This review is long overdue. I want to begin by acknowledging that Country Fire (CF) can be a…read morepositive starting point for introducing young children to the fundamentals of volleyball. Their beginner camps and early-stage programs offer a welcoming environment for that demographic.
However, beyond that level, the shortcomings of the organization become apparent. Our family was with CF for four years, and while our first two years were relatively positive, the last two revealed significant concerns about the club's leadership, stability, and priorities.
Over time, CF has experienced a noticeable decline. They have struggled to retain coaches, maintain teams, and deliver on the competitive environment they advertise. Two seasons ago, they had multiple teams per age group (two 17s, two 16s, two 15s, and one 14s). That year, one entire team quit mid-season, and in the following season they struggled to field even one team per age group.
Half of our daughter's team quit after that season. We recommended she consider another club, but out of loyalty to her friends and coach, she stayed. Unfortunately, CF reassigned her coach to a different age group, leaving our team without a coach until just weeks before the season began. The coaches assigned to us were unprepared--at our first tournament, they delayed the start of a game because they did not know how to submit a lineup.
Throughout the year, the coaching lacked consistency. The team used over 30 different lineups, and rather than following the competitive "play-to-win" approach we were promised, players were rotated equally regardless of ability or performance.
Communication with the club director, Jason Tootles, was slow. Requests for private training often went unanswered for weeks, and when sessions were offered, they were at inconvenient times (e.g., 5:30 a.m.). In prior years, weekly private sessions with our coach were easy to schedule. When we asked for more diverse training experiences, the response from leadership was dismissive.
In our experience, CF prioritizes convenience and cost-efficiency over individualized player development. They promote Christian values publicly but do not consistently uphold those values in practice. Certain families appear to receive preferential treatment, including mid-tournament coaching changes at their request, while others are ignored.
From a competitive standpoint, CF rarely places teams in higher divisions or attends large, recognized tournaments. Instead, they often register for smaller, local events to reduce travel and expenses, which limits player exposure and development. Despite promoting their ability to help with college recruiting, during our time there not a single player advanced to college-level volleyball through their program--something competitive clubs routinely achieve.
Finally, the leadership's professionalism is questionable. After our final season, my wife replied to a public social media post from a parent asking about club options, simply stating: "We are leaving CF after four years. If you'd like to hear our experience, feel free to DM me." No negative statements were made publicly. Within hours, Mr. Tootles sent my wife a text threatening to publicly disparage her and our daughter if he heard us speak negatively about the club. This was particularly disappointing given that he had ignored a previous message from her asking for clarification about our daughter's treatment.
In summary, while Country Fire Volleyball Club may be a decent starting point for young players learning basic skills, it is not the place for athletes seeking a truly competitive, well-structured, and professionally managed environment. In our opinion, their priorities lie in protecting profits and convenience rather than fostering the long-term growth and success of their athletes.
