The latest news and articles from JVA
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Recently Added
Big City Volleyball is Creating Big Opportunities in NYC
Big City Volleyball, in its current form, was founded in 2007 as an adult volleyball league, hosting games Monday [...]
Blog Categories
An Athleader’s Journey: Leading Others to a Healthy Lifestyle
Vivian recalls how proud she was during her 12U club season when she learned how to overhand serve. At the young age of two Vivian was diagnosed with third degree heart block, and it [...]
2024-2025 JVA Sponsor Program Welcomes Record Participation from Girls, Boys, and Beach Volleyball Clubs
Milwaukee, WI — Monday, Sept. 23, 2024 The JVA is pleased to welcome the JVA Sponsor Clubs for the 2024-2025 junior volleyball girls, boys and beach season. This marks the 8th year that the [...]
2025 JVA Challenge Series presented by i6
Milwaukee, WI — Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 The JVA is pleased to announce the return of the highly anticipated 2025 JVA Challenge Series presented by i6. The series features 25 premier volleyball tournaments designed [...]
News
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. [...]
JVA Selects the 2021 JVA Best in Beach
(July 7, 2021. Milwaukee, Wisconsin) The JVA is pleased to announce the 2021 JVA Best in Beach that recognizes the nation’s top female JVA beach athletes for outstanding achievement during the competitive beach season. [...]
Club Directors
2023 JVA Club Management Track and AVCA Convention Schedule
The JVA is thrilled to announce an impressive schedule of club management, coach management and player development education planned for the 2023 JVA Club Management Track and AVCA Convention in Tampa, Florida December 13-17, [...]
Business Solutions: The Responsibilities and Impact of a Technical Director
VC United was formed in the summer of 2017 as an elite volleyball club in Rockford, Illinois. After starting with 4 dedicated wood courts and 2 dedicated sport courts to train on, VC United [...]
Risk Management Solutions: Best Practices to Provide a Safe Place to Train Volleyball
*Information provided in this article should not be considered a substitute for legal advice. Readers are strongly encouraged to seek the advice of a licensed attorney familiar with youth sport laws and regulations within your [...]
Coaches
Recruiting Solutions: Early Season Meeting with Your Club Athletes and Parents
The recruiting process can be very overwhelming to the athletes and parents. Clear, open and honest communication is key to a successful process that helps your athletes achieve their goal of playing in college. Here [...]
Technology Solutions: Using Video and Stats to Take Charge of Athlete Development
Oregon Juniors Volleyball Academy (OJVA) club director and master coach Steve Suttich says that OJVA players are committed to using video and data not only for recruiting, but to develop skills and improve their volleyball [...]
From the JVA Office: 6 Ways to Train and Develop New Coaches
Every Club Director will agree that coach acquisition, training and retention is a challenge year after year. However, it is one of the most important investments you can make aside from a facility and [...]
Boys
3 Olympic Lifts to Increase Speed, Power and Explosiveness of a Volleyball Attack
As the sport of volleyball continues to grow across the nation, the bar for excellence is constantly on the rise. There is more to "making it" than the skills learned in practice, watching videos, and completing drills. The addition of...
Prioritizing Strength and Performance Training for Volleyball Athletes
Players and parents are starting to look for more than just games and victories. What a club provides, in terms of physical development, could be the determining factor in choosing one club over another. Here's a look at how a few JVA member clubs are emphasizing strength and conditioning for their volleyball athletes.
5 Ways for Student-Athletes to Balance Academic and Athletic Demands
Scientifically, it has been proven that physical activity leads to an increase in academic performance, testing scores, and mental acuity. However, it takes dedication and commitment by the student-athlete to balance both worlds, especially when you add the travel and...
Girls
JVA Announces the 2021 Ultra Ankle JVA Athleaders
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN (May 17, 2021)– The JVA is pleased to announce the 2021 Ultra Ankle® JVA AthLeaders who exemplify academic excellence, outstanding volleyball performance, leadership, responsibility, and selflessness through community service. This group of athletes [...]
Recruiting Solutions: The Transition from Quiet Period to Contact Period
Division I volleyball programs have been in a recruiting Quiet Period since May 1st, which means that College Coaches have not been able to evaluate prospective student athletes in person. Beginning May 31st all [...]
2 Ways for Volleyball Athletes to Prevent and Relieve Lower Back Pain
It is common for volleyball athletes to suffer from chronic back injuries, herniated discs, and overuse injuries. Strengthening the lower back and the core are two keys to preventing and relieving lower back pain. Let's [...]
Beach
4 Serving Strategies to Score More Points
Serving is a critical part of the game. By using certain techniques, a team can optimize the ability to use the serve to score points. Here are 4 beach serving strategies that will help you score more points from the service...
3 Benefits of the Club vs. Club Format and Why It Is Essential for Junior Beach Volleyball
Similar to indoor, collegiate beach volleyball is a team game, and it is the fastest growing NCAA sport over the last five years in Division I. And the juniors are following suit. Now it's time for junior beach events to mirror the college game. Here are three benefits of the Club vs Club format and why it is essential for the continued development of junior and collegiate beach volleyball.
7 Keys to Blocking in Beach Volleyball
The blocker has a strategic role in beach that can be broken up into a few different segments. As the front defender, the blocker changes the way the attacker makes the ball cross the net either by blocking the ball...
Culture
Events
From the JVA Office: 6 Pillars to Leading Others
While certain people may be given more authority (‘in charge’)… leading is actually a choice. It’s not a title. It’s not a position. It’s not a rank. It’s choice. It’s a mindset. Regardless of [...]
Don’t Miss These Events During the 2019 AVCA Convention
We are anticipating this year to be one of the best AVCA Convention's yet. "Why" you ask? Here's a look at the on court and classroom sessions for indoor and beach, along with details on the keynote speaker headlining the JVA Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh.
2020 JVA Challenge Series presented by i6 Features Record Number of Events
The JVA is pleased to announce a record breaking 31 events named to the 2020 JVA Challenge Series presented by i6. These events share in the JVA’s ideology to provide high quality events and a great experience for all their participants...
Awards
Mill City Volleyball Club Wins JVA Club of the Month
It started as a plan put together by Matt Bynon while sitting in his dorm room at Rivier University in Nashua, New Hampshire. Bynon was a college student athlete with aspirations to start an [...]
Illini Elite Wins JVA Club of the Month
Illini Elite opened in 1998 with 1 team and no dedicated facility, but had a tested blueprint for how to successfully develop volleyball players. Since then, their programs have grown to include over 70 [...]
JVA Honors the 12 Recipients of the 2020 JVA Junior Club Service Award
"We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future." ~Franklin D. Roosevelt The JVA is pleased to announce the 12 individuals honored with the 2020 [...]
Training
Sample At Home Training Calendar May 2020
Volleyball athletes frequently struggle with physical limitations such as mobility deficits, poor movement patterns, and decreased strength. The recent hiatus from practice and training means that these problem areas will be more exaggerated than ever. [...]
Sample At Home Training Calendar April 2020
The outbreak of COVID-19 shook the youth sports world and left coaches, directors, athletes and parents overwhelmed and looking for direction. Since the standard schedule of school, volleyball practice and tournaments was on a hiatus, [...]
Train for Competition Beyond the Ball
To fully prepare athletes for competition, coaches should be training the mind along with training the physical aspects of the game. A team's physical performance is a direct reflection of the quality of physical training. A team's mental readiness is a direct reflection of the emphasis placed on training the mind. Here are five ways to begin to train your team beyond the ball.
Parents
What Parents Need to Hear
Over the past year, I have been leading 'Recruiting Sessions' for parents whose athletes attended various college showcases. As I was planning these sessions, my goal was to simplify the process and give parents 'real tools' to pass on to their athletes. Below is an outline that I use to begin each session, I like to call it 'Recruiting 101'.
From the JVA Office: Building Great Sports Parents
When I talk to Club Directors and ask them "What keeps you up a night?" The #1 response I hear most often is "Parents". I had the good fortune to meet and talk with an amazing woman, Ruth Nelson, this past...
From the JVA Office: A Pro-Active Approach to Handling Over-Involved Parents
Tournament time has begun, which means club directors and coaches are beginning to identify the over-involved and over-bearing parents. It's easy to say that our focus needs to be on the kids and ignore the parents, but as we all know, the parents are as much our customers as the players are; in some cases, even more so. Here are some practices your club can apply to establish a healthy relationship between your club, coaches, and parents.
Recruiting
A Letter to High School Athletes,
This is an exciting, yet stressful time for you. One sport, two sports, three sports, National Honors Society, mock governments, club or travel ball, SAT, ACT, GPA, and more – you have or will put a lot into your four years...
New Recruiting Legislation and Practical Application for Junior Volleyball Clubs
The NCAA Division I Council adopted new recruiting legislation on April 18, 2018. There has been a lot of conjecture out there over the past few days but it's best to adhere to the facts and support our athletes with the goal of educating and guiding them within the confines of the new legislation. Let's begin with the proposals that have been passed, the rationale, some side notes and practical applications of the rules.
3 Ways Clubs Can Utilize Technology to Manage Athletes’ Recruiting
Technology is everywhere. Today, we use it to order food, do our banking, connect with friends and even to skip the line at Starbucks. And, it didn’t take long for it to begin altering the college recruiting process, either...
