Space Needle Boys Compete in Anaheim

The Space Needle Volleyball Foundation U18 Fuze team recently competed in Anaheim, California a the 2011 SCVA Junior Boys Invitational, hosted by the Southern California Volleyball Association. The team finished 35th overall, historically their best finish at this event to date. Congratulations to the Head Coach, Mark West and the team! Thank you to Kathleen Logan for providing this information. Below are some photos from the event.


Kai Couburn - SNVBF U18 Fuze


Matt West - SNVBF U18 Fuze

Space Needle Boys Take Second in PSR Men's Tourney

The Space Needle Volleyball Foundation U18 Fuze boys team placed second in the most recent PSR adult men's tournament held at The Evergreen State College. With limited competitive opportunities available in the PSR for junior boys teams, Fuze has been able to gain some valuable competitive experience locally by entering adult events throughout the region. They have been more than competitive and held their own against the adult-level teams over the past couple of months. This is the second runner-up finish for Space Needle in PSR adult men's competition so far this season, both finals losses coming at the hands of Turbo-Booya. Space Needle is led by Matt West (Sr./Setter/Shorewood HS), one of the country's top prospects. West has signed to compete for the Pepperdine University men's volleyball program, and recently helped lead the USA Men's Junior National Team to a gold medal finish at the 2010 NORCECA Continental Championships.

Other top contributors for Fuze include Tom Logan (Sr./Opposite/Bishop Blanchet), Max Elkin (Sr./Outside Hitter/Hazen HS), and Seann Smallwood (Sr./Middle Blocker/Hazen HS). SNVBF U18 Fuze is coached by Mark West (Matt's father) and will again be in action January 22nd in the next PSR adult men's tournament scheduled to be played at Shoreline Community College.


Seann Smallwood hammers home a set from
Matt West in recent tournament action.

PSR Junior Girls' Power League Starts This Weekend

The 2011 Junior Girls' Power League starts this weekend with the "seeding" day. All participating teams will have the opportunity to compete there way to the top of their respective division. Play begins on Saturday with the combined U18/U17 and U14/U13 divisions. The U16/U15 division will compete on Sunday.

For a complete schedule and list of playing sites, please visit the Puget Sound Region website:

www.pugetsoundvb.org

You will find all Power League information under the "Juniors" tab.

Good luck to all participating teams!

Rachel Roeder Named Gatorade State Player of the Year

Washington Volleyball Academy's Rachel Roeder recently earned recognition as Washington State's best female volleyball athlete for the 2010 high school season. Congratulations go out to Rachel!

Courtesy of the Seattle Times:

GATORADE STATE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - WASHINGTON
Washington -- Rachel Roeder of Issaquah High School

The 6-foot-1 senior outside hitter recorded 469 kills, 252 digs, 67 service aces and 28 blocks this past season while posting a kill percentage of .449, leading the Eagles (26-3) to the Class 4A state final. The KingCo Class 4A Most Valuable Player and a member of the Seattle Times Star-Times Team, Roeder recorded 30 kills in a state-semifinal victory over Olympia High. She is Issaquah’s career leader with 1,127 kills, second with 263 service aces and third with 1,068 digs.

Roeder has maintained a B average in the classroom. She has volunteered locally at an area homeless shelter and food bank, as a youth coach and as an assistant with the Issaquah High Sports Medicine program.

“Playing against Rachel Roeder the last three years, especially this last year, she really came into her own,” said Mike Mills, head coach of rival Woodinville High. “When we played her, we had to set our offense and defense around where she would be. She’s the one player we had to do that with this season.”

Roeder will attend Western Washington University this fall, where she will play volleyball.

Roeder joins recent Gatorade Washington Volleyball Players of the Year Alexis Olgard (2009-10, Mead), Kylin Munoz (2008-09, Monroe) and Brittany Quick (2007-08, Hanford) among the state’s list of former award winners.

Open Club Opportunities for Junior Athletes

As club tryouts come to a close over the next few days, the Puget Sound Region is compiling a list of clubs that still have opportunities available for junior players in the girls' division still in search of a team for the upcoming 2011 junior club season.

If you are an athlete looking for an opportunity in the junior girls' division, please follow this link to a list of clubs with open opportunities (contact information is also listed).

PSR Represented Well at 2010 WIAA State Championships!

As the Washington State high school volleyball season comes to a close this weekend, the PSR would like to congratulate all of our member athletes that recently competed at the state championship events in Kennewick, WA (4A, 3A, 2A) and Yakima, WA (1A, 2B, 1B).

The following is a list of western Washington schools that recently finished among the top-eight in the state within their respective classifications, and returned home with a trophy:

4A
Jackson HS (State Champion)
Issaquah HS (State Runner-Up)
Olympia HS (Third)
Woodinville HS (Fourth)
Snohomish HS (Fifth)
Graham-Kapowsin HS (Seventh)
Kentwood (Eighth)

3A
Seattle Prep (State Champion)
Eastside Catholic (State Runner-Up)
Camas HS (Fifth)
Mt. Si HS (Sixth)
Kennedy (Seventh)
Bishop Blanchet (Eighth)

2A
Burlington-Edison HS (Fourth)
Lynden HS (Fifth)
Fife HS (Seventh)
White River HS (Eighth)

1A
King's (State Runner-Up)
Cedar Park Christian (Third)
Castle Rock HS (Fourth)
Lynden Christian (Sixth)

2B
La Conner HS (State Runner-Up)
Bear Creek (Fourth)
Darrington HS (Sixth)

1B
Christian Faith (State Runner-Up)
King's Way Christian (Seventh)

2011 PSR Junior Girls Tournament Schedule

The 2011 tournament schedule for the junior girls club division of the Puget Sound Region has recently been posted. Please visit the PSR website to view the complete schedule and for detailed information regarding dates, times, locations, and event registration.