The latest news and articles from JVA
Scroll to see blog articles by topic or filter & search using the bar below.
Recently Added
Fueling for Performance: Nutrition Strategies for Junior Beach Volleyball Athletes
Beach volleyball demands explosive power, long rally endurance, quick decision-making, and resilience in hot, outdoor environments. To meet these [...]
Blog Categories
4 Steps to Teach Volleyball Athletes How to Navigate Conflict
Conflict in youth volleyball is inevitable—whether it’s frustration between teammates, disagreements on the court, or emotional struggles over playing time. The challenge isn’t eliminating conflict; it’s teaching athletes to handle it productively. Handling conflict [...]
Beach Solutions: How to Run an Effective College Recruiting Showcase for Beach Volleyball
Hosting a beach volleyball college recruiting showcase is one of the most powerful ways to support your athletes’ journey to playing at the collegiate level. But a successful event doesn’t happen by chance—it takes [...]
How to Help Volleyball Student-Athletes Manage Their Social Media Use
Many volleyball Coaches, Directors, and parents did not grow up with social media and often struggle to manage its challenges or understand its impact on today’s middle school and high school student-athletes. Coaches and [...]
News
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 [...]
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 [...]
Club Directors
Business Solutions: The Responsibilities and Impact of an HR Manager
VCNebraska 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 would agree that the responsibilities that come [...]
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
Avoid the Mid-Season Slump with These 5 Tips
Regardless of your record, most teams will experience a mid-season slump of some sort. However, as a coach there are some things you can do to keep your team engaged and the athletes' morales [...]
Recruiting Solutions: Understanding the Rules Regarding Face to Face Communication at a Tournament
Club season is in full swing and during a given tournament weekend, the courts are crowded with players, parents and college coaches. Everyone is constantly intermingling throughout the tournament. In order to assist junior [...]
Recruiting Solutions: The Evolution of the Transfer Portal
The NCAA Transfer Portal is transformational in collegiate athletics. It was established October 15, 2018 as an online interface to systematically manage the transfer process from start to finish, add more transparency to the [...]
Boys
Girls
3 Benefits of Meditation for Volleyball Athletes
Your mental state is just as important as your physical state. In order to perform at a higher level and outperform opponents athletes can use meditation to learn to control their mental state and [...]
3 Ways a Strong Core Can Elevate Your Game
A strong core is essential for volleyball athletes. Our core actually covers more of our body than we think. The “core” is from the bottom of the chest to the top of the knees. It [...]
Recruiting Solutions: Campus Tours and Virtual Options for Beach Prospects in the Age of COVID
Visiting college campuses and their surrounding areas is a critical part of the beach volleyball recruiting process. The "feel" of the campus, and the characteristics of the town in which it resides, is among the [...]
Beach
4 Factors That Impact Beach Partner Selection
For younger athletes, partner selection is an easy process. Pick a player of similar skill level that you enjoy playing with and can compete together at a high level. But how do you create a high level partnership for high...
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.
The Vacation Mindset of Beach Volleyball and It’s Positive Impact on Juniors
Lets kick off the shoes, and toss those stinky knee pads. Lets hang up the jerseys and grab a tank top. Oh, and on your way out the door, don't forget your favorite hat, sunglasses and flip flops as we head to the beach! Let's look at 3 reasons beach volleyball is growing in popularity, because let's face it, everyone wants to head to the beach.
Culture
Events
Youth Volleyball: What is the Ideal Ratio of Training vs Competition?
At The Academy Volleyball Club, we have talked a lot about the ideal training versus competition cycle for the younger ages throughout the club season. We find that the most important part of youth training is keeping younger players engaged...
JVA Notes for the Upcoming AVCA Convention in Minneapolis
The JVA staff always looks forward to attending the AVCA Convention. Meeting new members, catching up with long time members and attending and hosting educational sessions are among a few of the reasons this event is so special. Witnessing the...
JVA Announces Mizuno USA as Title Sponsor of 2019 JVA Event Series
The Junior Volleyball Association (JVA) is pleased to announce Mizuno USA as title sponsor of six JVA hosted and run events in 2019.
Awards
Shakopee Volleyball Association Wins JVA Club of the Month
The Shakopee Volleyball Association (SVA) was formed by a small group of volunteer parents in 2004 who wanted to give their daughters a chance to train and play volleyball in a competitive environment outside of [...]
Houston Juniors Wins JVA Club of the Month
Houston Juniors Volleyball Club was founded as a non-profit organization in 1985 and is the oldest volleyball club in the city of Houston. The club was founded to give girls an avenue to play and [...]
JVA Releases 2020 Ultra Ankle® JVA Boys Watch List
The JVA is proud to announce the 2020 Ultra Ankle® JVA Boys Watch List featuring 299 male junior volleyball athletes from JVA member clubs across the country. The featured athletes were selected by their respective [...]
Training
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...
The Power of the Paper Plate Award
Praise is an important learning tool, but it is a difficult tool to use correctly. Many times punishment is masked as reinforcement and coaches accidentally end up reinforcing the mere behavior we are working to extinct, or we are modifying...
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.
Parents
Recruiting
From the JVA Office: A Coach’s Impact Can Last a Lifetime
When I was a freshman in high school, I (unknowingly) began the recruiting process. I had never really thought far enough ahead to even consider playing volleyball in college, but before we knew it I was getting contacted by schools...
There’s More to Collegiate Sports than Division I
This time of year, the sports media attention is focused on March Madness and NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championships. A couple of months ago, it was the Bowl Season. NCAA Division I athletics have become synonymous with collegiate sports; so many student-athletes and families are raised upon DI sports and understandably feel DI is the best choice for being a collegiate athlete. Let's shine a light on why Division II, III and NAIA are also excellent options for junior volleyball athletes.
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'.
Travel
