1st Dade County Volleyball League comes to an end with SWAGGER

It all started about three months ago with try-outs and clinics. Then the league started with eight teams playing for VoleiMiami out of the SouthWest high school gym. After seven weeks of competition it was easy to see all of the teams as they improved.

Last Saturday, the 18th marked the first playoffs for the VoleiMiami League.

In the end the team that had gone the entire season undefeated had to fight through two tough playoff rounds to stay undefeated and become the first ever champions of the VoleiMiami League.

Champions The "U":

Second Place went to a strong team that had an 11-3 Season Record and eventually lost to the "U": the "SPIKERS"

Third Place went to a team that many expected to challenge the "U" as they went 12-2 through the season: the "FLYERS"

Over-all this entire season went extremely well as the level of play improved for all players involved. We think it's great to see leagues develop through-out South Florida that make the sport of Volleyball accessible to all income levels.

We salute VoleiMiami, all the players that participated and the "U" for a great 2010 season!

For more information on the league: visit VoleiMiami

CONGRATULATIONS TO CARDINAL GIBBONS FOR WINNING STATE

The state's most decorated volleyball program added to an already-rich tradition on Saturday, and the Chiefs did so in impressive fashion.

Gibbons was too strong, too big, and too powerful and there was little Fort Myers could do about it.

The Chiefs captured a Florida-record 19th state title with a 25-19, 25-22, 25-16 victory over the Green Wave in the Class 4A championship match at The Lakeland Center.

The win marked Gibbons' first state title since the Chiefs went undefeated and claimed the 4A championship in 2006.

Now this team and third-year coach Kathryn Farland will add their names to the long list of champions in the school's Fort Lauderdale gym.

"It's something we wanted for ourselves," said Chiefs outside hitter Jessica Wynn (PICTURED), who had a match-high 18 kills and 10 digs. "It's overwhelming."

At their first practice of the season, the Chiefs (25-1) decided they'd settle for nothing less than a state title and in Lakeland, they played like a team on a mission.

While each of the three games in the championship match was competitive early, it never took long for Gibbons to distance itself.

In the first, it was a powerful Wynn kill that put Gibbons ahead 22-18.

Game two was more of the same, with a Caiti Donahoe dig giving the Chiefs an 18-13 lead. And in the third, Gibbons scored six straight points behind the serving of Eleni Bakatselos to go ahead 19-9.

Each time, Fort Myers (29-4) tried to rally, but every one of those Gibbons leads proved insurmountable.

Donahoe, the Chiefs junior setter, finished with a match-high 36 assists and junior middle blocker Katie Hillman added 11 kills and 10 digs.

In all, the Chiefs proved efficient with their attacks, notching just 14 hitting errors.

"We came in knowing that Fort Myers was a great team and we were going to have to work hard and play our best to beat them," Farland said. "That was the most important part to us. Everyone wants a state championship, but to bring home 19 is special."

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE SUN SENTINEL - FOR ALL THE GREAT VOLLEYBALL COVERAGE THEY DO.

Palmer defeats Westminster Christian in Districts

The Palmer Trinity Varsity Volleyball Team defeated their rivals, the Westminster Christian Warriors, 3-1 to win the 2010 FHSAA District 16 Volleyball Championship. This is the 4th straight District Title for the Falcons who will now host a Region IV quartrfinal game on Tuesday as they take the first step to returning to States.

Paulina Prieto led Palmer Trinity to its fourth consecutive District 15-2A volleyball championship Wednesday night with a 25-20, 14-25, 25-23, 26-24 over Westminster. The Falcons (22-4) defeated the Warriors for the first time this season. Westminster had won the first two meetings.

"The girls had everything they needed [going in], and they came out knowing what needed to done.'' Palmer Trinity assistant coach Arasay Guerra said. "Prieto is very aggressive, she plays for the team and the team plays for her.''

Dani Littke recorded 80 assists and nine digs for the Falcons (22-4). Lauren Buss added 12 kills, two aces and 12 digs.

Broward District Playoffs: Pompano Beach and North Broward Prep Advance

All season long, Pompano Beach prepared for this. In anticipation of a tough district tournament, the Tornadoes scheduled regular-season matches against some of Broward County's traditional volleyball powers.

Wednesday, that effort paid off as Pompano earned a 25-23, 25-22, 25-22 victory over Pine Crest in a District 14-3A semifinal.

The win means that Pompano not only advances to Friday's district championship, but that the Tornadoes are already assured a playoff berth in next week's regional tournament.

The other team advancing is North Broward Prep, which defeated Coral Springs Charter 25-17, 25-16, 25-7 in the late semifinal.

"We don't take anything for granted in this district," said Pompano outside hitter Peyton Schlosser (pictured - Hitting), who had 13 kills, nine service points and four digs. "This district is really tough, but I think if we keep playing aggressively we can be unstoppable. Everyone is working so hard."

Earlier this season, when Pine Crest (21-4) and Pompano met, the match was an emotional, five-set Tornado victory. This time, Pompano (15-6) used effective ball control to force the Panthers into several errors — and earn a three-game sweep.

Maddy Clawges had 31 assists and nine digs, while Stephanie Pellitteri added 10 kills and 13 digs.

Evita Conway had 16 digs and 12 kills to lead Pine Crest, while Carolina Berger added 17 digs and Catalina Jimenez had 14 digs.

In the other semifinal, top-seeded North Broward Prep (19-7) needed just over an hour to earn its dominating victory.

Senior outside hitter Callie Mitcham had 14 digs and 13 kills to lead the Eagles while Victoria McPherson added seven kills and four blocks. Melanie Garcia had eight kills, six service points, and five digs.

Morgan Haynes had 13 digs and Ashley Corona had six kills for Coral Springs Charter, which finished the season 9-15.
Defend your school: Round 2 of Mascot Madness is open. Your school could win $500

Special Thanks to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel - the Best Volleyball Coverage in S. FL.

New League opens in Miami to Great Success

We are always happy to see when a league opens in South Florida to help improve the skill levels of our young lady atheletes. Recently AAU club VoleiMiami opened league play at Southwest High School in Central Dade County with Great Success

On October 23rd, Voleimiami Inc. had a great turnout with their 2010 Girls Volleyball League's Pre-Season Games. The turnout included over 75 girls ranging from ages 8 to 14. All levels of play were represented and were very competitive.

This league will allow the growth of volleyball to continue here in Miami and is the beginning of Voleimiami's effort to improve the level of play in Dade County.

If you are interested in the league, individual training or Club information, please contact voleimiami@yahoo.com

We can only hope that more leagues sprout up in South Florida and allow more of our lady atheletes to learn and compete in the great game of Volleyball.

St. Rose Girls' Volleyball Team Takes Tournament Title for Eighth Consecutive Year

The girls' volleyball team from St. Rose of Lima School in Miami Shores successfully defended its title at the All Catholic Conference Preseason Tournament held on September 18 at Archbishop Coleman Carroll High School.

This is the eighth year in a row that St. Rose girls' volleyball team has gone undefeated in both tournament and season play. Pictured are (Front row, L-R): Erika Garcia, Maureen Gerhardt, Monica Tarczynski, Amanda Rey*, Jacqui Koebel*, Jackie Yao (Back row, L-R) Sasha Jenkins-St. Prix, Paige Zibelli, Sydney Armbrister*, Krystina Dorta*, Erin Donahue* and Mary Shelow*. (*Members of South Florida Volleyball Club (SFVC).

Way to go Ladies, keep up the good work.

USAV Club Try-Outs Starts for Middle School Players

As middle school teams are in the midst of their seasons, USAV clubs will commence try-outs through-out the week. Please click on the links on the right side to get more info on your prospective club or clubs.

We'd also like to introduce a new club to South Florida: Miami Select Volleyball Club.

Miami Select is headed by a true fan of the sport and it's development; Charlie Albano.



We recently sayt down with Charlie and discussed different elements of his club - Miami Select.

SFVR: What was the inspiration to open a "NEW" club in Miami?
ALBANO: We felt that with some local clubs downsizing or folding all together, our opinion was that the growth of volleyball in Miami would take a step backwards if another club was not created. Our goal is to not take players away from other clubs but to add to the quality of players in the area. I have always been a forward thinker and I would love to eventually see the kids in Miami compete at the highest levels. That will happen if every club realizes that they have a certain role in the process. We certainly have the quality of athletes to grow our programs here in Miami and I think with cooperation we can help the Miami volleyball community become a national powerhouse. I have personally trained hundreds of kids at the middle school level only to watch them go on to play in high school and lose focus on the passion that they once had when they were younger players. If more kids played year round, this short coming would be turned around. We want to instill great work ethics at a young age and continue that through the high school years. We are providing an avenue to keep the kids away from falling into the trap of the electronic age and social networks that take away their focus. Our kids don’t have the same physical fitness programs that many of us had when we grew up and I feel that it is important to keep these kids active by some means. Volleyball provides an awesome opportunity for the kids to do that. With the amount of growth the sport has seen in recent years in both the girls’ and boys’ programs we think the time is right to help put Miami on the volleyball map.


SFVR: Briefly go over the types of coaches and general experiences that they bring to the club?
ALBANO: Our coaches are a young group. All of them have played in high school, club, college and some have pro-experience. They are currently coaching at different levels, which give them the opportunity to help our players grow in progression through the years. They all share similar philosophies on how to coach and if there are indifferences about any coaching techniques it gets discussed in an open forum at our weekly coaches meetings. We call it the knights of the oblong table. Everyone throws out different ideas at the table and after much deliberation will agree on a common goal. This is what is so great about our coaching staff. Although they don’t always agree on things they are open minded and will reach a common goal for the benefit of the program. Not only are they great coaches but also great people. Their goals as a group are to not only create great players but also create great people and leaders in the community. They understand that in training elite athletes, they must focus on keeping the kids in top shape as well as in good mental form. The pre-season forum came to the conclusion to improve every player, every day. They know if that happens that victories will certainly come along with that type of re-inforcement.

SFVR: What is the goal for the 2010/2011 Club year?
ALBANO: To improve every player that walks into our gym everyday. We also want to be a club where every coach, player and parent feels a sense of ownership and are proud to be a part of Miami Select. Every member of the club should feel comfortable with the coaches and club director that they can offer advice as to how to improve our product. We know we can’t be all things to all people but we can be great mentors for the young players who play with our club.

SFVR: Congratulations, we feel that your addition to the South Florida Volleyball community will help all players at all levels to excell and become the best that they can be. We at the report wish you a great year as you join the fraternity of great clubs in South Florida.

TRY-OUTS: The Miami Select Volleyball Club will be conducting tryouts for 11U-14U age divisions on Monday, October 18th. and Wednesday, October, 20th at the Killian High School Gym. Information and registration will be from 6:30pm and 7:30pm. Tryouts will be run from 7:30-9:30pm.

For more information, please visit www.miamiselectvolleyball.com

Cardinal Gibbons outlasts St. Thomas Aquinas

Fort Lauderdale — — After dominating early, Cardinal Gibbons nearly let one slip away Wednesday.

The Chiefs didn't need much time to take the first two games and build a big lead in the third.

But St. Thomas Aquinas found its rhythm and rallied to force a deciding fifth game.

It was then that Gibbons regained control and secured a 25-22, 25-18, 23-25, 27-29, 15-9 victory over the rival Raiders.

According to Chiefs coach Kathryn Farland, it was the first time since 2006 that Gibbons has beaten St. Thomas.

"None of us have won against them so this is the icing on the season right now," said junior Katie Hillman, who had 22 kills, 19 service points, 14 digs, 10 blocks and four aces for Gibbons. "It's definitely a big thing to win and it shows a lot that we were able to pick ourselves up after some tough calls."

Despite Gibbons' fast start, St. Thomas (6-4) wasn't about to let the Chiefs earn a sweep.

After Gibbons built a 20-15 lead in the third game, St. Thomas chipped away, eventually taking a 23-21 lead on one of Crystal Dedes' three blocks.

Dedes also had 18 kills, one of which allowed St. Thomas to pull within 22-19 in a tough fourth game the Raiders eventually won.

But St. Thomas couldn't finish its comeback attempt.

In the fifth, Gibbons scored five consecutive points on the strength of four Raider errors to build a 10-5 lead.

"We didn't play well and we haven't played consistently well all year," Raiders coach Lisa Zielinski said. "We've been working on it, but we can't close out a match."

Caiti Donahoe had 38 assists, eight digs and five kills for the Chiefs (12-1) and Jessica Wynn added 18 kills, 15 digs and eight blocks.

Allison Belanger and Cassy Congemi each had 18 digs for St. Thomas.

Special Thanks to the Sun Sentinal for their excelent coverage of ladies high school volleyball.

Ransom Volleyball Tournament

The rivalry between Westminster Christian and Palmer Trinity girls' volleyball teams had another dramatic chapter added to it Saturday.

The Warriors dominated the Second Annual Smoothie King Miami-Dade County Girls' Volleyball Invitational by defeating the Falcons 25-13, 25-23 at Ransom Everglades.

Westminster Christian (15-2) took a quick 13-2 lead in the first set. Coach Julie Doan said the rivalry fueled her team.

``This has been such an intense rivalry the last six to seven years,'' Doan said. ``We were just excited and pumped.''

Westminster Christian's Julie Trembley won the invitational's most valuable player award and had the game-winning kill against Palmer Trinity.

Teammates Rebecca Acevedo and Sylvia Hernandez earned all-tournament honors.

Palmer Trinity (11-2) came out in the second set with a lot more energy and held a 17-13 lead, but Doan called a timeout, which sparked a 12-7 run to end the match.

Palmer Trinity's Savannah Dominguez and Paulina Prieto received all-tournament honors.

MORE GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL
(Silver Division Championship) -- Miami Country Day d. Gulliver 25-21, 25-14: Samantha Sardinia five kills and five blocks; Marissa Bolten six kills, seven digs, and two blocks; MCD 9-2.

(Silver Division Semifinal) -- Miami Country Day d. Miami Christian 25-22, 25-19: Samantha Sardina seven kills and six blocks; Marissa Bolten eight kills, six digs, and three aces.

(Gold Division Semifinal) -- Westminster Christian d. Palmer Trinity 25-13, 25-23: Paulina Puerto 16 kills (PT); PT 10-2.

Stay tuned for more regional tournaments as the high school season reaches the midway point.

FREE VOLLEYBALL CLINICS, SATURDAY THE 18TH & THE 25TH

We are always happy to see when a group of people comes together to help out kids develop their game. A group of very talented coaches from VoleiMiami will be holding a FREE 3hr Clinic at the gym at Southwest High school this and next Saturday September 18th and the 25th respectively.

This clinic is organized and coached by FHSAA State Championship Volleyball Coaches, College Coaches and Players, as well as ALL-Dade Players.

Middle School season is just around the corner - what better way to work on your skills and tune up for the upcoming tryouts and season.

WHAT: Free clinics open to girls ages 8 - 15yrs old.

Where: The Southwest Gym is located at 8855 SW 50th Terrace.

When: September 18th 5-8PM
-----------September 25th 5-8PM

Contact: voleimiami@yahoo.com
or you can call 786-252-8387

This is a great opportunity to play with other aspiring players - make your plans to attend it.

UM and FIU to face off in a can't miss Thriller, SAT. 7:30PM

Stand up and make some noise for your ___________! Will you fill in the blank with FIU or will you go with the canes. One things for sure you better show up early because the limited space at the UM gym will be packed to capacity.

This Saturday, the 11th the University of Miami and Florida International University will face off at 7:30PM at the James L. Night sports complex on the UM Campus in Coral Gables, FL.

Last year these teams meet twice. The `Canes and Panthers last met in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament [Gainesville Regional] on Dec. 3. FIU took that match, 3-2.



Miami enters the weekend working with a 7-1 record, winners of its last five matches. The `Canes swept through last weekend's Blue Raider Bash at Middle Tennessee State, and defeated Florida Atlantic on Aug. 31, finishing 5-0 on the week.

The `Canes are led offensively by junior outside hitter Lane Carico with 107 kills (3.34 per set), ranking her seventh in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Setter Katie Gallagher sets up the offense, having collected a league second-best 290 assists (10.74 per set). Meanwhile, senior middle blocker Ariell Cooke leads the front line with 26 blocks (24 assisted), while sitting third on the squad in kills (64).



FIU enters this contest with a 2-4 record but has had a tougher schedule early on.

They are lead by Sr. Setter Natalia Valentin, Jr.,MB Andrea Lakovic and So. Outside Hitter Jovana Bjelica.

This match will be an electrifying experience for all who witness it in person, hope to see ya there.

BROWARD TOP TEAMS FOR 2010

This year we preview the top teams and players to watch from Broward County. Some teams are loaded and well coached such as Cardinal Gibbons, Chaminade-Madonna and St Thomas Aquinas and look to have a strong season in 2010. Below are the teams we look to have the greatest impact on the 2010 Season:

Cardinal Gibbons: The Chiefs have won a state-record 18 state titles. That means they need to be mentioned in any volleyball conversation. With five returning starters including Jessica Wynn, Katie Hillman and Caiti Donahoe back, Gibbons is going to be in contention.

Chaminade-Madonna: The Lions went 24-7 last season and advanced to their first state tournament. With four returning starters, including outside hitters Brianna O'Neil and Michelle Wade, the team is looking for another deep postseason run.

Douglas: New coach Dean Barboza led the Eagles to a 17-7 record last year. Now that a core of returning players are back and familiar with his system, the coach expects another solid season. Junior Brittany Sauls will give the Eagles a versatile threat at both outside and libero.

Hollywood Hills: The Spartans moved up to 6A in 2009 and responded by winning the District 11-6A championship and advancing to the regional finals. Setter Beth Shoaff is back and middle blocker Sasha Pottinger is already drawing interest from college programs.

Pompano Beach: The Tornadoes were a regional semifinalist last year after competing in a tough District 14-3A. Six returning starters are back including first-team All-County selections Peyton Schlosser and Amanda Shawver.

St. Thomas Aquinas: Sun Sentinel Class 6A-5A-4A Player of the Year Kelly Marble graduated, but the Raiders return four starters, including middle blocker Crystal Dedes, from last season's regional finalist team.

West Broward: The Bobcats are coming off a regional semifinal berth and return six starters including setter Taylor Bonito and outside hitters Jaclyn Pickett, Jessica Barnes and Ashley Navarrete.

Westminster Academy: The Lions went 22-7 a season ago and advanced to the state tournament behind the strong play of two-time Class 3A-2A-1A Player of the Year Leigh Andrew. Andrew is back, as are starters MacKenzie Keightly, Amelia Bohlander and Emily McMurtrey.

There are several teams this year that are re-building and some well coached teams could catch fire and finish strongly. We wish all the players a great 2010 season where you continue to grow your skills and contribute to your teams success.

"BEST OF LUCK!"

International News: U.S. Women Dominate Thailand at GranPrix

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 21, 2010) – Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) scored a match-high 16 points in leading the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team to a fifth straight victory with a 25-16, 25-16, 25-16 win over Thailand on Saturday afternoon in Hong Kong during Pool G of the 18th FIVB World Grand Prix.

Team USA, now 6-2 in this year’s FIVB World Grand Prix and with 18 points, concludes the tournament preliminary round on Aug. 22 at 12:45 a.m. Pacific Time against China. Earlier this year, the Chinese defeated the Americans in the Montreux Volley Masters gold-medal match on June 13 in Switzerland. China is ranked second in the world by the FIVB, while the U.S. is ranked fourth.

The U.S. has already qualified for the FIVB World Grand Prix six-team Final Round to be held Aug. 25-29 at Ningbo, China, after clinching a spot on Aug. 20. Team USA has not played in the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round since 2008 when it finished fourth. The Americans have not reached the World Grand Prix podium since bronze medal finishes in 2003 and 2004. The U.S. won the World Grand Prix in 1995 and 2001, its only other podium finishes.

The U.S. opened the match with a 6-1 lead in the first set and went on to win 25-16, despite Thailand coming back to within two at 8-6. Team USA used an 8-3 spurt to break free from an 8-7 advantage and cruised to a 25-16 victory. The Americans scored nine of 10 points in a key point of the third set to take a 21-11 advantage and never looked back in a 25-16 victory.

“The Thailand team is a very good team,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “We respect them a lot as they played late last night and have to play early today. Our team played well. Our job is to win, but our goal is to get a good team together and continue to improve both individually and as a team. China is a strong team and we will prepare as usual. It’s hard to say who will win tomorrow, but we expect it will be a good match.”

Larson collected 13 kills on 22 swings with just one error, two blocks and an ace for her 16 points as the U.S. spread its scoring to nine different players in the match. Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) notched six kills on 15 attacks, two blocks and an ace for nine points. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) chipped in six kills on seven errorless attacks and a block for seven points. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) charted three kills on four attempts, two blocks and an ace for six points. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) scored four kills and a block, while Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) pocketed three kills on five attempts, one block and an ace for five points. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) tacked on three kills and an ace for four points. Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) scored three kills on four attacks in the third set, while Ogonna Nnamani (Bloomington, Ill.) rounded out the scoring with two blocks.

Glass provided 10 running sets on 49 attempts in running the U.S. offense. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) charted a team-high 13 digs to go with 10 excellent receptions on 11 errorless attempts. Larson added 13 excellent receptions on 18 errorless attempts to go with five digs.

“It’s a very nice match and we enjoyed the game,” said Tamas, who is the U.S. captain for this year’s FIVB World Grand Prix. “The Thai team is very challenging. Its attack and block are very good. We look forward to tomorrow’s match and hope to continue to improve. Our win today is due to the whole team’s contribution.”

McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Glass at setter. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Nellie Spicer (Barrington, Ill.) and Nnamani were subbed in all three sets as double-subs. Hodge subbed into the second set for Tom and started the third set. Tamas started the third set in place of Bown, while Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) was a sub in the third set.

Team USA out-blocked Thailand 11-2 and held a 5-1 margin in aces. The Americans also had a 41-33 advantage in kills and limited its errors to 12 for the entire match. The U.S. converted 48.8 percent of its attacks into kills with a .440 hitting efficiency and just four attack errors, thanks in part to 30 excellent service receptions on 39 attempts. Thailand committed 18 errors in the match and converted just 32.4 percent of its attacks into kills as part of a .186 hitting efficiency. The U.S. held a 25-17 dig margin.

Team USA defeated Thailand earlier in the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix with a convincing 25-18, 25-21, 25-13 victory on Aug. 14 in Thailand.

Malika Kanthong led Thailand with 11 points, all on kills. Onuma Sittirak added nine points in the loss.

“Congratulations to the USA team,” Thailand Head Coach Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai said. “They played very well and it was a very good game. Our team was not too good today because we played a difficult match last night and physically they are not strong enough. We made errors in reception and skills. Our team learned a lot. We will try to improve our skills and minimize our errors in the future. We wish the USA team good luck in tomorrow’s match.”

Earlier today, Netherlands (4-4, 11 points) defeated Dominican Republic 25-19, 25-22, 25-20 in Pool I at Tokyo. Later today, Poland (6-1, 18 points) plays Puerto Rico (1-6, 3 points) and Brazil (6-1, 18 points) takes on Chinese Taipei at Taipei, Chinese Taipei in Pool H. Japan (6-1, 18 points) hosts Italy (5-2, 15 points) in a battle of Final Round participants at Tokyo, while China (5-2, 16 points) hosts Germany (2-5, 7 points) in Hong Kong.

For the latest news on the FIVB World Grand Prix, visit the U.S. Women’s National Team FIVB World Grand Prix event web site at usavolleyball.org/events/3056. The page includes archived press releases, schedule and results involving all 12 World Grand Prix teams, photos, statistics and match videos by Universal Sports.

The U.S. went in front 4-1 with kills by Glass and Hooker, followed by a Glass block and kill leading to a Thailand timeout. After the break, the U.S. scored a fifth and sixth straight point with a Thailand error and Tom kill. Thailand stopped the run with two points of its own to close to within three at 6-3. Thailand scored the first two points after the first technical timeout to close to two at 8-6. Team USA gained a four-point cushion at 11-7 with an Akinradewo kill and Larson block. The U.S. increased its margin to 13-8 with kills from Larson and Glass. Thailand scored the next two points to move the score to 14-11. Larson connected for a kill and Akinradewo put up a block after a Thailand service error to push the American advantage to 19-13. Hooker served an ace after a Larson kill to send the score to 22-15. Larson gave the U.S. set points with an ace after a Thailand service error at 24-16. The U.S. ended the set at 25-16 with a Thailand attack error, its seventh error of the set. Larson paced the American offense in the first set with seven points, while Glass chipped in four points from her setter position. Team USA held its errors to just two. The U.S. had a 3-2 margin in blocks and 2-0 edge in aces.

Bown scored a kill and ace to give the U.S. an early 3-1 lead in the second set, but Thailand quickly tied the set at 3-all. Akinradewo and Larson turned in consecutive kills to yield a 6-4 U.S. lead. The Americans jumped their lead to three points with a Bown kill and Thailand error at 10-7. Team USA stretched its margin to 12-8 with a Thailand service error and Tom block. The U.S. gained a 14-9 advantage with a Glass ace after a Thailand service error. Team USA went into the second technical timeout leading 16-10 with an Akinradewo overpass kill after a Hooker kill. Out of the break, Thailand scored the next two points to close the deficit to 16-12. Team USA responded with an Akinradewo kill and Hooker block at 18-12 prompting a Thailand timeout. Larson pocketed consecutive kills to increase the American advantage to 20-13. Bown picked up a block and Hodge scored a kill on her first play of the match to give the U.S. a 22-14 lead. The U.S. added to the run with a Nnamani block that Thailand could not cover cleanly, followed by a Hodge block at 24-14. Thailand saved two set points before Hodge scored her third kill of the set to close it out at 25-16. Bown scored five points to lead the U.S. in the second set as the Americans netted four blocks and two aces.

Team USA scored three unanswered points with two kills from Akinradewo and one from Larson to give the U.S. a 5-2 lead. The Americans went up by four points at 9-5 with a Thailand service error and Glass block. Thailand cut into the deficit with an ace at 11-9. Akinradewo and Larson put up consecutive kills and Larson followed with a block to yield a 15-10 U.S. lead. Hodge served an ace at 16-10 for the Americans’ fourth straight point. Hooker and Larson collected consecutive kills to extend the Team USA lead to 18-11. Out of a Thailand timeout, Larson added another kill and Hooker put up a block at 20-11. Tamas added another block for the fifth straight point at 21-11. Thailand stopped the run with two points of its own at 21-13. Thailand cut the deficit to seven points at 23-13 with back-to-back points. Team USA answered with a Tamas kill and Nnamani block to end the set at 25-16. Larson provided the U.S. with six points in the third set and the Americans scored four blocks in the period.

Volleyball fans across the world will be able to watch three FIVB World Grand prix matches a week as FIVB TV announced on Aug. 5 that it will stream matches on the Internet. One match per day from the three preliminary rounds as well as all matches form the Final Round will be streamed live on www.laola1.tv/en/int/fivb/video/203---.html. The USA-Italy match on Aug. 13 was shown live as part of the package, while the USA-China contest on Aug. 22 rounds out the preliminary round coverage. As a note, the FIVB TV matches cannot be viewed in most locations within the United States based on negotiated broadcast rights.

Fans in the United States can watch all remaining USA matches on Universal Sports (www.universalsports.com), on a tape delayed same-day coverage. Selected matches will also be shown on Universal’s television channel. All matches will be on-demand after they take place. To find out if Universal is in your home area and its daily schedule, click here.

For more information on the U.S. Women's National Team, visit its home page by clicking here.

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Prix Pool D (Hong Kong)# - Name (Pos, Ht, Hometown, College)
1 - Ogonna Nnamani (OPP, 6-1, Bloomington, Ill., Stanford)
2 - Alisha Glass (S, 6-0, Leland, Mich., Penn State)
5 - Stacy Sykora (L, 5-10, Burleson, Texas, Texas A&M)
6 - Nicole Davis (L, 5-4, Stockton, Calif., Southern California)
7 - Heather Bown (MB, 6-3, Yorba Linda, Calif., Hawaii)
8 - Cynthia Barboza (OH, 6-0, Long Beach, Calif., Stanford)
9 - Jennifer Tamas (MB, 6-4, Milpitas, Calif., Pacific)
11 - Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Nebraska)
14 - Nicole Fawcett (OPP, 6-4, Zanesfield, Ohio, Penn State)
15 - Logan Tom (OH, 6-1, Salt Lake City, Utah, Stanford)
16 - Foluke Akinradewo (MB, 6-3, Plantation, Fla., Stanford)
17 - Nellie Spicer (S, 5-9, Barrington, Ill., UCLA)
18 - Megan Hodge (OH, 6-3, Durham, N.C., Penn State)
19 - Destinee Hooker (OPP, 6-4, San Antonio, Texas, Texas)

Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand)
Assistant Coach: Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.)
Assistant Coach: Jim Stone (Columbus, Ohio)
Technical Coordinator: Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.)
Athletic Trainer/Medical Support: Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.)
Team Leader for Poland/Thailand: Reed Sunahara (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Team Leader for Hong Kong/Ningbo: Laurel Iversen (Kalaheo, Hawaii)

FIVB World Grand Prix Standings
Brazil (18 Points) 6-1 - Aug. 21 vs. Chinese Taipei
Japan (18 Points) 6-1 - Aug. 21 vs. Italy
Poland (18 Points) 6-1 - Aug. 21 vs. Puerto Rico
China (16 Points) 5-2 - Aug. 21 vs. Germany
USA (18 Points) 6-2
Italy (15 Points) 5-2 - Aug. 21 vs. Japan
Netherlands (11 Points) 4-4
Germany (7 Points) 2-5 - Aug. 21 vs. China
Dominican Republic (5 Points) 2-6
Thailand (3 Points) 1-7
Puerto Rico (3 Points) 1-6 - Aug. 21 vs. Poland
Chinese Taipei (0 Points) 0-7 - Aug. 21 vs. Brazil
NOTE: Matches won 3-0 or 3-1 earn the winners 3 points; Matches won 3-2 earn the winner 2 points and the loser 1 point

SPECIAL THANKS TO: USA Volleyball for this Update in our Ladies Team.

New Crop of Younger Players show a Bright Future for VB in South Florida

We were all very pleasantly surprised how many 12U and 13U teams were playing at a high level this past USAV season. We keep seeing young players with sharper and more defined skills than in the past.

In many cases this new crop of players are the second or third sister in a Volleyball family. They've cought the passion for the game at an early age and are sound, if not dominant players at an early age.

One such player is Courney Charneco from Nativity who was the only 6th grader to start every game for their middle school in well over a decade.

She plays OH for the school and has toned her skills with the Wildfire Club in the past.

Always working on her skills, Courtney was with Wildfires summer program and The Dig Beach Volleyball. Courtney was on the same team with Tash Begon from Archbishop McCarthy MB in a summer team 2009. This year Courtney played at Archbishop McCarthy for Volleyball and won a serving prize. In addition she played at St. Thomas for Basketball.

Courtney's older sister Taylor Charneco at Pembroke Pines Chapter Higher School is an OH going into 10th grade and has played in the past for Boomers & Wildfire Club 2008-2009.

Another player that comes to mind is Bria Beverly of Arvida. She was part of a middle school team that came in second in the County Finals, She has three club seasons under her belt the last playing for the South Florida Flyers 13U as an 11 year old. At just 11 she is 5'10" and still growing.

Bria is the youngest of three sisters Alexandra Beverly (now graduated) a two time All-Dade performer for Ferguson and in the Top 15 of the South Florida Hot 100 two years in a row. Samantha Beverly, the second sister is a top performer for Ferguson High.

Like Courtney and Bria, I'm sure many of you know 100's of young lady athletes that will all be a big reason why Volleyball in South Florida is on the rise and will continue to be for years!

Make sure to visit Ft. Lauderdale Beach this Weekend

This weekend is quickly approaching and it is only TUESDAY! We are hitting the beautiful beach of Fort Lauderdale for the USAV-Florida Regional Championships on July 24th-25th.

This event is open to everyone.

You DO NOT need to qualify for this event to participate.
Regular event format will be played like all of the previous events that Dig the Beach has conducted. Adult on Saturday as usual. The cut off for registration is Friday July 23rd at 8 a.m. Sunday will be our Juniors and Co-ed division! The cut off for registration for Juniors is July 22nd at 12 p.m. If you miss the cut off, you can try your luck on site the day of, however, space is limited. There are no guarantees for a spot, and the price is $100 instead of $70. Sign up early for a guaranteed spot! A reminder….Co-ed check-in begins 7 a.m. and play begins at 8 a.m.

There are only a couple events after this to compete in, so make it worth your time to come out to one of the largest venues Florida has to offer.

Don't miss the FIU Summer Camps

MIAMI - FIU Volleyball Head Coach Danijela Tomic will begin the previously announced 2010 Coach Tomic Volleyball Camps, Inc., summer camp schedule on Monday, July 12, as Tomic and her staff are set to host three All-Skills Camps and a pair of skill-specific clinics in the month of July.

Walk-ups are welcome for all camps and clinics.

The trio of All-Skills Camps will be held on July 12-15, July 19-22 and July 26-29, while a Setter/Hitter Clinic and a Ball Control/Libero Clinic are each slated for July 17. All camps and clinics will be held at the U.S. Century Bank Arena on FIU's Modesto A. Maidique Campus in Miami, Fla.

For camp and clinic descriptions and details, registration information and more:
CLICK HERE

USAV FL. Regional Jr. Championships where a great success!

Once again club teams from around Florida gathered in Orlando to compete in the Girls Regional Juniors Championships for the state of Florida. We congratulate every player and parent for a great season.

It was great to see two full days of intense competition at every age level as 45 courts hosted tough matches, many of which went into three closely contested sets. The lady athletes were playing their hearts out and putting everything on the line as the event trainers could attest too.

The most impressive club at this years tournament had to be the Pinellas Heat as most of their teams were in the thick of every age groups competition. Special recognition goes to the Pinellas Heat 16 Elite team that won the 18Club Gold.

South Florida clubs participated strongly in every age division and were a force to be reckoned with - we congratulate all of you.



Special recognition goes out to the following teams for winning the Gold in their respective age group.

16Open South Florida VBC 16-1 GOLD WINNER

15Open Miami Elite 14-Blue GOLD WINNER

13Open Palm Beach Jrs. 13 Elite Gold WINNER

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MISSING IN ACTION: Boomers Club from Broward - strange to not see them at this event nor did they support the Palm Beach Classic. Not sure why they could not attend - hope all is well.

For most of you that is the end of of the USAV Club season - hope you had a great time and you were able to improve upon your skills. Thanks to your efforts and dedication the level of Volleyball in Florida continues ti rise Nationally.

For the teams that will participate in the National AAU Championships in Orlando and those that will participate in the USAV National Championships in Reno, Nevada we wish you all the best and we will be writing about your endeavors soon.

As USAV Club Season Starts to come to an End

For many teams this weekends Palm Beach Classic and the Jr. Regional Championships in Orlando on the following weekend will mark the end of a great Club season. A few teams will continue to other events outside of Florida and a few others will compete well into the summer as they have qualified for the Jr Olympics this year in Reno Nevada.

For those of us that either Palm Beach or Orlando will mark the end of the season I suggest that many of you write down one anothers numbers and make plans on getting together through-out the summer. After seeing each other twice a week or more for six months saying good bye and ending things abruptly can become quite a shock. It could be good for both the girls and the parents to get together every now and then and hopefully play some Volleyball.

As the season winds down look to do something special for the coaches, especially if you feel that they did a good job or went above and beyond in their attempt to coach and improve the team.

Few clubs have trophy ceremonies at the end of the year. Personally, I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff, I really get a kick from seeing the kids faces light-up from getting a trophy or a medal. if the clubs do not offer it - talk with the different parents on the team and see if you do a ceremony after practice, the last tournament or an end of the season party at a home and give the players something to remember the great club season they had in 2010.

We hope you all make the most of the time left with one-another this season and remember to take plenty of pictures!

SEND US YOUR TEAM PICTURES: volleyballreport@gmail.com

THE SOUTH FLORIDA - HOT 100

It has been great to see Volleyball flourish in South Florida. The girls seem to be getting faster, stronger and taller. As the sport continues to grow in our region, the girls are playing year round for their schools (fall) clubs (winter-spring) and beach (summer). We are also seeing more girls, coaches and clubs dedicating time towards conditioning utilizing weights and plyometric training in an effort to build more explosive players.

In the past we would present the top 50 players, along with ten Futures (Grades 7-9th). Seeing that the talent pool has increased drastically, we are now initiating the top 80 players in South Florida the top 40 will be 1st Team, the next 40 will be second team and the next 20 are the futures - hence The South Florida Hot 100.
Within the 1st team we identified the top 12 players with which we would build an All-Star team.

South Florida All-Stars:

- Leigh Andrews - Westminster Academy 6'0" Soph. OH
Two time Player of the Year for Broward 3A-1A. Dominate player with strong skill sets, very coachable.

- Tatiana Berger - Pine Crest 5'10" OH/RS
Solid player both offensively and defensively ( 310kills / 322 Digs).

- Caiti Donahoe - Cardinal Gibbons 5'11'' Soph. S/RS
Skilled Setter, quick for her height. Dominant around the net. Keep an eye on her game as she develops.

- Latoya Harvin - Royal Palm Beach 6'0" Sr. MB-OH
Dominant Blocker - lead Broward for the second year in a row. Club play has helped develop her game to new heights.

- Jenna Isaacs - Mater Academy 6'0" Sr. MH-OH
Strong and athletically gifted player (424K / 136B).

- Jenna Keeler - Plantation 6'1" Sr. MB
Mrs. do everything. Talented player lead her team in almost every category. brings her "A: game every night.

- Jenny Machado - Killian 5'6" Sr. Lib.
Was forced to play OH in high school but has excelled at the Libero position on elite club teams. If you could measure a players heart and determination, this young lady would be off the charts.

- Kelly Marble - St. Thomas Aquinas 5'11" Sr. OH
Player of the year for Broward 6A-4A. Complete Player: 338K, 192A, 160D, 69B
In addition Kelly made the PrepVolleyball Academic All-American Team. Marble is an AP Scholar with Distinction and member of the National Honor Society. She has a 5.12 cumulative weighted GPA with 11 AP courses to her credit.

- Codi Minum - Benjamin 5'10" Sr. OH
Player of the year Palm Beach County 3A-1A, Took control during district tournaments.

- Paulina Prieto - Palmer Trinity 6'2" Soph. OH-MB
Two Time Dade County Player of the year. Possibly the most dominant player in the group. Has great leaping ability, hard worker, very coachable. Was a leader on the Gold team that won the USAV championships.

- Jessica Santaniello - West Boca 6'0" Sr. OH
Intimidating player that pounds the opposition into submission. Lead the County in kills.

- Kristin Walewski - Ferguson 5'4" Sr. S
3 time All County 1st team. Great hustle and tenacity. makes her presence felt at the net through great leaping ability.

All South Florida First Team:

- Shaina Abdell - Royal Palm Beach 5'11" Sr. OH
- Rebecca Acevedo - Westminster Christian 5'11" Jr. RS/S
- Sarah Alfonso - Palmer Trinity 5'5" Sr. S
- Christina Alessi - Kings Academy 6'1" Sr. OH
- Brytney Annis - Lake Worth Christian 6'0" Jr. MB
- Alexandra Beverly - Ferguson 6'0" Sr. OH
- Carrie Commendiero - Palmetto 5'10" Sr. MH
- Brittany Dubbins - Krop 5'10" Sr. OH
- Natalia Huarto - Loque - South Miami 5'6" Lib.
- Katelyn Hummel - North Broward Prep. 5'8" Sr. S
- Danielle Lampman - Lake Worth Christian 5'4" Sr. S
- Anne Langsenkamp - St. Thomas Aquinas 5'5" Sr. Lib.
- Victoria McPherson - North Broward Prep. 6'1" Soph. M/OH
- Olivia Mesner - Spanish River 5'9" Jr. MB
- Carolina Nuche - Lourdes 5'10" Sr. OH
- Taylor Miller - Hollywood Hills 5'10" Sr. OH
- Brianna O'Neil - Chaminade-Madonna 6'1" Soph. MH
- Danielle Pohl - Ferguson 6'0" Sr. MH
- Alyssa Robertson - Monarch 5'11" OH
- Taylor Ruiz - Coral Springs 5'11" Sr. OH
- Sara Saxner - Nova 5'9" Jr. OH
- Jesyca Schiffman - Krop 5'4" Sr. S
- Kristin Titley - Palmer Trinity 6'0" Sr. OH
- Julie Trembley - Westminster Christian 5'11" Jr. OH
- Alexandra Walewski - Ferguson 5'7" Sr. OH/DS
- Jessie Wilkie - Calvary Christian 5'5" S
- Kristina Wilson - Spanish River 5'6" Sr. S
- Jessica Wynn - Cardinal Gibbons 6'2" OH

All South Florida Second Team:

- Nicole Beckelheimer - Miami Christian 6'0" MB/OH
- Tash Begon - Archbishop McCarthy 5'11" Soph. MB
- Marissa Bolton - Miami Country Day 5'6" Jr. DS
- Elizabeth Boshart - St. Andrews 5'5" Sr. S
- Barbara Cadet - Varela 5'8" Sr. OH
- Viki Collazo - Ransom Everglades 5'9" Jr. OH
- Crystal Dedes - St. Thomas Aquinas 6'0" Jr. MB
- Megan Doyle - Florida Christian 5'11" Sr. OH
- Deanna Etzold - Westminster Christian 5'8" Sr. S
- Jordan Fisher - Jupiter 6'1" Jr. MB/OH
- Andrea Garcia - Miami Christian 5'10" Jr. OH
- Lauren Gillespie - Pompano Beach 5'10" MB/OH
- Deborah Gordon - Calvary Christian 5'10' MB/OH
- Kaylee Groeneveld - Calvary Christian 5'11" Sr. M/OH
- Taylor Kennedy - St. Andrews 5'10" Jr. OH
- Lindsey Knapp - Boca Raton 5'10" Soph. OH
- Brittany Lear - Jupiter 5'6" Sr. S
- Morgan Lear - Jupiter 5'5" Soph. Lib.
- Emily McMurtrey - Westminster Academy 5'9" S
- Katelyn Mears - Lake Worth Christian 5'3" Sr. Lib.
- Emily Navarrete - West Broward 5'4" Sr. DS
- Hannah Penna - Miami Southwest 6'0" Sr. OH
- Jenny Peterson - Park Vista 5'10" Sr. MB/OH
- Pamela Querogia - Park Vista 5'10" Jr. MB/OH
- Ariam Rios - Princeton Christian 5'7" Sr. OH/DS
- Monique Rivers - Princeton Christian 5'7" Fr. OH/DS
- Stephanie Roldan - Miami Southwest 5'10" sr. OH
- Julia Shade - Boca Raton 5'6" Sr. S
- Peyton Schlosser - Pompano Beach 5'10" Soph. LSH
- Amanda Shawver - Pompano Beach 5'4" Sr. Lib.
- Ally Simmons - Western 5'4" soph. Lib.
- Taylor Slaughter - Killian 5'11" Sr. MH/OH
- Suzie Solenski - Cardinal Gibbons 6'0" Sr. OH
- Lauren Spear - St. Thomas Aquinas 5'8" Jr. S
- Samantha Spidell - Boca Raton Christian 5'9" Jr. OH
- Kayla Upman - Nova 5'4" DS/Lib.
- Emily Walz - Kings Academy 5'10" Sr. OH/MB
- Mackenzie Webster - Ferguson 5'10" Sr. OH
- Jasmin Wilkins - Hialeah 5'11" Sr. OH
- Kristina Wilson - Spanish River 5'6" Sr. S

Futures Team (7th - 9th Grade)

- Allison Belanger - St. Thomas Aquinas 5'9" Fr. OH
- Bayley Cook - Crestwood Middle 5'6" 8th S/H
- Brianne Cook - Crestwood Middle 5'6" 8th S/H
- Annie Corrigan - Palm Beach Gardens HS 6'1" Fr. MB
- Taylor David - Miami Elite Blue 6'1" 8th MB
- Sylvia Hernandez - Westminster Christian 5'10" 8th OH
- Kourtney Lesperance - Arvida Middle 5'8" 7th OH
- Danielle Littke - Palmer Trinity 5'11" 8th S
- Brooke Lyons - St Thomas Aquinas - 6'2" Fr. M/OH
- Brooke McDermot - Glades Middle 5'9" 8th OH
- Lauren Miko - Pope John Paul 5'6" Fr. OH
- Meagan Milligan - Lake Worth Christian 6'0" Fr. MB
- Annika Reczek - Archaminian 5'11" 8th MB/OH
- Kristine Rios - Princeton Christian 5'3" 8th S/DS
- Emily Saraza - Arvida Middle 5'7" 8th OH-S
- Beth Shoaff - Hollywood Hills HS 5'7" Fr. S
- Nikki Taylor Lyons - St. Coleman 5'11" 8th M/L
- Ashley Zaldivar - Glades Middle 5'6" 7th OH
- Cindy Zaldivar - Glades Middle 5'9" 8th RS/S
- Mackenzie Zielinski - All Saints Middle - 5'5" 8th S

FIU to host a 6 session Drills and Skills camp Starting this Sunday the 7th

My coaching staff and our FIU players will host a series of "Skills & Drills" Clinics this spring, beginning on Sunday, March 7 and running through Sunday, April 18. You can read the web release and find the PDF registration form at www.fiusports.com

This is a great opportunity for players in South Florida. These sessions will be great for both club and non-club players. If you are not currently playing for a club this year these six sessions will be a great way to increase your skills and stay sharp. For those who are playing club this is an additional chance to get work in a gym and work closely with the great folks at FIU.

Skills and drills information below:

What: Coach Tomic "Skills & Drills" Clinics"

Ages: 1st - 12th Grade

Time: 3:00 - 5:00 PM

Sessions: 6, two-hour sessions (Every Sunday from March 7-April 18, excluding Easter Sunday)

Instructors: FIU Coaching Staff & Players

Location: FIU - Modesto A. Maidique Campus (Directions below)
U.S. Century Bank Arena
11200 SW 8th St.
Miami, FL 33174

Contact Info: coachtomic@gmail.com
*
Open to all girls and boys in 1st through 12th grade regardless of skill level. No tryout necessary!
*
Designed for players who are interested in improving their skills in the sport of volleyball and do not wish to travel or play in competitive tournaments. This is not league or game play. This is strictly an instructional program.
*
Excellent for players of ALL levels, from beginners to advanced players. Great for players that have never played volleyball before to learn the game and develop their skills. This is an excellent way for players who are planning to tryout for the school team next spring to develop their skills or for players that are already on school teams to keep their skills sharp! Training will be available to advanced players who desire to work on specific skills.
*
Training will range from individualized one-on-one training to group drills. All skills will be taught to players based on their skill level.
*
Players will practice for 6, two-hour sessions.
*
"Skills and Drills" sessions will begin on Sunday, March 7 and continue every Sunday until April 18, except for on Easter Sunday (April 4).
*
Cost: $110.00 for 6, two-hour sessions or $20.00 per session. Fees are due at registration.

Follow the Winter Olympics and support the USA!

Tomorrow, February 12, the world will gather to watch top athletes from around the globe compete in the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. Athletes from Team USA, who have been training their entire lives will take the stage to represent our country. I'm writing with the hope that you could share the news about Team USA with the readers of The South Florida Volleyball Report.

Anyone who registers on Teamusa.org will have access to the latest info and will receive exclusive updates throughout the games. I've put all that information including some very cool Team USA widgets and banners into this social media news release which can be seen by CLICKING HERE.

NOTE: The above message was sent by Team USA
BEST OF LUCK TO ALL THE TEAMS THAT WILL BE COMPETING IN THIS WEEKS TOURNAMENTS IN SOUTH FLORIDA AND TAMPA!

Take your Game to the Next Level

Improving your vertical is something we are allways trying to
achieve! Plyometric exercising is a type of workout that develops
muscular explosion through exercises that utilize a variety of
physical movements.

Plyometrics are used in many sports to develop many different parts
of the body. In volleyball, these exercises focus solely on jumping
ability. There are a plethora of different exercises, involving
everything from ankle weights to stationary boxes.

If you really want to develop your jump to the maximum level, then
you should look for a book or website devoted to multiple-day
workout schedules. But there are a few simple exercises that should
get you heading in the right direction.

The first plyometric exercise is a simple squat jump. You will be
performing this jump from a stand-still. Bend your knees down to a
ninety degree angle, making it look like you are sitting on a chair.

Now explode from this position by jumping straight up in the air. I
think it is a good idea to keep you hands together in a ball in
front of you chest to keep you arms still while jumping up. This
will prevent you from adding to the height of your jump with the
upward swing of your arms, keeping all of the work and attention
on your legs, abs and lower back.

When you land from this jump, you want to slowly cushion you body
from the jump back down to the original stance with the knees bent
at ninety degrees. There should be no pausing between jumps, just
jumping, landing, and exploding back up again.

The key is to explode from the down position, and to repeat the
process continuously without any breaks. One set of this exercise
would be to simply jump until you can't jump anymore, but you
should probably put a cap on the set with 25 jumps max or until
exhaustion.

After a proper warm up and stretch, do three sets of this exercise.

You could add ankle weights to increase the difficulty of this
exercise, but beware that this can aggravate knee and back
tendonitis and other injuries.

Another exercise will require a box. The height of the box will vary
with every person, but since you will be making numerous jump
attempts, it should not be within eight inches your maximum standing
vertical jump.

With feet shoulder width apart, jump up onto the box, then step
down, and repeat. Like the last exercise, try not to pause at all in
between any reps. Three sets of twenty jumps are a sufficient
workout. This exercise is much more low impact then the previous
one.

The severity that plyometrics can have on a body, especially an
older or injury-ridden body, can be immense. You should always
monitor the amount of jumping you do with in one of these workouts,
and limit the amount of jumps you perform to 120-160 times. Pay
special attention to any injuries or lingering pains while
performing any plyometric exercise.

Special thanks to Hayley of volletball-magic.com for her insight on this article

USAV, HOPSports Partner to Promote Youth Volleyball

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 8, 2010) - USA Volleyball (USAV) has announced a partnership with HOPSports, creator of a revolutionary fitness program, to improve students' health and wellness by promoting volleyball utilizng 21st century media technology. The HOPSports Training System (HTS) infuses celebrities, DVR technology and fun into physical education and fitness activities that encourage healthy living among youth and adults. USA Volleyball will be HOPSPorts' first National Governing Body partner.

"HOPSports is honored to work with USA Volleyball in advancing the mission of our organization," HOPSports President Cindy Sisson said. "Our goal is to introduce volleyball through the HOPSports vast network in 41 states, 550 schools and after school programs, with an estimated reach of 1.5 million impressions to kindergarten through 12th grade students each week."

The HTS incorporates video fitness lessons with various professional league mascots and players from the NFL, NBA, WNBA and MLB. Additionally, the Ringling Bros., Harlem Globetrotters, Stuntmens Association and Tezoro Productions with choreographers from the hit FOX show "So You Think You Can Dance?" all are active participants promoting health and wellness to a captive audience.The fitness lessons and activities are delivered through a multi-screen format to integrate nutrition, fun facts, anatomy instruction and educational messaging in a fun and exciting workout experience.

"We are delighted to partner with HOPSports," USAV Secretary General Kerry Klostermann said. "Its state-of-the-art technology and presentation techniques will engage, entertain and develop healthy initiatives for millions of children as well as extend the values of the sport of volleyball and the brand of USA Volleyball to broad and diverse populations. This partnership also represents a valuable resource for our 40 Regional Volleyball Associations in service of growing participation."
Besides proper skill instruction at the basic levels, the initiative's goal is to educate the HOPSports audience on the history of USA Volleyball and to promote a series of lessons that will be inclusive in nature. Currently, Olympians Annette Davis and Dain Blanton (2000 Olympic Games gold medalist) are the host celebrity trainers presenting the HOPSports volleyball lessons.

About USA Volleyball: Founded in 1928, USA Volleyball is a Colorado incorporated non-profit organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Federation International de Volleyball (FIVB) as the National Governing Body for the sport of Volleyball in the United States. USA Volleyball is responsible for both the Olympic disciplines of indoor volleyball and beach volleyball. USA Volleyball has over 240,000 registered members, 12,000 teams and 5,000 clubs nationwide. With an annual budget in excess of $11 million dollars, USA Volleyball supports the USA men's and women's senior national team programs, youth and junior national teams, national championship events, coaching education and certification programs, grassroots development, and programs for the disabled and ParalympicTeams. USA

Volleyball has a rich tradition of success as evidenced by winning an Olympic medal in every Olympic Games since 1984 and capturing numerous World Cup, World Championship and Continental Championship titles. USA Volleyball is committed to and works toward opportunity for all to participate. It is an advocate for all Americans endeavoring to assure universal access to opportunities at all levels of the game.

About HOPSports: HOPSports is the industry leader in teaching movement through technology. HOPSports is a multi-media instructional tool for physical education teachers and fitness instructors, delivered through DVR technology. The multi-screen format provides fitness lesson plans that meet state and national standards while integrating nutrition, fun facts, anatomy instruction and educational messaging in a fun and exciting environment. HOPSports' delivery mechanism is simple to use and is a great tool for K-12 physical educators and before and after school fitness instructors to teach along with HOPSports' host of exciting trainers. HOPSports is currently installed in schools and youth community sites in 41 U.S. states. For more information, please visit www.hopsports.com.

LYNN UNIVERSITY: January 23rd - Be There.

Click on the image to make it larger.

Don't miss this opportunity to see one of our great local universities and get to know the Lynn Volleyball Team.

Let the 2010 USAV FL Season Begin

First and foremost we wish to congratulate all the young ladies for making their teams. Their is a buzz about South Florida on how many quality teams the various clubs are fielding. We commend the commitment that both the players and parents are making this year for yet another successful club season. As club season begins below are a few things to think about as the first tournament nears this January 16th in Miami Beach.

Players: Weather you are a beginner or a veteran of several club seasons. The team’s success depends on several factors. Obviously the initial talent level is important, but more importantly is the teams overall improvement throughout the year. After-all, isn't that the reason you are playing club?

First thing to do is to get to know the players on your team. If there is a new player on the team make sure that she feels welcomed. Try not to have niches or clicks with-in the team. Sure you’re going to have your best buddy – but remember, “a team is only as strong as its weakest link”.

Make sure you get the most out of every practice and improve. If you don’t understand something either ask the coach then and their or wait till after practice if you’re the shy type. Be sure to have fun, your playing a great sport in a very competitive part of the state. Make the most of this experience and have a great year.

Below are a few conditioning ideas to help you throughout the club year.

1. Get into a regimen of doing push-ups: Try to get up to three sets of 20 three times a weak. This is such a great exercise for volleyball players. It will help you with your serves, spikes, etc.
2. Do exercises to help your legs and ankles. Do Toe Raisers, Lunges and Squats.
2A. Follow that up with a jumping program or plyometrics.
3. Build Endurance – try and jog or hit the treadmill. Tournament days are long and your body has to be fresh at the end of the day when your battling to win the Gold, Silver or Bronze.
4. Always stretch before and after workouts.
5. Eat Healthy. Depending on your age you might want to start cutting down on fast food and grease overall. Try and incorporate fruits as a snack.
5A. On Tournament days try and have a hearty breakfast seeing that between travel time and warm-ups you probably have plenty of time to properly digest that meal before you get into play. Once the tournament starts it’s probably best to eat light until the end of the tournament. Definitely keep your self very hydrated.

(Look at our Skills and Drills Section for more Detailed on the above information)

If you want to get your name out to college Coaches fill out our Player Profile - We'll get you known.

Coaches – We try to give little advise in this area seeing that coaching can be a thankless job.

Please never forget to make your players better than they were at the beginning of the season. Be open to communicate with players and parents.

Parents – I am currently in this position myself. First thing to keep in mind, especially if your child is younger than 16, don’t push them to hard. Be there to always give them positive re-enforcement especially if they haven’t played to their potential that game. Pack plenty of refreshments and light meals and snacks for tournaments.

If your faced with low playing time for your child or if your child is not developing a certain skill through-out the year and you wish to discuss this with the coach keep this ideas in mind.

A) NEVER GO TO THE COACH ANGRILY DURING A TOURNAMENT. Most clubs do not allow you to address a coach with-out an appointment and that makes a lot of sense. I understand that we parents spend a lot of money for our kids to compete and improve, but it is important that we show restraint especially during competitions. Remember there is no “I” in team and the same goes for the parents.

During play try not to shout when a player is serving for good sportsmanship. When it comes to seating, please vacate the seats after your teams match and allow the other parents to sit for the next match. It's always smart to bring a few chairs if you want to be sitting at the court round the clock.

The above tips are to make sure that this USAV Club Season is an enjoyable one for everyone involved.

We wish everyone in South Florida a Great Club Season and remember to keep us informed on how you and your team performed. Please feel free to send us pictures and names and we will post them.

Below are Pictures from Last Year: