HISTORY

WAVE Volleyball Club formed in 2000 and began with only two teams. The teams trained out of the Encinitas YMCA. In 2012, when Club Director Brennan Dean and his wife and co-Director Kristen Dean bought the club it was up to 22 indoor teams. Today, WAVE supports more than 700 athletes annually with 50 coaches who share years of competitive experience to train 38 indoor teams plus a beach program and an agility and strength program. 

WAVE Volleyball Club’s mission is to produce technically skilled players from K-12 who aspire to compete at the highest level of both indoor and beach volleyball. WAVE provides focused, skill-based instruction in a supportive, team-building environment to help cultivate a strong work ethic, a passion for competition, and a commitment to team culture, which enables players to fulfill their potential. Many of the clubs players have gone on to earn college scholarships for volleyball or play professionally. According to Dean, 90 percent of the players on the top WAVE team and 50 percent of the second tier team receive scholarships to continue their sport in college.

FACILITY

Recently, WAVE Volleyball Club has expanded to seven indoor and three outdoor sand volleyball courts to accommodate the growing need for high-level club volleyball coaching of San Diego’s youth. With 700 youth, K-12 who compete in national leagues and on school teams, the club has grown so quickly that many aspiring volleyball players were turned away because there were not enough courts available for training.

WAVE directors worked to find a solution for an expansion of their family-oriented club program.

“We pride ourselves in being excellent teachers of the game and positive role models for aspiring student athletes,” said Brennan Dean, executive indoor director. “The goal of our coaching team is to pass our knowledge and experience onto our players in a clean, safe and family-oriented environment. With this philosophy backing us, we have continued to draw many young people into our club, and we reached a point where we needed to expand.”

Three years ago, Brennan and Kristen joined with Fairbanks Ranch residents, Doug and Rosanna Forsyth, to create a new model for the WAVE Club. This included an expansion from a three-court indoor to a 25,000 square foot facility that features seven indoor courts and three outdoor sand courts for beach volleyball. A much longer than expected three-year construction project included the removal of 53 truckloads of concrete from the former Del Mar Skate Ranch where famous skater Tony Hawk learned to skate. Approval from the 22nd District Agricultural Association came in April 2014, followed by more than a year of planning, coastal permits, engineering, and design.

Finally, in June 2015, the project finally broke ground. Located on the east side of Jimmy Durante Blvd on 22nd District Agricultural property, WAVE has created a premier training facility, the only San Diego club with shock absorbing Taraflex© flooring, an area for parents and coaches, a conference room, and a weight training area specific to volleyball preparation. Outside at the lighted courtside beach volleyball area, are changing rooms, shower facilities and a communal kitchen area for family and team functions.

PROGRAMS

WAVE offers comprehensive volleyball training for boys and girls from kindergarten through 12th grade in its indoor and sand facility courts, as well as at its North “Dog” beach location. WAVE also offers an Adult Beach training program. The facilities are designed strictly for volleyball athletes and their families. With easy access, ample room around each court, high ceilings, and hundreds of volleyballs, the location is ideal for volleyball training. All WAVE indoor teams practice at our “North Gym” and “South Gym” locations, both conveniently located just west of I-5 near the San Diego Fairgrounds. 

K-2nd graders begin the fun and training at WAVE through the Ripple Program, a co-ed, non-competitive introduction to vollyball. From there 3rd graders can begin participating in clinics and competing on 10U travel teams.

WAVE Beach Volleyball is entering its 5th season as a year round beach volleyball club. It is the fastest growing club in California, open to Girls in 5th-12th grade and Boys in 5th-8th grade. Fundamentals and technique are a big part of the instruction that progresses to advanced game strategy, partner communication, and defensive strategies with the older more experienced athletes. WAVE offers the following beach programs: 3rd-6th grade Co-ed Sand Training in late Spring, Spring and Summer Beach Club, beach camps, Adult Training and Leagues, and Boys Summer Short season for 6th-12th graders.

COACHING

WAVE has assembled what it believes is one of the finest coaching staffs in the country. As a minimum requirement to be part of the WAVE staff, all 50 coaches have excelled on the court at the college level and/or in the sand. In addition, numerous coaches have indoor and beach pro experience, NCAA Championship rings, Olympic medals, or have played for the USA National Team.

Outstanding teams are the result of fundamentally sound players in every facet of the game and great team chemistry. WAVE’s results from season to season consistently speak for themselves. WAVE is more than a volleyball club, it is a network of teams that makes one big family.

WAVE Volleyball Club is a member of the Junior Volleyball Association, an organization committed to enhancing the junior volleyball experience for club directors, coaches, players and fans. For more information about joining the JVA click here. For more information about JVA Awards click here.