The Maryland Volleyball Program’s 16 and under team (MVP – Black) completed its season with a Silver Medal finish in the 16 and under Club Division at the 2003 USA Volleyball Junior National Championships in Phoenix, Arizona. MVP-Black opened competition by defeating Balboa Bay (California) 25-14, 25-11; Apex (California) 25-11, 25-11; and Addison (Texas) 25-15, 27-25 in its initial pool. In the second day pool, MVPBlack defeated Laguna Beach (California) 25-20, 24-26, 15-10; Saddleback Valley (California) 26-24, 25-17; but lost to Outrigger Canoe Club (Hawaii) 22-25, 25-27 to finish second in the pool.

     Since both the first and second place teams advanced, the team entered into the critical third day pool with the opportunity to still continue to advance
into medal contention in the Gold Bracket. With only three teams in this pool, the team needed to win at least one match to remain in contention.  MVP-Black rebounded from a loss to Ponce Leones (Puerto Rico) 22-25, 16-25 to defeat Sacramento (California) 25-23, 25-17 to advance to the single elimination Gold Bracket. On the fourth day of the championships, MVP-Black defeated Long Island (New York) 25-22, 25-23 in the quarterfinals to advance to the Final Four. In its semifinal match against Asics Rainbow (Hawaii), the team rallied from a first game 21-25 loss to win the second game 25-19. MVP-Black completed its comeback in the third game rallying from a 7-11 deficit to prevail 18-16. In the championship match, MVPBlack lost to the same Ponce Leones team 15-25, 20-25. 

     John Kessenich (Richard Montgomery HS), William Price (Gaithersburg HS), and Mike Simon (Fallston HS) were selected to the All-Tournament team from MVPBlack. Our success can be directly related to the application of coaching principles that are readily available through the IMPACT and CAP courses. Throughout the season, we practiced using player-centered and initiated drills. We always tried to incorporate the net as a critical element in our drills. Our setters did tons of setting triangles. Even in our JNC pre-match warm-ups, our setters warmed up by doing setting triangles. We never yanked players from a game for making errors, nor embarrassed them by berating and haranguing them for making mistakes. Our coaches remained calm and never panicked when the players made mistakes, even when they missed serves in the pressure-packed deciding third game of the semi-finals. We stayed positive and encouraging, ensuring that our players would also keep calm. In the end, while we were disappointed in not winning it all, we did celebrate doing the best that we were capable of doing.

Great Finish -- Fran Duvall, Metro American Juniors Program

     Metro American seniors going to college: Melissa Gibson—Gardner-Webb University (full scholarship), Allie Kupec—Virginia Tech (full scholarship), Nana Meriwether—Duke (walk-on status first year, then full scholarship), Hanna Porterfield—James Madison University (full scholarship), Lauren Weller—Frostburg State University (walk-on ).

Hitting the Road to Georgia.. -- Dean Shumway, Northern Virginia Volleyball Association

     Northern Virginia Volleyball Association’s (NVAA) Loudoun 16-S team won a “bid” to participate in the 2003 Junior Olympic Nationals in Atlanta, Georgia by winning the Regional Championships at the Discovery Center in Boyds, Maryland. For most of the team members, this was the third year in a row they had attended a National level tournament. Regardless, it’s an exciting and wonderful experience for the players, coaches, and parents.

     Getting ready for Nationals is a trip in itself. It costs about $7,500 to take the team, minus the parents, to Atlanta. While the Region and the NVVA Club provided some of the funds, fundraising was also necessary. This was largely a parent organized activity with the players providing the muscle. We conducted bake sales, held a lottery, solicited area businesses for contributions, and held car washes. Car washes didn’t work this year because we were rained out every time we tried that activity!

     The flight to Atlanta, the subway ride from the airport, and the walk to the hotel were exciting and will be long remembered. The Center was located about five blocks from the hotel. Getting to and from the Center was by foot. It was a good warm up for the impending matches. Atlanta was hit by a tropical storm while we were there, and we were soaked a couple of times by the time we got back to the hotel. Long forgotten was the instruction to bring along a small umbrella in case of rain. 

     Freedom Park was on our route to and from the Center. It was part of the Olympics held there some years ago and was filled with lots of space, fountains, and music. A walk through the fountains was an interesting experience for some of the girls. The coaches, of course, were more reserved. 

     The Center was filled with dozens of volleyball courts, all in action at the same time. The noise was deafening, far exceeding anything I had heard before! The 16s, 17s, and 18s were playing while we were there. The play was awesome to say the least. The size, athletic ability, and skill of the players were noteworthy.

     Loudoun 16-S went undefeated in match play within our Region. We had a 126 and 22 game record. We didn’t win very often in Atlanta. Every team we met was solid top to bottom and also accustomed to winning. We only got “beat up” a couple of times, however. Most games and matches were very close. We were just a couple of plays away from winning quite a few games. While it was discouraging at the time, the players and coaches have a good idea of what it will take to win at the next level. Goals are being set for the 2004 Junior Olympic Nationals that will be played in Houston, Texas.

     We want to thank Anne Hughes, Arlene Geppi, Bev Himm, and the other folks who made this trip possible.