Thanks for asking! First, please take a look at the following page, as it describes the Aspire Team Program and cost, along with modifications due to COVID-19: https://downstatevolleyball.com/2020-program-info/. By accepting, you'll become a member of our DAC Aspire Team training group that will begin practices right after Thanksgiving and continue until the end of April, 2021.

Accepting your offered position in the training program involves 2 steps:

1. Complete the "2020-21 Commit to an Aspire Team @DAC" registration within 48 hours of the offer.
2. Pay the Member Fee (or make the first payment) on our payment service provider ground.work, (https://app.ground.work/signup/parents/orgs/downstatejuniors) before midnight on Wednesday, 9/2.

Yes, after selecting your team in ground.work, you'll be presented with the option to pay in full or to divide the Member Fee into four(4) monthly payments.

Also, if you pay using with a MasterCard or Visa, then ground.work will add a 2.99% fee. However, if you pay using ACH debit(s), then there's no additional charge.

First, verify that there wasn't some technical mistake by checking if your number is on the list at: https://downstatevolleyball.com/list-of-somers-aspire-team-offers/

If your number is listed there, then we attempted to email you an offer letter but encountered some kind of error. We have record of the offer, so you can proceed to follow the instructions above for accepting a position on the team.

If your number was not listed, please contact us at info@downstatevolleyball.com.

Click here for the DAC Practice Schedule (Tentative).

If the high school season is rescheduled, then we plan to begin a modified practice schedule (maybe 1 or 2 times per week) in September or October, and go to a limited scheduled during the high school season.  We encourage you to play for your high school team and will do everything we can to minimize the conflicts between the two!

Here is the Financial Agreement to which you will consent when you make your payment in ground.work:

Downstate Juniors VBC (hereinafter referred to as “Downstate”) and the undersigned as the parent or legal guardian of an athlete/participant (hereafter referred to as “Parent” and “Player”) do hereby agree:

• Downstate has offered Player a position on a Downstate team subject to the terms and condition herein stated.
• Parent acknowledges that Player is accepting a valuable and limited position as a member of a Downstate team which obligation is for the entire season.
• In addition to any other duties and obligations of Parent and Player as set forth elsewhere, Parent agrees to pay the team's Member Fee upon acceptance of this agreement.
• Due to the uncertainty regarding tournament competition, the Member Fee covers costs for practices and training, only. Without limiting the foregoing, Parents acknowledge the Member Fee does not include USAV, JVA and/or AAU membership, which will be required before training begins or any fees for competitions.  All expenses related to membership and/or competition, including uniforms, coach salaries, travel expenses, stipends, and tournament entry fees are in addition to the Member Fee and will be billed separately (“Competition Fees”).   Parent agrees to pay such Competition Fees in full immediately upon receipt of Downstate’s invoice for same.
• As a convenience, Downstate offers a structured payment plan for the Member Fee only.   Accepting the payment plan does not change Parent’s obligation to pay the entire Member Fee.  Downstate reserves the right to accelerate the unpaid payments under the payment plan in the event Parent fails to make a scheduled payment or if Parent fails to pay the Competition Fee when due. 
• Parent agrees that his/her child/Player will participate in all competitions scheduled for the team. Parent is responsible for the Competition Fee for all scheduled competitions, even if his/her child is unable to participate for any reason, including but not limited to health, family obligations, school obligations, religious observances, or playing time.
• Member Fees, a scheduled payment under an accepted Payment Plan, and Competition Fees are considered late if it not made within fifteen (15) days of the due date. Late, or failed, payments will incur an additional fee of $100. 
• Parent must remain current with all payments for Player to remain eligible to participate in team activities, however, in no event shall Member Fees or Competition Fees be waived or reduced as a result of Player participation, whether as a result of Parent’s failure to timely pay a scheduled payment or otherwise.
• No refunds will be given for any reason, including, but not limited to, sickness and injury, dissatisfaction, and job loss or relocation.
• Parent acknowledges that there are certain circumstances beyond Downstate’s control which might affect its ability to perform under this agreement. Parent agrees that Downstate is not responsible for any failure to perform its obligations under this contract, if it is prevented or delayed in performing those obligations by an event outside of its control, i.e. act of god, pandemic, etc.
• Notwithstanding the foregoing, if as a result of governmental rules or regulations, including any regulations promulgated as result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Downstate is unable to complete its obligations under this agreement, Downstate shall offer the following reduction of the Member Fees:
  1. In the event Downstate is unable to complete the training season, its only obligation shall be a refund of a portion of the Member Fee. For calculation purposes, Aspire programs have 60 practice hours, Regional teams have 80 practice hours and National teams have 140 practice hours. In the event of a season cancellation, refunds will be processed as follows:
     1. Termination before practices begin – 100% refund
     2. After practices begin, Downstate will refund 90% of the fees, prorated by the amount of scheduled practice hours completed versus the total practice hours by program type (Aspire, Regional or National).
• Parent acknowledges that the 10% not covered by the prorated refund is to offset fixed costs to Downstate that are not recoverable.

1. The refund amount is based on the total Member Fee, any amounts not paid will be deducted from the refund amount.
2. With regard to Competition Fees, Parents acknowledge that certain fees are non-refundable, such as uniform fees by way of example only, however, Downstate agrees to the extent a third party refunds any Competition Fees to Downstate, Downstate shall refund each Player’s pro-rated Competition Fee to the Parent.

• Parent understands that separate insurance is available, from 3^rd parties, to protect my investment in this program. I may decide whether or not to investigate and acquire such protection.

With regard to Downstate’s National Team Program only, Parents agreed that all Downstate National Teams that earn a bid to the USA Volleyball Junior National Championships or at the discretion of Downstate a similar AAU championship, will add the tournament to their schedule and all Competition Fees for such will be made pursuant to the above terms.

By accepting this agreement, Parent acknowledges his/her financial obligations to Downstate and hereby agrees to the terms set forth above.

Dated:  September 16 ,2020

We will be hosting a Zoom meeting, on Monday, August 31, at 7pm, to answer any questions you may still have.

To join the meeting please connect using:

• Meeting ID: 735 740 0445
• Password: dstjr

Everyone is welcome, but please ensure that your name is displayed in your settings in Zoom.  Anonymous connections will be removed.

You may also email info@downstatevolleyball.com. We'll do our best to get back to you as quickly as possible; but, please be patient and realize that we are getting hundreds of emails a day!