As we glance again on the previous yr, we’re stuffed with optimism and pleasure for the continued development and success of our sport. The progress achieved at each the grassroots and elite ranges displays the dedication and onerous work of each member, not simply throughout the Junior Volleyball Affiliation, however throughout all the volleyball group. The JVA skilled a outstanding 15% enhance in membership, with notable growth within the Atlantic and West Coast areas. This development not solely displays the rising reputation of volleyball, but in addition the belief and worth that golf equipment and athletes place within the JVA’s dedication to creating the game at each stage. JVA stands able to proceed to help the junior volleyball world by its dedication to training, advocacy and working world class occasions.
Let’s take a look at the affect of JVA in 2024:
Grant Program
Within the second yr of the JVA Grant Program, JVA awarded $49,250 to 10 volleyball golf equipment that created a program or service that meets JVA’s mission and can be utilized as a mannequin for different golf equipment to copy everywhere in the nation. The objective of the Grant Program is to advertise the expansion and accessibility of youth and junior volleyball by financially supporting JVA members of their efforts to offer new applications and companies of their group. By means of an utility course of in June, the JVA recognized 10 golf equipment.
In August of 2019 Queen Metropolis Volleyball Academy (Charlotte, NC) shaped as a nonprofit group with the objective of creating the sport of volleyball extra broadly accessible to younger athletes by breaking by systemic boundaries which have traditionally restricted full group participation within the sport. The membership started with a small group of passionate coaches and native professionals who have been dedicated to offering a high-level coaching expertise with holistic athletic growth on the core of the whole lot. Two years in the past, QCVA began a group program focusing on underserved center college college students in Charlotte, North Carolina. This yr, with the JVA Grant, this system expanded to a few low-income areas: Eastway/Central Charlotte, West Charlotte/Airport, and Southwest Charlotte.
“I simply need to specific my gratitude for the grant from the JVA. We’re a really small program and run a really lean finances, so having these funds allowed us to pay our coaches a aggressive fee, hire the gymnasium, create signage, and supply this chance to so many younger individuals. It’s simply actually superior that this grant exists and we’re so grateful to have been chosen as a recipient!” stated Director, Crystal Redfern.
Champion Volleyball Membership (Winston-Salem, NC), is constantly searching for new alternatives to have interaction their athletes in significant actions and share their ardour for volleyball throughout the Winston Salem group. The Champion Outreach Program already hosts Block Out Childhood Most cancers and Block Out Starvation fundraising occasions. Most just lately, with the assistance of Coach Maggie Joyce, and her sturdy dedication to working with people with Down Syndrome, and in collaboration with the Down Syndrome Affiliation of Higher Winston Salem (DSAGSW), Champion Volleyball Membership deliberate a free occasion referred to as Aces for Down Syndrome.
“The JVA Grant for ACEs for Down Syndrome has been a game-changer for our volleyball membership. With this beneficiant funding, we’ve been capable of buy specialised gear that ensures our occasions are accessible and pleasant for self-advocate athletes. From adaptive volleyballs to inclusive coaching aids, the brand new gear enhances the expertise for all individuals, fostering a extra supportive and empowering atmosphere. This grant not solely symbolizes monetary help but in addition represents a dedication to inclusivity, permitting athletes of all skills to shine and be celebrated on the court docket. The optimistic affect of this grant will resonate by our group, reinforcing the values of equality and teamwork,” stated Champion Volleyball Membership Director of Operations, Olivia Morris.
Sponsor Program
The JVA Sponsor Program is designed to reward its members for selling the JVA model, supporting the JVA mission, and rising JVA on the regional and nationwide stage. This Program is among the some ways the JVA creates collaboration, celebration, cohesion and camaraderie amongst junior volleyball management and athletes throughout the nation. $164,500 was given to JVA member golf equipment by the JVA Sponsor Program. This included 50 indoor golf equipment and two seashore golf equipment.
“Thanks to all of those golf equipment for selling the JVA and contributing to our group by training and assets. This program actually does assist promote the JVA mission. Whereas we compete fiercely on the court docket, we all know we’re stronger by sharing our information and dealing collectively,” says JVA Government Director, Jenny Hahn.”
Officers Reward Program
The Officers Reward Program (ORP) is designed to recruit, retain and reward Officers that help JVA Volleyball Occasions. By means of this program, Officers are acknowledged for reaching a sure stage of feat through the junior volleyball season, and rewarded for recruiting new Officers to the game. Within the second yr, 586 Officers enrolled within the Official Reward Program, 121 officers acquired JVA swag and $2,000 and several other free lodge nights have been awarded to officers who reached tier 2 and/or 3.
Not solely is it necessary to reward the dedication of the junior volleyball Officers, the JVA is dedicated to selling the chance to the following technology to be able to develop the variety of Officers in our sport.
At a younger age, Monica Wang’s dad would toss the volleyball to her till she was expert sufficient to move the ball again to him. She jokes that he pushed her to turn out to be a setter so he may have somebody to reliably set the ball for him to hit. At the moment, Monica is sharing her ardour for volleyball as “The TikTok Ref,” posting entertaining and relatable movies of her day as a Volleyball Official. A TikTok sensation, she’s approached by gamers at each match, who excitedly request a selfie and join about one among her movies.
“My final objective is that these gamers see my movies, relate to them, and envision themselves on the stand. Perhaps they’ll fall in love with officiating too and proceed the cycle by inspiring some new officers themselves sooner or later,” shared Wang.
Whereas taking part in in an grownup league in her late twenties Shannon Walter noticed that the league was searching for referees, so she signed up. A couple of months later, an Official noticed her reffing an grownup match and advised her she was fairly good, and requested her if she was licensed. After replying “No, I simply began,” he shared particulars on how to join the Ontario Volleyball Affiliation (OVA). Ten years into her Officiating journey, Shannon officiates throughout all ranges of volleyball: school, highschool, elementary, junior, senior, grownup league, and personal tournaments.
That is Shannon’s second-year officiating JVA occasions, and she or he is enrolled in JVA’s Officers Reward Program. She stated the reward program is a wonderful option to get entangled with newer officers and the group. Through the 2023-2024 season, the JVA applied The Sportsmanship Award, handed out by Officers to gamers who exhibit a number of of the beliefs of sportsmanship throughout their match, together with equity, civility, honesty, respect and accountability.
First Level Volleyball Basis and USA Volleyball
First Level Volleyball Basis and the JVA proceed a dedication to collectively present extra alternatives for boys to play volleyball by JVA’s $50,000 per yr donation. By means of JVA’s philanthropy, First Level Volleyball has guided a number of Division I-II males’s volleyball applications so as to add the game. The efforts of First Level have immediately led to extra youth and highschool alternatives as as soon as a state sanctions, the expansion curve turns into dramatic.
Junior volleyball golf equipment are seeing a spike in participation ranges, particularly at the highschool divisions 15U-18U. Boys volleyball is among the quickest rising sports activities within the U.S, with 36 states providing highschool boys volleyball; 28 of these states are sanctioned by the highschool federation. Within the final 7 years, Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, and Utah turned sanctioned or are actually rising standing, and lots of extra states are quickly anticipated to comply with together with Georgia, North Carolina and Texas.
First Level has continued to show that with intentional advocacy and philanthropy directed to highschool and collegiate alternatives, the tempo of development of youth volleyball accelerates.
Range, Fairness and Inclusion
JVA sponsored two Administrators participation within the AVCA Range Award Program at AVCA Conference: Vallery Mitchell, Founder and CEO of Fostering Desires Volleyball Membership, and Nikki Golston, Co-Proprietor and Affiliate Director of three’s Up Volleyball Academy. The AVCA Range Award Program is a pivotal initiative of the AVCA Range Growth Crew aimed toward: Advancing the game of volleyball, Partaking coaches as leaders, and Selling initiatives that foster significant change in society and the volleyball group.
JVA hosted two JVA Athletes of Shade Alliance gatherings, that includes keynote audio system, Q&A with present HBCU school athletes, classes for athletes, households, coaches and administrators group constructing actions, snacks and refreshments. Gatherings have been held on the JVA World Problem in Louisville and the JVA Appeal Metropolis Problem in Baltimore.
By means of JVA’s dedication to selling the expansion and accessibility of volleyball in underserved communities, the JVA companions with Starlings USA, offering all Starlings Volleyball Administrators and Coaches with a free JVA membership to incorporate enterprise training and assets, in addition to steering to successfully run their volleyball program and serve their junior athletes.
Starlings’ imaginative and prescient is to offer women with equal entry to high quality volleyball applications, no matter monetary hardship or talent stage by publicity to coaching and participation within the sport of volleyball, whereas utilizing the platform of the game to empower inside every participant, tutorial excellence, wholesome way of life selections and wonderful character. This previous yr over 280 free JVA memberships have been supplied to Starlings Membership Administrators and Coaches from everywhere in the nation.
The Aspect-Out Basis
The JVA World Problem has at all times been greater than a volleyball match. The midyear championship brings groups from everywhere in the nation collectively to not solely compete on the court docket, however to boost funds for the Aspect-Out Basis to help analysis particularly for sufferers with metastatic breast most cancers, probably the most superior type of the illness, and the least funded space of analysis. The JVA is a proud supporter of the Aspect-Out Basis and the Dig Pink® Program, and we’re excited to share that by our efforts on the 2024 JVA World Problem April 12-14th we have been capable of elevate over $14,000 that will likely be donated immediately to assist save lives.
“By means of our collaboration with JVA we now have been capable of attain new heights in spreading consciousness, supporting analysis, and offering very important assets to people and households battling this illness. The affect of our partnership with JVA goes far past the volleyball court docket. It has touched the lives of numerous people, providing hope, power, and a way of group to these dealing with difficult circumstances. Your steadfast help has been instrumental in our efforts to make a significant distinction within the lives of these affected by metastatic breast most cancers,” shared Ellen Dempsey, Founder & Government Director of Aspect-Out.
Member Companies and Schooling
As a member-driven group together with practically 1,700 junior volleyball golf equipment of all sizes, the JVA is at all times searching for suggestions from its members and searching for new methods to make the brief time period and long run operations simpler for its membership administrators and directors. This previous yr the JVA began a Podcast referred to as Sideline Technique, launched the outcomes of the JVA Member Membership Survey, which included trade information from over 600 junior golf equipment, launched our very personal Ref Coaching Movies, with assist from Monica Wang (the TikTok ref) and NWAS VOLLEYBALL and launched the Membership Administration Information 2.0 with The Artwork of Teaching Volleyball! The JVA Mentor Program created 20 new mentorships, that are an impactful expertise for the mentor and the mentee.
Waiting for 2025, we now have a lot in retailer for the junior volleyball group, beginning with Align ‘25, the premier instructional summit designed particularly for junior volleyball membership leaders! Hosted by the Junior Volleyball Affiliation (JVA) and powered by LeagueApps, this thrilling occasion will happen in Chicago, Illinois, on Could 13-14, 2025. Early hen registration is on the market by January twentieth!
How can JVA assist your membership in 2025? We need to hear from you! E mail members@jvavolleyball.org at the moment.
