Questions parents actually ask

No. Athletes are placed into training groups when they arrive, so you can come on your own. This is the question we get most often, and the answer is always no.

No. Mamu Beach does not ask for long-term commitments. Sessions are sold in packs and used as your week allows, so you pay as you go and choose how often you train. Getting better is up to the player — we are the vehicle. See the session packs.

Athletes roughly 9 to 18. Groups are arranged so athletes train alongside others at a similar stage.

Small groups, arranged by level - usually about six athletes to a coach, so everyone gets real coaching time.

On the sand at two locations, Palmetto Bay and South Miami. We send exact court directions when you book, so you know where to go before a first session.

Yes. We only cancel in severe weather. A cancellation goes out one hour before practice on the WhatsApp chat and on Instagram, and by text to everyone signed up for that session.

It is a one-time fee per season covering a coach on site at one tournament a month, college recruiting support, and team kit. Athletes choose which tournaments they travel to.

Yes, and it is included rather than sold separately. Between our directors we have helped roughly one hundred athletes go on to play college volleyball.

Most tournaments are listed on Volleyball Life. Find the event, check which organization sanctions it, and register your team there. Our tournaments page lists the organizations and what each one needs.

Yes. Tournaments are played in pairs and you register as a team. Training is the opposite - you never need a partner to come to a session.

Network, network, network. Make friends at practice and ask players of similar ability. Too shy to ask on the sand? Ask Sylvia or Julie to connect you with the athlete's parents. Having a list of three or four athletes you can partner with is important. You can also follow us on Instagram and message players in your age group.

Congratulations - it takes courage to play your first one. Register a few days in advance. All the organizations require an annual membership, so keep your membership number handy; you will need it every time you sign up. Registration runs roughly $80 to $150 per team. Expect to check in between 7:00 and 8:30, with pool play usually 9:00 to around noon. Getting out of pool is a real accomplishment - many of your opponents have played for a long time. The top two or three teams in each pool advance to playoffs, which are mostly single elimination and end around 2:30 to 4:00. Bring an umbrella, healthy snacks, plenty of water and electrolytes, sunscreen, socks (the sand gets very hot), and sunglasses or a hat. Athletes referee each other's matches and keep score. They will make mistakes, and parents need to let the referee and the players work it out. Parents are not allowed to coach, and athletes call their own timeouts. The first tournament is the toughest, so do not get discouraged.

Yes, per tournament. Tournament coaching is booked separately from your session pack — ask us to add it for the event you are entering. Athletes must wear Mamu Beach kit at any tournament where they are receiving coaching.

Pairs: athletes may play with any partner, and parents register the team. Club Challenges: these mirror the college format and can be 5v5 or 3v3, with Open, Club and Futures / Aspire divisions. Mamu Beach invites athletes to represent the club based on ability, loyalty and attendance, and we handle the sign-ups. Athletes pay the entry and coaching fees.

We love hearing about it. Email the tournament, the date and the age group to mamubeachvb@gmail.com and we will share it. Congratulations.