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Club Volleyball Club volleyball is one of the fastest growing sports in Nebraska. Approximately 4198 junior girls in the State of Nebraska ranging in age from 10 to 18 registered with the Great Plains Region in 2004 and 4002 in 2003. The Great Plains Region (which is a region of USA Volleyball) had 124 junior clubs with 480 teams registered in 2004. Each year the region increases over 15%. USA Volleyball is the national governing body for volleyball in the USA. It is the same organization that trains and sponsors our national teams who play in the Olympics. It is through USAV that such Nebraska notables as Julie Vollertson, Cathy Noth, Lori Endicott and Allison Weston have played for volleyball’s Team USA. It is a charter member of the Federation International de Volleyball (FIVB) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The USAV provides research, coaching education, insurance, and acts as a resource for all organizations involved in volleyball across the United States for all age levels from youth through adult. The Great Plains Region is a non-profit corporation and became an official region of the United States Volleyball Association in 1985. Several years before that Nebraska was grouped together in a region consisting of Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri. Each year junior teams organize into local clubs and register to play volleyball as members of the Great Plains Region. Our region is one of 40 regions in the USA making up the Regional Operations Divisions of USA Volleyball. The purpose of the USAV Junior Olympic program is to offer teenagers an opportunity to become involved in a wholesome and beneficial athletic activity, which they can pursue at various skill levels. In many cases it is a chance for athletes to receive high QUALITY instruction in skills development and team strategy. The program is an extension of learning from the high school program and a natural bridge between youth volleyball and college volleyball or USAV adult volleyball. Many athletes go on to college earning valuable scholarships through their development with the USA Volleyball program. Clubs across the state of Nebraska may sponsor tournaments or the region may sponsor tournaments almost every weekend, normally from December through the first part of May. Following published national and regional guidelines standardizes tournament play and rules. Boys and girls compete in regional and national tournaments throughout the United States. Many of our Nebraska teams have finished in the top 10 of their age group on the national level. Players learn the official rules of the game by attending clinics scheduled across the state. The region offers assistance to many municipal and recreation leagues through officials’ and players’ clinics. Many players also become “certified” scorekeepers and referees by attending clinics, passing rules exams and being evaluated by their peers. This process is designed to be a relaxed and positive experience. While the program is mainly comprised of girls teams, the Great Plains Region offers a boys program too. The region is forming boys teams. If you are interested in playing, please call the region office. You don’t have to be a super player, just a willingness to play and devote the time to practice and tournaments. If you would like to form a club team, please call the Region office at 402-593-9670. We will send you all of the materials to get you started. Sue Mailhot, Commissioner |