back after attending, that's your answer.
Are your athlete's measurables and skills in range for this division?
Attending a Power Four program's camp when your athlete's measurables fall in the D2 range isn't a smart use of money. Use the volleyball recruiting standards guide to assess whether the match is realistic before investing.
When to attend camps in the volleyball recruiting timeline
Timing matters. The same camp can be a smart investment or a wasted one depending on where your athlete is in the recruiting process.
Freshman and sophomore years: focus on club tournament exposure rather than college camps. Your athlete is still developing, and most D1 programs won't be actively recruiting freshmen at camps. If a camp opportunity arises at a program your family is genuinely interested in and the cost is reasonable, it can be worthwhile for the experience. But the priority at this stage is playing on the strongest club team possible and competing in national-level tournaments.
Junior year: this is the peak camp investment window. NCAA contact rules for D1 volleyball allow coaches to communicate with athletes starting June 15 after sophomore year. By junior year, coaches are actively building their recruiting classes, and a well-chosen camp at a target program — especially one where a coach has already communicated with your athlete — can be a pivotal evaluation opportunity.
Senior year: camps have diminishing value. By senior fall, most D1 and D2 programs have filled or nearly filled their classes. Camps can still matter for D3 and late-recruiting D2 programs, but the window is narrower. Your energy at this stage is better spent on official visits and direct communication with coaches who have expressed interest.
Pre-camp preparation matters as much as the camp itself. Two to three weeks before any camp, email the coaching staff. Introduce your athlete, include their Hudl film and recruiting profile, mention their jersey number and position, and confirm their attendance. This ensures the coach knows to watch for your athlete specifically. For how to write that email, see our guide on how to email a volleyball college coach.
Post-camp follow-up separates the serious recruits. Within 48 hours of the camp, send a follow-up email thanking the coach, referencing something specific from the camp, and restating interest in the program. Most families skip this step — which means doing it sets your athlete apart.
The bottom line
Volleyball recruiting camps can be a direct path to a college roster — or an expensive distraction. The difference comes down to whether the camp puts your athlete in front of coaches who are genuinely evaluating for roster spots, or whether it's a revenue event with minimal coaching interaction.
For most volleyball families, the club tournament circuit provides the broadest recruiting exposure. College camps add value when they're targeted: a position-specific camp at a program that has a roster need and has already communicated with your athlete, or an invite-only camp where the coach wants a closer look. General prospect camps with 200 athletes and two evaluating coaches are rarely worth the registration fee.
Your family's recruiting budget is finite. Spend it on events where the coaches who matter are actually evaluating — and where your athlete has done the work beforehand to make sure those coaches know exactly who to watch.
For a complete picture of where camps fit into your athlete's recruiting journey, the volleyball recruiting timeline maps out every phase. To assess whether your athlete's measurables are ready for camp-level evaluation, the volleyball recruiting standards guide provides the benchmarks by position and division. And for the general framework on evaluating any recruiting event in any sport, start with are college recruiting camps worth it?.