Since opening its doors in the Bronx in 2011, Legacy Volleyball Club has used volleyball as a vehicle to connect young people with opportunities to learn, lead and build a future. As the New York-based club celebrates its 15th anniversary, its impact can be seen not only in its growing programs, but also in the lives and careers of the athletes, Coaches and staff who have developed within its community.
Legacy offers multiple entry points for girls and boys, including Mini Volley, camps, developmental training, and Rising, Regional, Premier and National teams. Its approach is built around more than athletic development. financial assistance, flexible payment options, mentorship, leadership development and college-recruiting support help families access the sport and understand the opportunities that can follow.
For Club Director Joel Sanchez, creating access is central to the club’s mission.
“Helping young people discover a future they may not have imagined, then giving them opportunities to work toward it” is what Legacy is about, Sanchez said.
Building a Sustainable Financial-Aid Model
Legacy approaches financial assistance as part of its responsibility as a nonprofit youth organization. Rather than relying on one source of funding, the club incorporates financial aid into its operating budget while pursuing grant support and fundraising to help sustain the program. Support from organizations such as JVA, through the JVA Grant Program, also helps Legacy create opportunities for families who might otherwise struggle to participate.
Families seeking assistance complete an application and provide supporting documentation. The club’s Financial Assistance Committee reviews each application, with awards determined by the family’s circumstances and the funding available. Sanchez and Anthony Lalla, Legacy’s Chief Financial Officer, review applications, recommendations and funding availability before communicating decisions to families.
Financial-aid awards are applied directly to an athlete’s account toward season fees. Families receive written terms outlining any remaining balance, payment expectations, fundraising requirements and community-service responsibilities.
Sanchez encourages other clubs interested in establishing a similar program to begin with a realistic budget and a clearly defined process. Clubs should determine who will review applications, what documentation is needed, how decisions will be recorded and how families will receive award information. He also recommends consulting financial and legal advisers to understand the nonprofit structure and requirements that apply to each organization.
One of the program’s ongoing challenges is that the need for assistance can exceed available funding. Being transparent with families about what the club can provide, while continuing to identify additional funding opportunities, is essential to maintaining a sustainable program.
Legacy also works to make participation more accessible by offering programs at different levels and price points. Its Rising program, for example, bridges the gap between school volleyball and traditional club volleyball through a lower-cost, development-focused experience. Season tuition is $625 and includes a numbered jersey, with a separate $25 tryout fee. Payment plans and fundraising provide additional ways for families to manage the cost.
Fundraising That Supports Families
In addition to financial assistance, Legacy organizes fundraising opportunities that give families practical ways to offset club expenses. Rather than expecting each family to develop its own fundraiser, the club coordinates programs that athletes and parents can participate in together.
Through the World’s Finest Chocolate fundraising program, families can earn tuition credits through sales. For families receiving financial assistance, required fundraising is included in their award agreement. After completing that obligation, each additional full box sold earns a $40 credit toward remaining club dues.
Legacy’s boys’ program also uses TeamFi, with plans to expand the approach to the girls’ program. The club coordinates the campaign while athletes and families engage their personal networks to support fundraising goals.
Clear communication is an important part of the process. Families need to understand the expectations, how credits are earned and when those credits will be applied to their accounts.
By combining financial assistance, payment plans and organized fundraising, Legacy gives families multiple ways to manage the cost of participation while helping the club maintain its commitment to access.
Strengthening the Boys’ Program
Another priority for Legacy’s leadership is strengthening the boys’ program and creating a sustainable pathway for athletes who want to continue developing in the sport.
The club’s approach combines affordability, relationships with local school Coaches and families, and a clear development pathway. Cost has been one of the biggest challenges. For the current season, Legacy reviewed its Boys National experience and reduced tuition from $7,500 to $5,500 while maintaining a competitive travel program.
Recruitment efforts have also expanded through local schools, school Coaches, former tryout participants and the networks of current players. At the same time, Legacy is building more structure around coaching, communication and team culture.
Alejandro Gallardo, Legacy’s Boys Program Director, has emphasized shared standards and creating an environment where athletes have a voice in the culture they are helping build. The club also draws inspiration from its alumni, whose experiences demonstrate the possibilities that can come from continued involvement in volleyball.
Sanchez encourages club leaders looking to grow boys’ volleyball to listen to the families they want to serve, establish relationships with local schools and build a program that is financially sustainable.
“Strong boys’ programs take consistent coaching, clear expectations and an experience families understand and can realistically afford,” Sanchez said.
Joel Sanchez (left) with Alum Anthony Lalla
A Legacy That Extends Beyond the Court
Some of the strongest examples of Legacy’s impact are the individuals who began as athletes and have since developed into professionals, educators, Coaches and leaders.
Anthony Lalla started as a Legacy athlete before becoming a college intern and bookkeeper. He helped lead the club’s financial work through the COVID-19 pandemic, progressed into coaching and finance leadership, and now serves as a head Coach and CFO while completing his master’s degree.
Jo-Marie Aquino joined Legacy in 2012 as a college freshman, coaching middle-school athletes under Sanchez’s direction. She went on to become a teacher, assistant principal and now principal.
Other alumni have carried their experiences into different professional fields. Tenzin, a former Legacy content creator, is now in college and works as his college’s official athletics content creator. Ramon Jimenez, a former athlete and intern who supported strength and conditioning, is now a physical therapist with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.
Muhammad Mbaye’s journey reflects the opportunities volleyball can create within the sport itself. After playing for Legacy, he competed in college at Fort Valley State, returned to work as a Coach and summer camp instructor, and now travels nationally to teach athletes and develop Coaches. In 2025, he served as the U.S. Men’s National Team’s performance analyst at the Pan American Cup in León, Mexico.
Legacy has also introduced athletes to officiating through its fall leagues. Some have gone on to become certified Officials working college, public-school and private-school matches throughout New York.
These individual journeys are helping shape the club’s Wellness & Workforce Pipeline Initiative, which aims to connect volleyball, wellness, education, mentorship and hands-on professional experience in a more intentional way.
Investing in the Next 15 Years
Legacy continues to develop its programs and infrastructure with support from the JVA Grant Program. Through the program, JVA has helped the club purchase 100 volleyballs while supporting its recruiting efforts, financial-aid program and preparations for the boys’ and girls’ seasons. Legacy is also strengthening Coach education and developing a more formal strength and conditioning component.
As the club looks ahead, its priorities remain rooted in the same principles that have guided its growth: access, development, leadership and opportunity. Its financial-aid and fundraising programs help families participate, while its expanding boys’ program and workforce initiatives create additional pathways for athletes to grow.
Fifteen years after its founding, Legacy’s impact is measured not only by the athletes who compete in its gym, but also by the people who carry what they learned into their communities, careers and futures.
For Sanchez and the Legacy leadership team, that is the purpose behind the work: creating opportunities for young people to discover what is possible and giving them the support to pursue it.
Legacy Volleyball Club, based in the Bronx, New York, is a member of JVA, the only national association that’s 100% focused on junior volleyball and the needs of the club community. Our mission is simple: improve the junior volleyball experience. Founded in 2006 by Club Directors and for Club Directors, JVA supports over 1,800 member clubs with resources, events, education, and advocacy that help the sport grow in the right direction. With a focus on innovation and inclusivity, JVA empowers clubs to lead with purpose on and off the court, while also providing an unmatched event experience at JVA hosted tournaments. Learn more at www.jvavolleyball.org and follow @jvavolleyball on Instagram.
