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Recently Added
An Official’s Impact: Recruiting the Next Generation (Z) of Volleyball Officials
Volleyball did not become part of Kim’s life until she was 30, when she joined a co-ed adult volleyball [...]
Blog Categories
7 Essentials for Training and Developing Youth Volleyball Coaches
“A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.” – John Wooden Youth volleyball coaches are more than just instructors—they are mentors, motivators, and role models. Developing them properly [...]
An Official’s Impact: Changing the Narrative By Teaching the Next Generation
When Daniel was 10 years old a friend from school invited him to play volleyball because his team needed one more player. Although he'd never played before, his friend assured him it was easy, [...]
JVA Grant Supports FaR Out’s Inclusive Volleyball Vision with Special Olympics
Two years ago, FaR Out Volleyball Club partnered with Special Olympics Michigan to create a volleyball program to build lifelong relationships and teach lessons that extend far beyond the court. Through support from the [...]
News
JVA Raises $20,000 for the Side-Out Foundation at the JVA World Challenge
The JVA is a proud supporter of the Side-Out Foundation and the Dig Pink® Program. Every year the JVA commits to raising funds for the Side-Out Foundation in order to support research specifically for patients [...]
The 2023 JVA Girls Watch List powered by Fivestar is Released
(Milwaukee, Wisconsin) The JVA is pleased to release the 2023 JVA Watch List powered by Fivestar featuring over 3,600 girls indoor junior volleyball athletes from 200 JVA member clubs across the country. The players nominated [...]
JVA Announces Grant of $150,000 to First Point Volleyball Foundation to Expand Partnership to Grow Boys’ Volleyball
(MILWAUKEE, WI) - First Point Volleyball Foundation, the preeminent nonprofit foundation growing boys’ and men’s volleyball in America, and Junior Volleyball Association (JVA), a leading association in the growth of club youth volleyball in America [...]
Club Directors
Enforcing the 24 Hour Rule
The 24 hour rule is a common policy implemented by junior volleyball clubs to prevent communication during a tournament between parents and coaches specific to the coaching decisions made during the tournament, more often [...]
Technology Solutions: Benefits of a Cyber Risk Assessment
It’s no secret that all types of organizations are at risk for data theft and cyber-attacks. Yet, understanding your club’s level of vulnerability can be more challenging than your most complex game plan. Whether [...]
Business Solutions: A Data-Driven Approach to Mid-Size Volleyball Club Salaries
The JVA surveyed a diverse landscape of junior volleyball clubs across the country with the goal of capturing key trends and data points that can guide decisions for junior volleyball club leaders. Below is [...]
Coaches
Coaching Mental Performance: Termination Conversations
The season is coming to a close and the last tune-up tournaments are taking place before the big National events. It's the perfect time to prepare your team for the end of season. In the [...]
Beach Solutions: Partner Pairing for Doubles Competition and Club Dual Events
Beach partner pairing can be a challenging part of playing beach volleyball. It is the #1 most intimidating task that new players must learn to do for themselves. “Can you help find a partner [...]
Club Training Model: End of Season
Teams who are attending Nationals in June have the month of May and much of June to prep for a Championship. However, the girls' indoor season can take a toll on the mind and [...]
Boys
5 Yoga Poses that Benefit Volleyball Athletes
Yoga is oftentimes only thought of as a way of calming down and relaxing, but it has many more benefits than those two, especially for volleyball athletes. Here are five yoga poses that will directly benefit a volleyball athlete's performance on the indoor and sand court.
Basics to Start a Boys Program
Is your club passionate about starting a boys program? One misconception is that a boys program should field travel teams immediately. However, here's an example of a boys program that began simply as a development league, with very low overhead cost. Learn how KIVA's boys program went in year one, and some easy steps your club can mirror.
JVA Releases the 2019 JVA Boys Watch List
The 2019 JVA Boys Watch List features 190 boys indoor junior volleyball players from JVA member clubs across the country. The players nominated to the inaugural watch list are among the best in the nation in their age division this season.
Girls
Corrective Flexibility for Volleyball Athletes
During the off-season, athletes have quite a bit of leeway on what they should be focusing on. Their training focus depends on their health. For example, if an athlete is healthy and ready to go, [...]
The 2022 JVA All-National Team powered by Fivestar is Released
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN (June 6, 2022) The JVA is pleased to announce the 84 student athletes selected to the 2022 JVA All-National Team powered by Fivestar, which recognizes the top female indoor volleyball players competing [...]
3 Types of Yoga to Help Volleyball Athletes Prep for Nationals
It’s the post season and your team has made it to the height of competition. Everything your athletes have worked for all season is finally here. It’s an exciting time but it can also [...]
Beach
Win the Point by Losing the Joust
The Joust, where an attacker and blocker contact the ball at the same time above the top of the net, can be the catalyst for a huge change in momentum for either team. It is [...]
Visual and Spacing Cues to Improve Passing in Beach Volleyball
Some players always seem to be moving in the right direction, and some athletes excel at blocking. There are players that get both feet to the ball to set much quicker than others. Believe it [...]
The BVCA Club Challenge Series Events Announced for the 2021 Season
In collaboration with the BVCA, the JVA is excited to announce the 11 events in the 2021 BVCA Club Challenge Series powered by the JVA. Now in its third year, more beach clubs are adapting [...]
Culture
Finding, Hiring and Keeping Good Coaches
In the fall of 2015, I attended my region's mandatory club directors' meeting. I typically try to sit with different club directors each year in an effort to get to know more directors and get a sense of what's happening in other areas of my region. This year I made a change. I sat with two club directors I knew. During a break, one director next to me asked, "How do I find good volleyball coaches? What criteria do I use when interviewing?"
Expose Your Players to College Volleyball
I got my start coaching middle school, high school, and club. I still remember the excitement of helping to pick my 14-2 team my second year of coaching. And even when I began coaching the 16-under age group, the time...
The Cell Phone Policy: Where Do You Draw the Line?
Instead of running away from the reality of how today's society communicates, we want to be able to embrace the technology and give very specific guidelines as to how we want it used within our organization this season. Find out how Wisconsin Juniors stays transparent with electronic communication.
Events
The 2022 JVA Challenge Series presented by Event Beacon and i6 Unites the Nation’s Elite Events
The JVA is pleased to announce the 31 events named to the 2022 JVA Challenge Series presented by EventBeacon and i6. All JVA Challenge Series hosts share in the JVA’s ideology to provide a high [...]
JVA Welcomes Adam Beck as the Director of Events
The JVA is proud to announce the addition of Adam Beck to the JVA staff as the Director of Events. Adam's main responsibility will be management of the JVA Tournament Series, which includes seven events. [...]
From the JVA Office: Are Your Tournament Dollars Supporting the Growth of our Sport?
Club Directors have a vast array of options in volleyball tournaments to provide their teams with a competitive schedule. More clubs are opening facilities, cities are building large multi-sport venues to host events, and corporate [...]
Awards
Country Fire Volleyball Wins JVA Club of the Month
Jason Tuggle and his wife, Morgan, started Country Fire Volleyball in 2015 in hopes of creating a place where a club was about more than volleyball. Their vision was to help mold young athletes into [...]
Endless Momentum Wins JVA Club of the Month
Endless Momentum Volleyball Club formed in 2019 with only one team, 8 girls, and a dream. The club director, Nicole Wentz, brought her enthusiasm and passion for volleyball to an area that didn't have much [...]
An Athleader’s Journey: A Desire to Serve Others and Make a Positive Impact
As the tallest in her class all through grade school, Kaitlyn's parents knew that introducing her to a sport that would utilize her height would be valuable to her sports journey. Since the first grade, [...]
Training
2 Steps to Improve Mental Resilience for Volleyball Athletes
If we are not in the right state of mind before major changes happen, how do we mentally handle shifts and changes with ease and keep our eyes on our overall goals? Characteristics of [...]
Post Season Yoga for Volleyball Athletes
There are different types of yoga for the different times in your season. Most volleyball training programs contain an off-season and base period (pre season), a build period (season), in which work intensifies, and a [...]
How to Talk to Volleyball Athletes About Nutrition
I recently asked a few coaches how they approach nutrition and healthy eating habits with players. The responses: “Specific, very important and sometimes sensitive subject.” "I don’t talk about it with players very often for [...]
Parents
4 Ways to Keep Volleyball Athletes Engaged
Researchers estimate that in the United States there are between 21 and 28 million youth, ages 8 to 17, that participate in organized sports. According to a poll from the National Alliance for Youth Sports, around 70 percent of kids in the United States stop...
Here Comes the Boom: The Real Facts on Concussions and 4 Ways to Minimize Head Injuries in Your Gym
Concussions in volleyball are an all too common occurrence. According to a 2015 study in PT in Motion News, volleyball players report a rate of 3.57 concussions per 10,000 exposures. An exposure is equivalent to one practice or one match. This number may...
3 Parent Related Challenges Club Directors Face
In 2008, several parents approached four-time Gold Glove catcher Mike Matheny and asked him to coach a Little League team that included his 10-year-old son. Matheny outlined some "rules," which eventually became the "Matheny Manifesto," a candid, seven-page peek into his...
Recruiting
How to Tell If a College Coach is Recruiting You
It can be tricky for a volleyball athlete to understand if and when he/she is being recruited by a college coach. Do recruiting questionnaires count? How about camp invites? A phone call? Not every coach is going to show...
4 Recruiting Tips for Parents
Parents don’t always know when they’re being evaluated by college coaches. And it's important to make a positive impact on their child’s recruiting process without getting in the way. To help you embrace your supporting role and assist your child in their quest to play college volleyball, here are some recruiting tips for parents.
The Role of College Volleyball Camps in the Recruiting Process
College volleyball camps are a great opportunity to get evaluated by college coaches and show off your skillset against elite competition. Let's dive into the different types of camps and better understand how camps can play a role in the recruiting process.
Travel
