Franklin Volleyball Club
Serving Girls' Volleyball in the Franklin Area 
About the Mini-Club Program
The Franklin Volleyball Club Mini-Club program offers 5th - 8th graders the opportunity to build their volleyball skills on competitive teams during the fall season (September - December).
The Franklin Volleyball Club was launched in the fall of 2019 with a U14 team (7 players). The team earned two 1st place and one 2nd place finish in Mini-Club tournaments, and concluded their season at the AAU Winter Kickoff Classic, placing 3rd out of 10 teams at the U15 level. All of our team members continued to play during the 2020 club season; of the six players matriculating into Franklin High School, 2 made the Varsity team, 3 made the Junior Varsity (JV) team, and 1 made the Freshman team as 9th graders.
In the fall of 2020 we formed two teams (24 players) and, limited by COVID restrictions, held internal scrimmages and tournaments. Over 85% of our players played on a club team during the 2021 club season, with over half of our athletes playing up a level and/or on elite club teams. All 10 rising 9th graders are gearing up for high school tryouts this fall.
Register for Tryouts for the Fall 2021 Mini-Club Team
For the fall of 2021, we are recruiting two competitive teams and a practice team. Tryouts are scheduled from 5pm to 7pm on Wednesday September 1 and Friday September 3. The season runs from Wednesday, September 15 to November 3, with competitive teams continuing to practice once a week on Wednesdays until the December 11-12 tournament.
Competition Teams
Our Blue (elite) and White (2nd team) teams will comprise 8 - 10 players each and train on Wednesday evenings for 90 minutes (TBD) and Sundays for 2 hours (4 - 6 pm). Players will receive a team jersey and a practice shirt and participate in the following events:
| Tentative Date | Location | Details |
| 26-Sep | TBD | AAU Mini-Club Tournament |
| Approx 3 hours | ||
| October 16 OR 17 | South County RI TBD | Franklin Volleyball Club vs. South County Juniors Volleyball Club. Format TBD |
| 24-Oct | TBD | AAU Mini-Club Tournament |
| December 11 - 12 | Fitchburg, MA | AAU Club Tournament - Kickoff of the 2022 Club Season and the conclusion of our Mini-Club program |
Participation includes an annual AAU membership. The cost of the 13 week program is $595 (split into two payments).
Practice Team
The practice team will comprise 10 - 12 players and train on Wednesday evenings for 90 minutes. Players will receive two practice shirts for scrimmages and have the option of participating in a few informal tournaments / matches (example, see October 16 OR 17 in the table above). The cost of the 10 week training program is $225.
For more information about the Fall 2021 Mini-Club program, please contact Cathy Sanford at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Franklin Volleyball Club Staff 
- Cathy Sanford, Club Director and Coach
Co-founder of Franklin Volleyball Club Mini-Club AAU
Franklin Volleyball Club Summer Clinic Coach, 2020
Mass Premier Middle School League Coach, 2015-2019
Franklin Recreation Volleyball Coach, 2018-2020 - Eric Bonnet-Eymard, Coach
Co-founder of Franklin Volleyball Club Mini-Club AAU
Franklin Volleyball Club Summer Clinic Coach, 2020
Mass Premier Volleyball Club, USAV Club Assistant Coach U15 & U16
Mass Premier Middle School League Coach, 2015-2019
Franklin Recreation Volleyball Coach, 2018-2020
Played competitively for 23+ years in various leagues throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island USAV Impact & SafeSport Certified - Megan Woodacre
Co-founder of Franklin Volleyball Club Mini-Club AAU
Mass Premier Middle School League Coach, 2019
Franklin Recreation Volleyball Coach, 2012-2018
Emerson College Assistant Coach, 2012
Western New England University Assistant Coach, 2011
Collegiate Volleyball Player at Colby-Sawyer College 2006-2010
Coaching Philosophy
As the founding coaching team of the Franklin Mini-Club program, we hope to meet the growing demand for competitive volleyball opportunities at the middle school level. Few sports require as much teamwork and communication as volleyball. We seek to build skills, self-esteem, confidence, and a true sense of team within a coaching environment that values effort, persistence, and a positive attitude. We continuously strive to balance skill work, game play, and the development of volleyball IQ in our young athletes. Above all, we seek to build a positive atmosphere of trust and respect that supports learning and the development of lasting friendships.
Testimonials
“Franklin is so fortunate to have Eric, Cathy and Megan create the Franklin Mini-Club program. The coaching team is top-notch. They have the ability to identify each girl's strengths and weaknesses and then formulate a plan to make them stronger and better. Running drills is one thing, but fine-tuning skills is a totally different level of coaching.” “Mini-Club not only prepared my daughter for club tryouts this year, but also provided her a competitive advantage as she competed in tournaments during the Fall.”
“Playing for the Franklin Elite Mini-Club was a phenomenal experience for my daughters. The coaching they received from Eric, Cathy, and Megan was always positive and informative -- combining high-impact, individualized instruction with their clear passion for the game. I only wish my girls had the opportunity to play again next year.”