The latest news and articles from JVA
Scroll to see blog articles by topic or filter & search using the bar below.
Recently Added
2025 JVA Girls’ All-National Team powered by VKTRY Performance Insoles
Naperville, Illinois (June 10, 2025) The JVA is pleased to announce the 83 female student athletes selected to the 2025 [...]
Blog Categories
6 Ways to Help Volleyball Athletes with Anxiety and Panic Attacks
In the US, nearly one in three adolescents suffer from an anxiety disorder, and according to the NCAA, 85% of athletes suffer from anxiety or panic attacks. Coaches often spend a significant amount of [...]
Club Tonka Wins JVA Club of the Month
Club Tonka’s staff longevity is what sets it apart from the rest. Since its inception in 1988, Club Tonka has had stable and dedicated leadership with their director, Ted Fleener. The assistant director, Diane [...]
JVA Announces New Executive Director, Lisa Wielebnicki, to Lead Next Chapter
Lisa Wielebnicki, New JVA Executive Director, to Lead Next Chapter The Junior Volleyball Association, a premier club volleyball association with nearly 1,700 members dedicated to promoting the growth of youth and junior volleyball, is [...]
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
Business Solutions: The Responsibilities and Impact of an HR Manager
VCNebraska is entering its 15th club season, and has seen tremendous growth in participation. As the number of teams, athletes, and programs have grown, so has the need for qualified staff. Most club directors [...]
A Kentucky Club Increasing Opportunity through Mentorship
This year DeMarcus Lewis formed Lexington High Risers to make a change in the Lexington, Kentucky community. As a Personal Trainer and Sports Conditioning Coach he's had the opportunity to train athletes from all sports, [...]
Risk Management Solutions: Safeguarding Athletes During Practices and Competition
*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 [...]
Coaches
Are your volleyball athletes doing the wrong kind of yoga?
All athletes, no matter the sport, have a training program that changes throughout the year. There is a base period (pre-season), a build period (in-season), a peak/competitive period (post-season), and an off period (off-season). Strength, [...]
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 [...]
Boys
JVA Announces 8 Recipients of the JVA Junior Club Service Award
The growth of our sport, along with the consistent success of the JVA would not exist without the dedication and loyalty of the coaches, club directors and administrators of JVA member clubs. This year the JVA is honoring 8 individuals from...
Helping Boys Volleyball Players Find a Home
Although many areas still lack opportunities for boys volleyball, there has been a recent push to grow the sport. It's exciting to see colleges add mens volleyball, as witnessed with the recent NCAA Division III explosion. As more junior volleyball clubs attempt to add boys volleyball, the next step is to educate the players about the college options that are available for them to continue their careers beyond high school. Here's a look at the boys volleyball recruiting timeline and what college coaches are looking for in a recruitable student athlete.
7 Steps to Landing a Sponsor for Your Volleyball Club
You’re starting to plan for next club season and have a long wish list of ways to improve your club. Many of these improvements require additional cash flow to move from wish list to fruition. What can you do...
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
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...
JVA Announces BVCA Club Challenge Series
Junior beach volleyball is now one step closer to the college game with the start of the BVCA Club Challenge Series powered by JVA. The new format includes 4 weekend events where junior beach volleyball clubs align their ranked teams to...
Beach Volleyball: Training a Defensive Base
In beach volleyball, it is critical to train defensive responsibilities and court coverage on defense as there are only two players covering one side of the court. 692 Beach Director Scott Stover shares a drill breakdown and strategy behind training a...
Culture
Events
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...
A Summary of the Girls 18’s Indoor Championships Survey Results
This past summer, we posted an article about the various options that U-18’s have to finish their season. We also addressed feedback from some of the coaches who attended the various championships, and concluded with a survey to gather...
Awards
JVA Honors the 2021 Ultra Ankle® JVA Boys Watch List
The JVA is proud to announce the 2021 Ultra Ankle® JVA Boys Watch List featuring over 300 male junior volleyball athletes from JVA member clubs across the country. The featured athletes were selected by their [...]
Tidewater Volleyball Association Wins JVA Club of the Month
Tidewater Volleyball Association was founded in 1956 by a Board led by Harry Pincus Jr. TVA has been honored to have had Presidents that have been volleyball enthusiasts and are committed to growing the game. [...]
JVA Proudly Releases 2021 Ultra Ankle JVA Watch List
The JVA is proud to announce the 2021 Ultra Ankle® JVA Watch List featuring over 1,900 girls indoor junior volleyball athletes from nearly 130 JVA member clubs from across the US and Canada. The players [...]
Training
4 Essential Skills of Mental Toughness Needed for Success
Mental toughness will not necessarily win you a championship, but not having mental toughness will lose it for you. Let's dive into the 4 skills in the hierarchy of mental toughness, and why it's important to develop one skill in order to progress to another.
How to Create Better Sports Parents
Parents can set the precedent for the athlete's mental toughness. How parents behave and communicate before an event, during an event and after an event is the precedent that is set. It's important for a club director and coach to foster a learning environment for the parents so they can develop positive sports parenting habits. Here's a good place to start.
How to Implement Journal Entry into Your Team’s Routine
Journals are a terrific way to kick off your season, create a foundation for your athletes and return long term benefits. Athletes will be able to establish goals, monitor their progress real time and eventually enjoy looking back on their...
Parents
What is the Role of the Coach?
Today's club volleyball world has grown to proportions which are staggering. Who knew 25 years ago that there would be clubs sponsoring 75+ teams, entire convention centers packed wall to wall with courts and hundreds of college coaches descending upon these events to recruit? With the professionalism of club volleyball and the amount of money families pay to participate, there can be certain spoken or unspoken expectations of the coach's role.
The Journey Through ‘RecruitingLand’
Travelling through the backroads of recruiting can be adventuresome, exciting, packed with twists and turns and can sometimes look like Candyland the board game. You start out by crossing your fingers hoping to draw a card that catapults you to...
Vicarious vs. Supportive Parents
Your child is having a great season as the post-season approaches. He is worried. He asks you the question, “What if I lose?” What is your response?
Recruiting
The Simplicity of Recruiting: 4 Key Areas of Commitment
The recruiting process does not need to be complex; the recruiting process does not need any type of mathematical odds or formulas applied; the recruiting process does not need to be a burden on the student-athlete and simply stated, the...
2 Areas of Preparation for Volleyball Players
"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." - Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin's famous quote can be applied to the start of club volleyball recruiting season that kicks off this weekend. If you don't prepare for a successful recruiting season, then you will not have a successful recruiting season. Here are two areas of preparation for volleyball players in the early part of the club recruiting season.
4 Ways to Reach Out to College Coaches
For college coaches, the regular season has ended (except if the program made the NCAA tournament) and the crazy season has started. Crazy season? This is the time of year when college coaches conduct end of the season player meetings...