The Gulf Coast region is known for many things: friendly people, beautiful beaches, great seafood, and we sure love our sports. Football may be king in our area, but volleyball is quickly making a name for itself on its own court, here at home and around the world.
Since its inception in 1895, volleyball has grown exponentially as one of the world’s most popular sports. The governing body of volleyball here at home is USA Volleyball (USAV), self-described as “the National Governing Body (NGB) for the sport of volleyball in the United States and is recognized as such by the Federation International de Volleyball (FIVB) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). The vision of USA Volleyball is to be acknowledged as the world leader in volleyball.”
Our very own Gulf Coast Region of USAV (GCR) is a true leader for this vision and governs volleyball clubs throughout southern Alabama, the Florida panhandle and southern Mississippi. Commissioner Phillip Bryant petitioned the USAV in 1997 to form the region, which was then comprised of four volleyball clubs. Today, it has grown to thirty clubs with 2,456 USAV registered members. Statistically, the GCR leads the nation each year in growth of its membership participation in club volleyball (travel ball, in local parlance) for junior players 12-18 years old. That’s pretty impressive, considering USAV had over 325,000 members nationwide in the 2014-15 season, including players, coaches and officials, and an estimated 5,300 junior clubs.
The junior club volleyball season gives participants the opportunity to train and compete after the high school season ends, and continues through the regional championships in April to the national championships in June. Some teams will only compete locally or regionally, while others (usually elite teams) may travel to play in large tournaments across the country. Since both college and high school volleyball seasons coincide, club volleyball is now the #1 way for a player to be seen and recruited by college coaches. Club ball provides fun and training for athletes of any skill level, along with such intangible benefits as life skills and great memories of friendships made along the way.
The Gulf Coast Region recently held its own championships in Mobile and the Florida panhandle was very well represented. Teams from Pensacola to Panama City won their age divisions and qualified to compete against the best of the rest at the USAV National Championships in Indianapolis later this month. Beach season officially kicked off after the indoor regional championships, and many indoor players trade their knee pads for sunscreen and compete locally, regionally and nationally at USAV Beach Series volleyball tournaments. Many GCR clubs provide both indoor and sand volleyball for a year-round training experience for boys and girls from the grassroots through the junior levels. In May, the inaugural NCAA Beach Volleyball Championships came to the Gulf Coast Region where teams from around the country competed in Gulf Shores; they’ll be back again next year, so don’t miss it!
To get your son and daughter involved with volleyball in your area, contact the region office for more information:
Gulf Coast Region Office
Phillip Bryant, Commissioner
P.O. Box 1985
Orange Beach, AL 36561
Phone: (251) 981-4746
If you prefer, you can also contact our 14 local area clubs directly (Pensacola to Panama City):
850 Elite Volleyball Academy, Valparaiso
Director: Terri Fedonczak
850-582-1921
Bay United Elite Volleyball, Panama City Beach
Directors: Sheryl Heninger and Michelle Mask
828-545-8898
Club Challengers Volleyball, Crestview
Director: Angela Etheridge
850-758-1450
Coastal Crush Volleyball, Pensacola
Director: Alanah Gamwell
832-692-2051
Emerald Coast Volleyball Club, Fort Walton Beach
Directors: Scott and Meaghan Allen
850-496-2470
Euro Haus, Fort Walton Beach
Director: Gigi Vardai
850-207-5025
Fuel Volleyball, Niceville
Director: John Key
850-305-5269
Navarre Beach Volleyball Club
Director: Michelle Lee
850-368-2686
Niceville Volleyball Club
Director: Andy Faulkner
803-394-8302
NWF Pilialoha, Valparaiso
Director: Lani Kekahuna
850-830-4575
NWF Pilialoha Jrs, Crestview
Director: Matt Potts
360-550-5277
Pensacola Beach Volleyball Club
Director: Wayne Sellers
850-351-5584
Prostyle Volleyball Club, Panama City
Director: Karisa Wesley-Britton
850-238-5512
West Florida Waves Volleyball Club, Pensacola
Director: Chris Laird
850-776-7588
June 2016
Emerald Coast
Club Volleyball
Written and Photo by: Rachel McMenimen
