All Things KC Nationals

Good to know

Getting there and getting in

• Wednesday, October 14, 6 to 8 PM: coaches check in and fans can pick up their weekend wristbands early, then walk right in Thursday. Source: NCHC Nationals info sheet
• Tickets are digital only, through Ticket Tailor. The early-bird price ends Sunday, October 11. Players don’t need a ticket, and each team gets two coach passes at coach check-in. Already bought? Search your email for “Ticket Tailor”. Buy tickets. Source: NCHC Nationals info sheet
• Park in P1, the main lot closest to the courts; P3 is the overflow lot on big weekends. Source: facility guide, parking map on page 13
• Athletes can be dropped off in the lane right in front of the building. Source: NCHC Nationals info sheet
• Every team starts Thursday except Girls 12U and Boys 16U, which start Friday. Source: NCHC What to Expect

Inside the building

• Cashless: every purchase is by credit or debit card, or by phone payment. Sources: NCHC Nationals info sheet; facility guide, page 11
• No outside food or drink, no coolers, no lawn or folding chairs. Bring water bottles empty and fill them inside. Blankets and cushioned seat pads are welcome (facility guide, page 11), and so are stadium seats (NCHC Nationals info sheet). Sources: facility guide, page 11; NCHC Nationals info sheet
• No noisemakers (air horns, whistles, cowbells), and every bag may be inspected at the door. Source: facility guide, page 11
• Please don’t save seats around a court; give the fans of the teams playing room to cheer. Source: NCHC Nationals info sheet
• Bring a jacket or hoodie: the temperature in the building swings a lot. Source: NCHC What to Expect
• All 16 courts are on the main floor. The map shows courts 1 to 8, each split into A and B, and NCHC’s schedule names them the same way (1A to 8B). The upper level, in the small box at the bottom right of the map, has the Chick-fil-A. Source: NCHC gym map
• NCHC says its brackets will label the courts “AHSP Bluhawk #1 to #16”, so a bracket court may have no letter. If you can’t match it to the map, ask at Tournament Central (NCHC’s desk). Source: NCHC Nationals info sheet

Tap the map to open it full size.

How matches are played

• Every set is rally scoring and win by 2, with no point limit: a set is not over at 25 to 24, and it can run to 30 to 28 or longer. Each set has two 30-second timeouts. Source: NCHC match info
• Boys play on a men’s net (7 ft 11⅝ in), girls on a women’s net (7 ft 4½ in), and every age group uses a regulation-size ball. Source: NCHC match info
• Every match starts as soon as the one before it on that court ends, so times are approximate. Source: NCHC Nationals info sheet
• Two teams tied in a pool: the match between them decides, then the point difference between them, then the point difference over all pool matches, then a coin flip. Three teams tied: the point difference in the matches among them, then share of sets won, then the point difference over all pool matches, then a coin flip. Source: NCHC match info
• Team USA always counts as last place in its pool, and can’t knock a team out of Division 1 or out of the running for a Gold, Silver or Bronze Ball, but its matches still count in the pool standings. Source: NCHC Nationals info sheet
• Every place is played out, through Saturday. Before you leave the building on Saturday, check your next match with Tournament Central (NCHC’s desk). Source: NCHC brackets page

Plan your Saturday

• Saturday runs from 8 AM until the last matches start around 9 PM, and matches run long. Don’t book a flight or a drive home right after your last possible match. Source: NCHC What to Expect
• Our team hotel’s checkout is noon (check-in 3 PM). Source: the hotel’s Marriott page
• NCHC’s advice: staying Saturday night and leaving Sunday takes the pressure off. Source: NCHC What to Expect
• Check your pool and bracket every evening and every morning; NCHC can change them. Their sheets read best in the Google Sheets app. Source: NCHC Nationals info sheet

For coaches and team managers

• Report every score by text the moment the match ends: 1 (417) 203-7447 (texts only, it can’t take calls). Both teams text it in. Send two lines:Line 1, the group: girls or boys, age, division, then the pool or bracket name, like Girls 18u D3 Pool B
  Line 2, the score: each team with its set scores, like West Coast Impact 25,25 vs Quincy Saints 22,19That second line means West Coast Impact won both sets, 25–22 and 25–19. Source: NCHC Nationals info sheet
• Officials at our matches: the home team (listed first) brings a line judge and keeps the official scorebook; the visiting team brings a line judge, runs the scoreboard and tracks the libero. NCHC sends a second referee to bracket matches. If you can’t fill a spot, ask the other team. Source: NCHC match info
• Warm-ups: the first match of the day is 2-5-5 (2 minutes shared, then 5 minutes each with serving); later matches are 4-4. Bring your own warm-up balls; the home team brings the game ball (regulation size). Source: NCHC match info
• Before each match both teams meet on the court for prayer, led by the home coach; then the starters go to the end lines. Source: NCHC match info
• Uniforms: no spandex or Soffe-style shorts as outerwear; leggings are fine. Referees’ calls are final, and no one approaches a referee after a match. Source: NCHC match info
• Forms: game time change or conflict · emergency referee complaint (head coach or AD only) · eligibility check · event feedback. NCHC staff before and during the event: nchcstaff@nchclive.com
• Scorekeeping help: rally scoring tutorial · libero tracking instructions

Links & maps

• Pools and brackets: NCHC brackets page
• Seeds and teams: seeding sheet · team list
• Which court plays what, all three days: master schedule
• Maps: gym map (courts) · facility guide (building map page 12, parking map page 13) · hotel to gym directions
• Tickets: Ticket Tailor
• NCHC’s own pages: Nationals info sheet (updated daily) · What to Expect · match rules and tiebreakers
• Live updates from NCHC: Facebook · Instagram

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