October 2006
The JVA was formed when a concerned group of club directors met in Chicago to discuss the long term direction of junior volleyball. The directors, junior club athletes, and their families faced a governing body that offered their primary financial supporters a disproportionate voice in decision making, rapidly inflating costs, (especially for top teams to qualify to compete in the Open Division of the USAV Junior National Championships), and a season that offered athletes few off-season days. The group decided to form the JVDA (Junior Volleyball Directors Assoc.) as a lobby group to work for better conditions for juniors in USAV.
Out of that meeting, the Junior Volleyball Directors Association was formed. The mission of the new association was to represent, communicate and lobby for the development, growth and marketing of all levels of youth and junior volleyball.
Objectives:
• To be Accountable to all Constituents
• To Promote Simplification of All Systems
• To Promote Youth and Junior Development
• To Promote Affordability/Representation
• To Protect Participants of the Organization
• To Promote Education for Coaches and Players
• To Promote Inclusiveness & Affordability & Embrace All Levels
It very soon became apparent that there was a need for an independent junior volleyball club association that would be responsive to all clubs, of all affiliations. The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) approached JVDA. The missions of the two organizations are very similar and a partnership was formed. JVDA had no staff, only a volunteer board. AVCA became the managing partner, responsible to administer the operations of the new association. Members were granted a dual membership, adding value to the association.
In the summer of 2009, JVDA leaders met for their first strategic planning session. The new association was growing rapidly. We needed more clarity of our mission and a full time Executive Director. Our new and current mission is to promote the growth of youth and junior volleyball through program and resource development, education and events.
Our Guiding Principals are: best practices, affordability and financial responsibility, player welfare, transparency, and member driven. To reflect our growing membership of all adults involved in junior volleyball clubs, we officially changed our name to “Junior Volleyball Association” and created a new, more youthful logo to reflect the change.
In 2015, to be more efficient and provide better service for our members, we took all our operations in house from AVCA. Both organizations value the dual memberships and we retained that partnership through today.