As we turn the page on 2025, JVA is energized by the momentum and promise surrounding the continued growth of our sport. This has been a year of growth and transformation. Our membership has expanded, and with that growth has come fresh energy, new ideas, and a collective willingness to embrace change. We’ve built new relationships and strengthened existing partnerships, each one reinforcing the belief that collaboration amplifies the impact we can have on the sport and on the athletes we serve, with a shared commitment to better the ball. Throughout 2025 JVA remained committed to supporting the junior volleyball world through education, advocacy, resources, and the delivery of world-class events.
Let’s look at the impact made by the JVA in 2025:
Grant Program
The JVA Grant Program, launched in 2022, promotes the growth and accessibility of youth and junior volleyball by financially supporting JVA members in their efforts to provide new programs and services in their community. Thanks to a game-changing matching contribution from USA Volleyball Foundation (USAVF), this year’s funding nearly doubled, significantly expanding the program’s reach and impact. 22 clubs were approved for close to $100,000 to support creative, community-driven volleyball initiatives, a collaborative effort to grow the game. The grants support bold, inclusive, and replicable programs that advance the sport and serve as models for clubs nationwide.
During the 2023-24 season Twin Cities Elite Volleyball, a small, nonprofit volleyball club, saw a growing need to support players in areas such as mental health, nutrition, recovery, and overall lifestyle balance. They wanted to create a program that equips athletes not only with the physical tools to succeed, but also the knowledge and habits that will carry them into adulthood as healthy, well-rounded individuals. That year they applied funds from the JVA Gr
ant Program to launch a three-part Holistic Health and Wellness series focused on Nutrition & Performance, Mental Health & Stress Management,
and Injury Prevention & Recovery.
From that pilot series, TCE Volleyball learned that the athletes and families were eager for more information and practical takeaways they could use every day. For the 2024–25 season, the club expanded and refined the program. They partnered with health and wellness professionals to provide expert guidance, and plan to make the workshops more interactive, incorporating hands-on activities and discussions to ensure student-athletes remain engaged and actively involved throughout each session.
“Our goal is to make the Health and Wellness series an integral part of the TCE experience, something that empowers our athletes to not only perform better on the court, but also to thrive in their daily lives. As a JVA member, we have benefited from being part of a broader community of volleyball clubs that share best practices, educational resources, and networking opportunities. In fact, a couple of local clubs have reached out to let us know they are impressed with what we are offering and are even sharing some of our ideas with their own athletes.” said Twin Cities Elite Coaching Director Alysia Horen.
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Two years ago, FaR Out Volleyball Club partnered with Special Olympics Michigan to create a volleyball program to build lifelong relationships and teach lessons that extend far beyond the court. Through support from the JVA Grant Program, the opportunity to increase accessibility of the sport of volleyball to the athletes in SOMI was possible. 27 athletes fielded two teams during the 2024-2025 season. Athletes were provided with a jersey, and each team was assigned a volunteer coach from Special Olympics, along with FaR Out athletes and coaches who attended weekly practices to help train and improve skills.
“It may seem like a small detail to some, but the most meaningful moment I experienced as a result of the JVA grant was seeing the reactions of the Special Olympics athletes when they received their brand-new jerseys,” shared FaR Out Volleyball Assistant Director Cameron Rowland. “Many of these athletes face financial challenges that limit their ability to participate in sports. Thanks to the generous donation from JVA, I’ll never forget the look on their faces when I handed them their new jerseys. Some of them looked like they had just won the lottery. They were so proud to be part of the team that many even wore their jerseys to practice. Every season has its highs and lows, but the gratitude these athletes showed reminded me—and the FaR Out athletes—how powerful even a simple gesture can be. It gave us all a renewed perspective.”
Sponsor Program
For a decade the JVA Sponsor Program has rewarded members for promoting the JVA brand, supporting the JVA mission, and growing JVA at the regional and national level. Just under $170,000 was paid directly to 70 JVA Sponsor Clubs for the 2024-2025 season, and that number has grown to $220,700 and 83 clubs for the 2025-2026 season. We continue to be incredibly grateful to these clubs for contributing to our community through education and resources, and being ambassadors for our sport.
Officials Reward Program
Not only is it important to reward the dedication of the junior volleyball Officials, the JVA is committed to promoting the opportunity to the next generation in order to grow the number of Officials in our sport through the Officials Reward Program (ORP). Through this program, Officials are recognized for reaching a certain level of achievement during the junior volleyball season, and rewarded for recruiting new Officials to the sport. 728 Officials are enrolled in the Program, earning swag, gift cards, and even free hotel nights.
17 years ago, Daniel began his officiating journey, and what once was a way to make some money on the side has turned into a fulfilling career. When he moved to the U.S. in 2017, he had to start his officiating certification from the beginning even though he had been officiating in Colombia for eight years. It was a frustrating experience, but he chose to stay committed and work his way back up.
In 2023 Daniel stopped coaching and decided to make Officiating his main job. He wanted to challenge himself to see how far he could go with his career as a Volleyball Official, and because he truly loves his job. Daniel is a Nationally Certified Official who travels to officiate Division I college matches, high school and junior volleyball matches across the country, including JVA events.
“Volleyball is a big family. We take care of each other. We provide mentorship and support for new Officials,” expressed Daniel. “Every time I work a JVA tournament, I am very excited because I know I am going to have a great time not only because they provide hotels, food, uniforms and competitive pay for the referees, but also because of the level of play; it has increased a lot in the last few years. I also feel JVA is doing a great job by including new referees to its tournaments and by making everybody feel welcome at every event.”
First Point Volleyball Foundation
First Point Volleyball has continued to prove that with intentional advocacy and philanthropy directed to high school and collegiate opportunities, the pace of growth of youth volleyball accelerates. The Foundation and JVA continue a commitment to jointly provide more opportunities for boys to play volleyball through JVA’s $50,000 per year donation. With this year’s donation, JVA’s total support to First Point is $275,000. The efforts of First Point have directly led to more youth and high school opportunities as once a state sanctions, the growth curve becomes dramatic. Junior volleyball clubs continue adding boys programs and established programs are seeing a significant spike in participation levels.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
In November, JVA proudly honored two volleyball club directors, Erin Golden and Ron Reyes for the AVCA T.E.A.M. Awards—which promote Togetherness, Empowerment, Accessibility, and Mentoring within the volleyball community. The AVCA T.E.A.M. Awards is committed to fostering a strong sense of community, delivering meaningful value, and empowering coaches as leaders at all levels of the sport of volleyball—while also supporting their growth and long-term success in their coaching careers.
In addition, JVA hosted two JVA Athletes of Color Alliance gatherings, featuring keynote speakers, Q&A with current HBCU college athletes, sessions for athletes, families, coaches and directors team building activities, snacks and refreshments. Gatherings were held at the JVA World Challenge in Louisville and the JVA Charm City Challenge in Baltimore.
Through JVA’s commitment to promoting the growth and accessibility of volleyball in underserved communities, JVA partners with Starlings USA, providing 250 Starlings Volleyball Directors and Coaches with a free JVA membership to include business education and resources, as well as guidance to effectively run their volleyball program and serve their junior athletes. Starlings’ vision is to provide girls with equal access to quality volleyball programs, regardless of financial hardship or skill level through exposure to training and participation in the sport of volleyball, while using the platform of the sport to empower within each player, academic excellence, healthy lifestyle choices and excellent character.
The Side-Out Foundation and Cal’s Angels
The 2025 JVA World Challenge and 18s Championship united 1,100 teams from across the country under a mission to support two very important causes: the fight against childhood cancer and breast cancer. The Side-Out Foundation supports research specifically for patients with metastatic breast cancer, the most advanced form of the disease, and the least funded area of research. JVA has been a proud supporter of The Side-Out Foundation for over 11 years, raising awareness and funding for the organization’s mission to advocate for metastatic breast cancer patients in the hopes of saving lives. Nearly $7,700 in donations were raised for Side-Out during the 2025 JVA World Challenge and 18s National Championship.
“By championing our cause, JVA is helping to nurture a generation of volleyball players who understand that their greatest victories may come from the lives they touch off the court,” said Ellen Dempsey, Executive Director of the Side-Out Foundation.
It is the mission of Cal’s Angels to grant wishes, raise awareness and fund research to help kids fighting cancer. Cal’s Angels has raised $33 million since itsfounding in April of 2007 because of generous donors and supporters enabling them to bring unbelievable amounts of hope and support to thousands of pediatric cancer patients and their families. Over $9,300 in donations were raised for Cal’s Angels.
“Our sincere appreciation to the JVA for embracing the idea of bringing GOLD to the World Challenge community in Louisville and for embracing pediatric cancer awareness. That first serve was powerful. Now, united, let’s rally to conquer this disease. Your continued support helps us achieve our mission and we are grateful to every one of you,” said Stacey Wahlberg Co-Founder, President of Cal’s Angels.
Member Services and Education
As a member-driven organization including nearly 1,700 junior volleyball clubs of all sizes, the JVA is always seeking feedback from its members and looking for new ways to make the short term and long term operations easier for its club directors and administrators. In 2025, JVA launched the Beach Club Management Guide with the Art of Coaching Volleyball, over eight hours of content designed to equip beach volleyball club administrators, directors, and coaches with the knowledge and practical tools they need to run a successful junior beach volleyball program.
The JVA Mentor Program created 13 new mentorships, totaling 50 successful mentorships to date, which are an impactful experience for the mentor and the mentee. In addition, JVA shared 18 new episode of Sideline Strategy, a Volleyball Podcast, with educational resources for youth volleyball directors, coaches, parents, and players.
One of the biggest highlights of the year was the inaugural Align Volleyball Summit, which officially launched and exceeded all expectations. With nearly 200 attendees, Align created an environment of inspiration, connection, and shared purpose. It gave us, as a staff, the opportunity to step back from the daily grind and reflect on why JVA exists—to support, empower, and unite clubs. Join us for the 2026 Align Volleyball Summit May 12-13 in Dallas!
How can JVA help your club Better the Ball in 2026? We want to hear from you! Email members@jvavolleyball.org today.
