Montgomery Village Sports Association would proudly like to acknowledge and congratulate members of the Class of 2003 as they continue to pursue volleyball at the collegiate level:

     Bea Livioco.  A brilliant server and 5-1 setter for the Blizzard 18s, she has played in MVSA for 10 years.  First Team Montgomery County Gazette Newspaper.  College—Marymount University (recruited for the team with a Presidential Scholarship).

     Jessica Ludeman.  Critical to Blizzard's success as a Defensive Specialist.  College—King's College (riding on an academic scholarship, while playing for the team).

     Jennifer Auslander.  A consistent hitting and serving Blizzard threat to opponents.  Honorable Mention Montgomery County Gazette Newspaper.  College--Wagner College (awarded academic and athletic scholarship to play on the team).

     Brittany Albright.  Extremely talented Defensive Specialist for Team Blizzard.  College--Frederick Community College with an athletic scholarship.

Zimmer Selected for High Performance Development Program

Tri-State Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Volleyball member Kate Zimmer, 13, of Hagerstown, Maryland,was selected to participate in USA Volleyball’s High Performance Development Program in Colorado Springs this July.  She is a 6'2" middle hitter completing her second year on the 14U Tri-State FCA Saints team which placed second at CHRVA’s Regional Championships.  She led the Saints (85-22) in kills with 208 and added 174 service points.  The Saints were winners of four of the seven tournaments they entered, finished second in two others, and third in their own First Annual Tri-State FCA March Madness Tournament.  Kate is a Distinguished Honor Student at Northern Middle School and is also a member of the Yearbook Staff and Book Club.  She is a Peer Mediator and Peer Tutor and an Officer in the FCA Huddle. In addition to volleyball, she plays lacrosse for the South Hagerstown Lacrosse Club and has played softball for the past two seasons.

Outdoor Volleyball Opportunities for Juniors?

     In order to expand the opportunities for junior athletes to play outdoor volleyball, some local volleyball organizations have stepped up and begun offering grass and beach doubles divisions for juniors.  It’s a great way to meet new people, enjoy the weather, and continue to play the sport you love!  It’s also a great way to develop fundamental skills.  By having just two players on the court, a player is involved in almost every play on his or her side of the net, resulting in an accelerated rate of basic skill development.

     Not only is doubles volleyball fun and a wonderful way to hang out with friends; but, for those continuing on to college, it’s a great way to improve upon and refine your ball handling skills.  Many coaches at the collegiate level often note that they see significant differences in the skill level and overall ball handling control of incoming freshman with doubles experience as opposed to those without it.

     Some of the local organizations who have advertised opportunities for youths are:  Mid-Atlantic Volleyball (http://www.mavolleyball.org/) and Columbia Doubles Volleyball (http://volleyballdc.com/), and with a little more research on the Internet, other opportunities to play outdoors might be found.  In 2002, Columbia Doubles established the first annual Eastern U.S. Championships.  It was a great success with four pools of junior girls for a total of 19 teams competing.  This year, they hope to further encourage juniors, both girls and boys, to get involved in the doubles game by again hosting the Eastern U.S. Championships in August.

     Good luck and hope to see you on the courts!