Lisa joined the JVA Staff in December 2013. She has a solid volleyball background at all levels. After completing her volleyball career at Purdue University, she served as the Student Assistant Coach followed by three seasons as the Assistant Volleyball Coach at Samford University where her responsibilities included recruiting, aiding in day to day team training, managing community service functions, and coordination of camps. In 2011 she helped guide the program to its first NCAA appearance.
Message of the Week
Message of the Week
This last week… I’ve been a little fired up. In a good way-ish. The kind of fired up that comes from caring deeply about something and wanting people to understand why. Boys Nationals opened and numbers far exceeded expectations. Emotional rollercoaster…but also at the end of the day, back to work.
But also last week, I shared the emotion behind this job, my love for the game, and the passion I have for what we are building at JVA. This week, I want to pull back the curtain a little more.
I am not a social media person. At all. But every once in a while, curiosity gets the best of me, and I take a peek at what “the people” are saying. And honestly? I appreciate it. The good, the bad, the questions. People care about this sport, their athletes, their families, and where their money goes. As they should.
But before we hit “post,” let’s also take a moment to ask questions and understand the full picture.
JVA’s decisions are driven by what serves our clubs and this volleyball community. Yes, we need to keep the lights on. We need talented, dedicated people in place to answer your calls, run the events, build the resources, and help solve the problems. Financial responsibility makes that work possible but the purpose behind it is you.
Our Boys Growth Fund is one example. We are committing a percentage of net profit to give back to the boys volleyball community. We also make significant investments in programs, education, resources, and opportunities that support our members and grow the game.
When we say “club-first and club-led”, we mean it. That promise has to show up in the work and in where we invest our dollars.
And while we are talking about tournaments, a quick shout out to the tournament operators who know how much goes into finding the right convention center. With the way volleyball is growing, finding a venue with enough space and dates that work for teams and families is a challenge all on its own.
Housing is part of that convo, too. JVA offers a housing program, and families are free to book wherever works best for them. In some cities, that means we have to do a little more work to show what a volleyball weekend brings to town, from hotel stays to meals at local restaurants. It is an extra step we are willing to take to give families that flexibility. When you are NOT stay to play, it does add an extra layer.
We believe families should have that choice. JVA is not stay-to-play, and we are committed to always keeping it that way. So we keep making the case. We keep taking the meetings. We keep working to secure the space and dates our community needs.
Ask Steve, our Managing Director of Events. He has traveled across the country this year touring convention centers, evaluating options, and having these conversations on your behalf. There is a lot of work behind an event announcement long before a registration link ever reaches your inbox.
I share this because I want you to know what goes into these decisions. We welcome questions. We welcome feedback. And we want the opportunity to explain the work, the challenges, and the reasons behind what we do.
Take a look at our website. Call us. Ask where we are investing. Tell us what your club needs.
We want JVA to be financially strong so we can give more back, support more programs, and retain the amazing staff who make it all happen. Every one of those goals comes back to serving this community.
That is what I want the world to understand about JVA. And yes… that gets me a little fired up.
With a lot of gratitude,
Lisa
This last week… I’ve been a little fired up. In a good way-ish. The kind of fired up that comes from caring deeply about something and wanting people to understand why. Boys Nationals opened and numbers far exceeded expectations. Emotional rollercoaster…but also at the end of the day, back to work.
But also last week, I shared the emotion behind this job, my love for the game, and the passion I have for what we are building at JVA. This week, I want to pull back the curtain a little more.
I am not a social media person. At all. But every once in a while, curiosity gets the best of me, and I take a peek at what “the people” are saying. And honestly? I appreciate it. The good, the bad, the questions. People care about this sport, their athletes, their families, and where their money goes. As they should.
But before we hit “post,” let’s also take a moment to ask questions and understand the full picture.
JVA’s decisions are driven by what serves our clubs and this volleyball community. Yes, we need to keep the lights on. We need talented, dedicated people in place to answer your calls, run the events, build the resources, and help solve the problems. Financial responsibility makes that work possible but the purpose behind it is you.
Our Boys Growth Fund is one example. We are committing a percentage of net profit to give back to the boys volleyball community. We also make significant investments in programs, education, resources, and opportunities that support our members and grow the game.
When we say “club-first and club-led”, we mean it. That promise has to show up in the work and in where we invest our dollars.
And while we are talking about tournaments, a quick shout out to the tournament operators who know how much goes into finding the right convention center. With the way volleyball is growing, finding a venue with enough space and dates that work for teams and families is a challenge all on its own.
Housing is part of that convo, too. JVA offers a housing program, and families are free to book wherever works best for them. In some cities, that means we have to do a little more work to show what a volleyball weekend brings to town, from hotel stays to meals at local restaurants. It is an extra step we are willing to take to give families that flexibility. When you are NOT stay to play, it does add an extra layer.
We believe families should have that choice. JVA is not stay-to-play, and we are committed to always keeping it that way. So we keep making the case. We keep taking the meetings. We keep working to secure the space and dates our community needs.
Ask Steve, our Managing Director of Events. He has traveled across the country this year touring convention centers, evaluating options, and having these conversations on your behalf. There is a lot of work behind an event announcement long before a registration link ever reaches your inbox.
I share this because I want you to know what goes into these decisions. We welcome questions. We welcome feedback. And we want the opportunity to explain the work, the challenges, and the reasons behind what we do.
Take a look at our website. Call us. Ask where we are investing. Tell us what your club needs.
We want JVA to be financially strong so we can give more back, support more programs, and retain the amazing staff who make it all happen. Every one of those goals comes back to serving this community.
That is what I want the world to understand about JVA. And yes… that gets me a little fired up.
With a lot of gratitude,
Lisa
