PUGET SOUND REGION - USA VOLLEYBALL

Space Needle Boys Compete in Anaheim

2011-01-20T11:31:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-12T20:27:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-06T16:44:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-17T10:38:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-19T12:26:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-11-13T21:35:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-13T21:27:00.000-08:00

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.

U12-U14 Junior Girls Tryouts Start this Week!

2010-11-01T09:39:00.001-07:00

Tryouts for junior girls division teams for the U12-U14 age groups begin this week. All athletes and a parent/guardian participating in any tryouts are required to sign the "Tryout Attendance" form which should be available from the director of the club at the tryout registration. It is a USA Volleyball requirement that all athletes and parent/guardian sign this form.

If you are looking for tryout information for clubs in your area, click here for a link to the Puget Sound Region schedule of member clubs and their tryout dates.

Good luck!

Fall Meeting Set for Girls' Junior Club Directors

2010-10-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

The fall meeting for club directors hosting girls teams during the 2010-2011 club season is set for October 24th, 2010 from 1:00-3:00pm at Tacoma Community College.

Details for the meeting are as follows:

Fall Junior Girls Club Director Meeting
Sunday - October 24th, 2010
1:00-3:00pm
Tacoma Community College
Building 21 (Classroom)

Get directions here.

PSR Juniors at Seaside "Pacific Open"

2010-08-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

Seaside, Oregon "Pacific Open" beach tournament.

Matt West Selected to USA Volleyball Men's Junior National Team

2010-08-09T21:55:00.000-07:00

Matt West (Space Needle Volleyball Foundation/Shorewood HS) was recently selected to USA Volleyball's 12-player Men's Junior National Team. Matt is one of two setters chosen to the squad that will represent the USA at the NORCECA Men’s Junior (under-21) Continental Championship on Aug. 16-21 in Gatineau, Quebec.

Congratulations Matt and good luck!

PSR HP Girls' Youth Team Selected

2010-07-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

The Puget Sound Region recently selected the High Performance Girls' Youth Team for 2010 that will be competing this weekend (July 17-18) against a select group of Canadian girls' junior teams at Columbia Jr. High School in Fife, WA. The following is the list of team members recently selected at the conclusion of the PSR High Performance Camp (including their junior club):

Sadie	Beckenhauer	UPVBC
Toni	Brown-Bell	OPVBC
Kiana	Calles	SIVA
Alyssa	Deardorff	High Velocity
Katy	DeGroot	KJ
Linden	Firethorne	Northshore Jrs.
Rachel	Gill	PSVBA
Emily	Harris	KJ
Justine	Kelly-DeMello	WVBA
Shelby	Kyllo	SIVA
Peircen	Lundquist	Mill Creek
Justice	Magraw	Sudden Impact
Nicole	Pittelkau	Olympia
Jessica	Riddle	SIVA
Whitney	Riffle	Narrows
Karlee	Sampson	Capital Ice
Courtney	Schwan	KJ
Dannie	Stroud	Above the Net
Paige	Walker	Olympia

The following is the tournament schedule for the weekend:

Canada 1	Alym	ALL CAN vs PSR MATCHES WILL BE 5 GAMES GUARANTEED
Canada 2	Titus	ALL CAN vs CAN MATCHES WILL BE 3 GAMES GUARANTEED
Canada 3	Mark
Canada 4	Earl
PSR Red
PSR Blue

Saturday, July 17th

9:00 AM		CAN 1 vs PSR Red
11:00 AM		CAN 3 vs PSR Red
1:00 PM		CAN 1 vs CAN 3
2:15 PM		CAN 2 vs PSR Blue
4:15 PM		CAN 4 vs PSR Blue
6:15 PM		CAN 2 vs CAN 4

Sunday, July 18th

8:00 AM		CAN 1 vs PSR Blue
10:00 AM		CAN 3 vs PSR Blue
12:00 PM		CAN 1 vs CAN 4
1:15 PM		CAN 2 vs CAN 3
2:30 PM		CAN 4 vs PSR Red
4:30 PM		CAN 2 vs PSR Red

Girls' Junior National Championship Results

2010-07-05T09:48:00.000-07:00

Reno, Nevada recently hosted the USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships. A total of 19 girls teams represented the Puget Sound Region among three divisions, across all age groups . Power Surge 13 Black finished tied for 5th place in the 13 American division for the only top-10 finish for a PSR team. Olympia 14 RoShamBo finished 11th in the 14 American division to cap a great 2010 club season. Below is a complete list of the girls results for PSR teams.

U18
KJVBC 18 Baden (Open) - 26th
UPVBC 18 (Open) - 30th
SIVBC 18 Tsunami (National) - 38th
ITVC 18 Asics (American) - 42nd

U17
ITVC 17 Asics (Open) - 29th
Lake Tapps 17 Orange (National) - 23rd
KJVBC 17 Baden (American) - 31st

U16
WVBA 16-Shannon (Open) - 31st
Above the Net 16's (National) - 43rd
UPVBC 16 (National) - 43rd

U15
WVBA 15-Mizuno (Open) - 27th
Narrows Purple 15 (National) - 39th
PSVBA 15 National (American) - 43rd

U14
WVBA 14-Mizuno (National) - 35th
UPVBC 14 (National) - 38th
Olympia 14 RoShamBo (American) - 11th

U13
PSVBA 13 National (National) - 26th
Power Surge 13 Black (American) - 5th

U12
UPVBC 12 (National) - 46th

Congratulations to all teams on earning their bid to the national championships and for representing the Puget Sound Region so well!

Matt West Trains With USA Men's National Team

2010-07-05T08:04:00.000-07:00

Matt West (Space Needle Volleyball Foundation) was recently invited to train with the USA Volleyball men's national and A2 teams at the USA Volleyball training facility in Anaheim, CA.

Matt and his fellow club teammates are currently competing in the Boys' Junior National Championships in Austin, TX.

Congratulations to Matt and to the Space Needle Volleyball Foundation!

PSR Juniors Heading to Nationals!

2010-06-14T09:35:00.000-07:00

A total of 20 juniors teams representing the Puget Sound Region of USA Volleyball will be competing at the Junior National Championships in the coming weeks. The Girls' Junior National Championships will take place in Reno, Nevada, while the boys will be competing in Austin, Texas. The following is a list of the 19 girls teams and 1 boys team currently making final preparations to make a run at a national title in their respective age groups and divisions:

Girls' Junior National Championships -

U18
KJVBC 18 Baden (Open)
UPVBC 18 (Open)
SIVBC 18 Tsunami (National)
ITVC 18 Asics (American)

U17
ITVC 17 Asics (Open)
Lake Tapps 17 Orange (National)
KJVBC 17 Baden (American)

U16
WVBA 16-Shannon (Open)
Above the Net 16's (National)
UPVBC 16 (National)

U15
WVBA 15-Mizuno (Open)
Narrows Purple 15 (National)
PSVBA 15 National (American)

U14
WVBA 14-Mizuno (National)
UPVBC 14 (National)
Olympia 14 RoShamBo (American)

U13
PSVBA 13 National (National)
Power Surge 13 Black (American)

U12
UPVBC 12 (National)

Boys' Junior National Championships -

Space Needle Volleyball Foundation

Best wishes to all teams for safe travels and great success!

ECC Boys Tournament Results

2010-06-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Kathleen Logan

Working under WVBA’s sponsorship and inspiration, Cascade Volleyball Club co-hosted the fourth annual ECC Boys' Tournament. Five teams competed in a two-day event held Memorial Day weekend on the beautiful campus of the University of Washington.

New to boy’s ECC this year was Spokane Fusion. Coach Roland Madany has been building their grassroots program with a variety of out-of-the-box creative strategies. Coach Madany has been working for the past few years with younger guys, training with and against junior girls in Spokane, and as the players matured moving into mixed generational events. They pulled together a travel team from a mix of their U15 and U18 teams to attend this tournament. Although they found the competition stiff, Spokane showed an impressive ability to stay in the moment, adjust, and push their opponents further and further each set.

The Cascade team faced a season of constant challenges and absorbed several punches that would have finished other teams. They worked multiple fund raising strategies from January to May to keep financially afloat. They procured the facilities, equipment and provided the backbone for every Puget Sound Region junior boys' event this season. In April Cascade U18 was finally able to cement a roster of 6 and ensure the continuation of boys’ ECC 2010. A coaching change just two weeks ago was the last curve ball; however, veteran ace Cascade Boys’ Director Gene Lim stepped into his old role of coach and ace closer. New setter, new coach, two practices? Go Cascade! Playing the sport they loved, facing good competition, and upping their game was exactly the finale to their season that they hoped and work so hard for.

Apex Ninjas of BC play fast, powerful and epic matches living up to their ninja warrior billing. The match against Space Needle in the loser’s bracket to determine who would earn the right to return for the championship match-up was the most exciting of the tournament. Time and time again fans uttered “I can’t believe he got that!”, “Did you see how high he gets?”, or “OMG!”. They pushed Space Needle to three before falling 25-19, 22-25 15-13

As the banner carriers of Puget Sound boys’ volleyball to the larger stage, Space Needle used this small but challenging field to tune up for their run at Nationals. Fighting up from the loser’s bracket, after losing to Focus Xplosion, they regrouped and were able to fend off Apex.

Focus, from Canada, was the first team to welcome the Cascade boys’ volleyball team when we traveled to BC, and the first team to accept our invitation to come to play here in Seattle. They have always embraced the motto of "Play Hard and Have Fun". The core of their team has played together since 5^th grade and now all will be moving on to play at the university level in Canada. Xplosion decided to top it off together with one last trip to the ECC party. Two players even elected to miss graduation ceremonies in favor of the tournament. This was their fourth year at ECC was their final chance to come away with the title. They did not drop a set until the championship round and came away with the win and the coveted sweatshirts which were sorely needed given their taste in fashion! Congrats guys and good luck as you pursue your futures and the next level of volleyball.

For complete results, visit the official tournament web page.

Tournament Champions: Focus Xplosion

All Tournament Team:
Matthew West, Space Needle Volleyball Foundation (MVP)
Max Elkin, Space Needle Volleyball Foundation
Philip Ngo, Focus Xplosion
Stuart Richey, Focus Xplosion
Tom Logan, Cascade
Brandon Ngai, Apex Ninjas
Jackson Pappin, Cascade
Dustin Szeto, Apex Ninjas
Stephen Ng, Apex Ninjas

2010 ECC Boys All-Tournament Team

Once again, thanks to WVBA for their support of boys' volleyball and their sponsorship of this event. Many thanks to the Cascade parents for their manpower hours planning and working this event. Also, a special thanks goes to the boys' ECC committee of Verna Reynolds, Linda Coburn, Kathleen Logan and BJ Weitl.

PSR Juniors Teams to Compete at ECC

2010-05-26T23:53:00.000-07:00

The annual "Emerald City Classic", hosted by the Washington Volleyball Academy, is scheduled to take place this Memorial Day weekend on the campus of the University of Washington. Both "Open" and "Club" girls divisions will be played in three age classifications: U18, U16, and U14. There will also be a special boys event taking place on Saturday consisting of teams from Washington State and Canada.

The girls' event consists of pool play on both Saturday and Sunday, followed by bracket play leading to the championship rounds on Monday. The venue will feature 25 total courts throughout multiple Husky athletics and recreation facilities.

For a complete list of pools and additional information, please visit the official Emerald City Classic website.

Good luck to all teams!

PSR and Alki Volleyball Association to Offer Junior Beach Tournaments

2010-05-20T20:47:00.001-07:00

The Puget Sound Region and the Alki Volleyball Association will offer junior boys and girls beach volleyball tournaments this summer.

Please visit the official Alki Volleyball Association website for a list of events.

Additionally, the AVA will once again offer a Youth Scholarship to a junior player between the ages of 12-18. The criteria for selection consideration includes participation and sportsmanship. Details may be found at AVA News.

Pacific NW Summer Volleyball Camp Opportunities

2010-05-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a list (alphabetically) of web links to some of the collegiate summer volleyball camp opportunities around the Pacific Northwest:

Central Washington University

Eastern Washington University

Evergreen State College

Gonzaga University

Northwest University

Oregon State University

Pacific Lutheran University

Saint Martin's University

Seattle Pacific University

Seattle University

Shoreline Community College

University of Idaho

University of Oregon

University of Puget Sound

University of Washington

Washington State University

Western Washington University

Junior Club Director's Meeting Canceled for 5/15/10

2010-05-14T14:35:00.000-07:00

Due to the freeway construction on I-5, the junior club director's meeting for Saturday, May 15th has been canceled. This meeting will be rescheduled at a later date.

2010 Regional Champions Determined!

2010-05-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all the Puget Sound Region regional champions for 2010:

U12 Capital Ice 12's
U13 PSVBA 13 National
U14 UPVBC 14
U15 WVBA 15 Mizuno
U16 WVBA 16 Shannon
U17 Lake Tapps 17 Orange
U18 KJVBC 18 Baden

More Open Bids Earned For Nationals!

2010-04-26T16:53:00.000-07:00

Three more PSR junior girls teams earned "open" level bids to the national championship event this past weekend.

In Reno, Nevada, the Far Westerns national qualifier awarded bids to both WVBA 15 Mizuno and Island Thunder 17 asics. WVBA 15 Mizuno placed 2nd overall in their age division, earning the silver medal for the event.

At the Mizuno Northern Lights national qualifier in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the KJVBC 18 Baden squad finished in 3rd place overall, capturing the bronze medal and punching their ticket to nationals.

Previously earning open-level bids were both UPVBC 18's and WVBA 16-Shannon.

The national championship event will take place later this summer in Reno, Nevada.

Congratulations to all of these great achievements!

Junior Regional Championships Kick-Off This Weekend For U12, U13 & U14 Age Groups!

2010-04-21T10:23:00.001-07:00

Three age divisions will determine regional champions this weekend. With the championship comes a bid to the USA Volleyball junior national tournament to be held in Reno, NV this summer. Winners will earn a "National" level bid, while runner-up teams will earn a bid into the "American" division.

Teams in the U12, U13, and U14 age groups will compete at high school gyms around the Region this Saturday and Sunday. The majority of teams competing previously played in the PSR Junior Power League Series, of which helped to determine the seeding into the regional championship events. PSR teams that did not previously play in the Power League Series are also eligible to compete in regional championships and were seeded based upon submitted competition results.

For the U12 and U13 age groups, competition will begin with pool play in the morning. Based on pool play results teams will move into either a Gold Bracket (which will determine the regional champion) or Silver Bracket. All bracket play will be single elimination, except for the final rounds of the Gold Bracket, of which a 3rd-4th place match is offered due to the potential for bids to trickle down.

A total of 20 teams will compete in the U12 division, led by the top-seed in Capital Ice 12's. The U12 teams will compete this Sunday, April 25th, at Highline Community College.

In the U13 division, PSVBA 13 National is the #1 seed among 24 teams competing at both Kentwood and Auburn-Mountainview High Schools, also on Sunday, April 25th.

In one of the largest regional championship fields for 2010, the U14 division will pit a total of 53 teams competing for the regional title over the course of two days. Leading the way is UPVBC 14, which previously earned a "National" level bid by winning the Pacific Northwest Qualifier in Spokane, WA earlier this season.

The U14 division will begin first-round pool play on Saturday, April 24th, at the following high schools: Ballard, Roosevelt, Lincoln, Shorewood, and Mountlake Terrace. Following morning pool play, teams are seeded into second-round pools with top teams moving into Division I, while the remaining teams move into Division II. The first two rounds of the second-round of pool play will be played Saturday afternoon. *Please note that some teams may need to travel to a new competition site for afternoon play.

On Sunday, April 25th, round two pool play will be completed, of which leads to the U14 bracket play. There will be four levels of single-elimination bracket play for Division I: Gold (which will determine the champion), Silver, Bronze, and Copper. Division II single-elimination bracket play will offer three levels: Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Again, the Division I Gold Bracket will also conduct a match to determine the 3rd and 4th place teams due to the potential for bids to trickle down.

Facilities for Sunday will differ slightly as completion of Division I pool play will be held at both Roosevelt and Ballard High Schools, while Division II pool play will be played at both Fife and Decatur High Schools. For Sunday's bracket play, teams may need to travel depending on which bracket they are scheduled to compete. The sites for bracket play are as follows: Divsion I Gold & Silver (Roosevelt HS); Division I Bronze & Copper (Ballard HS); Division II Gold & Silver (Fife HS); Division II Bronze (Decatur HS).

For a complete list of pools, schedules and information, please visit the official Puget Sound Region website.

Good luck to all teams!

Cascade Volleyball Boys Event Results

2010-04-14T14:12:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of: Kathleen Logan

Cascade Volleyball Club recently held a U14 boys clinic and scrimmage, in conjunction with a U18 boys tournament at Ballard High School.

Many thanks to those who assisted and played in this past Sunday's boys power clinic and tournament. Most especially to our guest expert coach Dave Roast, region Commissioner and day official John Bryant, and volunteer referee Jeff Curtis. Special recognition goes to Scott Baumler and Cascade Volleyball Club for hosting and providing the manpower to run such a great event.

Space Needle Volleyball Club was the overall winner of the double round-robin tournament, with Cascade and Vanguard (Portland) rounding out the field.

PSR Boys to USA High Performance Programs

2010-04-14T13:58:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the following PSR boys that were selected to 2010 USA Volleyball High Performance programs:

USA Youth National Team -
Matt West - (4th year selected to USA HP programs)

USA Junior A3 Camp -
Max Ozuna (2nd year)
Seanne Roy
Christian Smallwood
Max Elkin

USA Youth A3 Camp -
Dominic Van der Jagt (2nd year)
Tom Logan

Good job guys!

Final PSR Power League Standings

2010-04-14T13:17:00.000-07:00

Power League is complete. Four events are in the books and the points have been totaled to determine the final standings.

Congratulations to the following teams, each winning the series for their respective age divisions (click the red links to view the complete list of final standings):

U18 - UPVBC 18
Notes - U17 teams also played in this combined division with ITVC 17 Asics finishing with the greatest total of earned points among all U17 teams, placing fourth overall; UPVBC 18 and KJVBC 18 Baden were the only two teams to compete in all Platinum level events against the top teams from our neighboring Columbia Empire Region.

U16 - WVBA 16 Shannon
Notes - WVBA swept the top-three spots (2nd - WVBA 15 Mizuno; 3rd WVBA 16 Chris) as WVBA teams won each of the four Power League Series events.

U15 - Capital Ice 15
Notes - Capital Ice 15's won two of the four Power League Series events to solidify their place at the top; PSVBA 15 National and KJVBC 15 Baden were the other two event champions.

U14 - UPVBC 14
Notes - U13 teams also played in this combined division with PSVBA 13 National finishing with the greatest total of earned points among all U13 teams, placing second overall.

U12 - Capital Ice 12
Notes - Just over 50 points separated the top-three finishers in the U12 age division, with only ten points separating first and second place (UPVBC 12 Black); Power Surge 12 Black finished third.

Congratulations to all teams! Stay tuned for Regional Championship information...

PSR Power League Concludes This Weekend!

2010-04-07T14:39:00.000-07:00

The Puget Sound Region Power League Series will conclude this weekend with the final seeding events for the U12, U14, U15 and U16 age divisions. Final standings will determine each team's points to be added to previous Power League event points earned, which will determine seeding into the regional championships to be held in May. Events will be held either Saturday (April 10th) or Sunday (April 11th) at various venues around the region.

Below are links to pool and schedule information for each age division (by date)
Saturday (April 10) -
U12
U14

Sunday (April 11) -
U15
U16

Good luck to all teams!

Final Power League Event for U18

2010-03-31T18:22:00.000-07:00

The fourth and final installment of the 2010 PSR Power League Series for the U18 age division takes place this Saturday at various locations.

Points earned from this weekend will be added to previous totals to help seed both U18 and U17 teams into their respective regional championship events.

Both UPVBC 18 and KJ 18 Baden have sustained their position among inter-regional Platinum division teams and both look to earn a tournament championship this weekend at Kentwood High School

Flights #1 and #2 will both be played at Kent-Meridian High School, while two other venues are also scheduled to host multiple flights. Evergreen State College will host teams in Flights #3 and #6, as Highline Community College will host flights #4 and #5.

Please visit the Puget Sound Region website for a complete list of pools and playing schedules.

Good luck to all teams!

PSR Juniors Compete at PNQ!

2010-03-18T16:38:00.000-07:00

The qualifying season is underway for USA Volleyball's juniors teams across the nation. Many PSR juniors teams are competing within their respective age groups in two separate divisions ("Open" and "Club") over the next two weekends in Spokane, Washington. The Evergreen Region annually plays host to the "Pacific Northwest Qualifier" with competition being held at various eastern Washington venues.

The first weekend of competition (March 19-21) pits teams in the following age divisions and brackets: 12 Club, 13 Club, 14 Open, 14 Club, and 16 Club.

Over the second weekend (March 26-28) the following age groups will be competing: 15 Open, 15 Club, 16 Open, 17 Open, 17 Club, 18 Open, and 18 Club.

The national tournament will be held late June/early July in Reno, NV.

For updated results throughout the weekend:
1. Visit the Advanced Event Systems website
2. Click on "Schedules/Results" in the left side menu
3. Click the link for the "Pacific Northwest Qualifier"
4. Search by age division, pool, club, or specific team

Good luck to all teams competing!

Congrats to All Power League #3 Champions!

2010-03-09T16:37:00.000-08:00

All divisions of the Puget Sound Region Power League Series were in action last weekend (3/6 & 3/7/10). Here are the Flight #1 winners and links to complete results and seeding for Power League #4:

U12 Division
Champion - Capital Ice 12

U14 Division
Champion - UPVBC 14

U15 Division
Champion - KJVBC 15 Baden

U16 Division
Champion - WVBA 16 Shannon

U18 Division
Champion - Sudden Impact 18 Tsunami
(*Platinum level competition takes place this coming weekend)

Congratulations to all flight winners!

U18 Inter-Regional Power League Platinum Division Update

2010-03-03T14:44:00.000-08:00

Inter-regional Power League play for the Platinum division will take place Sunday, March 14th at Napavine High School. The following four teams will compete with the top four seeds from the Columbia Empire Region:

UPVBC 18

KJVBC 18 Baden

WVBA 18 Mizuno

Lake Tapps 17 Orange.

Good luck to all of our Puget Sound Region teams!

Power League Back In Action This Weekend!

2010-02-27T14:54:00.000-08:00

The third installment of the PSR Power League Series continues this weekend for all age groups. (*U18 PSR teams competing in the inter-regional Platinum division will compete March 14th)

Below is a list of web links to the Puget Sound Region website for each specific age division. Please visit for information regarding flights, teams competing, and playing sites:

*March 6th, 2010

U15

U16

*March 7th, 2010

U12

U14

U18

Good luck to all teams!

PSR Power League #2 Results (February 20-21)

2010-02-23T19:07:00.000-08:00

Click on the links below for results from the second round of the PSR Power League for the U12, U14, U15, and U16 divisions held the weekend of February 20-21, 2010.

Each page lists complete results and points earned for the event, as well as each team's flight placement for Power League #3.

U12

Champion - Capital Ice 12

U14

Champion - UPVBC 14

U15

Champion - Puget Sound VBA 15 National

U16

Champion - WVBA 16 Mizuno

Power League Continues This Weekend!

2010-02-19T16:51:00.000-08:00

Puget Sound Region Power League competition is back in action this weekend for the 12-16's age divisions.

Check out the PSR website for updated pools and locations heading into the weekend.

Good luck to all participating teams!

Junior Teams Head to Las Vegas

2010-02-11T15:28:00.000-08:00

The annual Las Vegas Classic takes place this upcoming weekend during the three-day President's Day holiday weekend. Many of the nation's top junior clubs will be sending their U18 and U17 teams to Vegas to compete in one of the biggest tournament tune-ups leading into the national qualifier competition schedule. The tournament hosts both an Open and Club division for both age divisions.

For a complete schedule, list of teams, and information regarding the tournament format, click on the above link to the tournament's official web page.

The Las Vegas Classic is hosted by the Southern California Volleyball Association.

Good luck to all participating teams!

U18 Power League #2 Results

2010-02-11T15:19:00.000-08:00

WVBA 18 Mizuno - U18 Flight 1 Champs! (2/7/10)

Photo courtesy of Dave Weitl

Heading into Power League #3 next month for the U18 division, UPVBC 18's and KJVBC 18 Baden will remain in inter-regional competition and will be joined by both WVBA 18 Mizuno and Lake Tapps 17 Orange. WVBA 18 Mizuno won the Flight 1 bracket over Lake Tapps 17 Orange at Kentwood High School.

Inter-regional competition took place at The Courts in Beaverton, while regional "Flight" action was held at local venues. While two teams will move up and down between Flight 1 and the Inter-regional competition, three teams will move up and down among the remaining flights.

A compete list of U18 results will be posted on the Puget Sound Region website soon.

U14 & U12 Power League #1 Results

2010-02-03T16:34:00.000-08:00

The first-round of the PSR's juniors Power League series is complete as the U14 and U12 age divisions competed this past weekend.

The U14 series combines both U14 and U13 teams. At the end of the weekend, three U13 teams finished among the top-five ranked teams, including Puget Sound Volleyball Academy's 13 National squad, the tournament champion.

Click here for complete results of the U14 competition.

In the U12 division, it was Power Surge 12 Black prevailing as the tournament champion.

Click here for U12 results.

Congratulations to all teams!

U18 Power League #2

2010-02-02T21:42:00.000-08:00

The second round of the U18 Power League series is scheduled to take place this weekend. The top-four teams from the first event will compete on Saturday against the top-four teams representing the Columbia Empire Region. This inter-regional competition is scheduled for Saturday, February 6th at The Courts in Beaverton.

The remainder of the PSR teams participating in the U18 Power League series will compete locally on Sunday, February 7th.

Click here for a list of pools and competition sites for Sunday.

Good luck to all teams!

U18 Inter-Regional Power League Update

2010-01-30T11:14:00.000-08:00

The U18 Inter-Regional Power League is finally set and will be hosted by the Columbia Empire Region. The details and logistics are as follows:

When: Saturday - February 6, 2010
Where: The Courts in Beaverton
Who: The top-four seeded teams (from Power League #1) representing both the Puget Sound and Columbia Empire regions

Logistics:
*Coaches meeting @ 7:30am
*Play begins at 8:00am
*The Courts in Beaverton has a very strict food policy. NO outside food is allowed inside the facility.

Participating teams:

Puget Sound Region -
UPVBC 18
Sudden Impact 18 Tsunami
KJVBC 18 Baden
Island Thunder 17 Asics

Columbia Empire Region -
Oregon NW Juniors Air Elite
Portland Volleyball Club 18
Black Webfoot 18 Gold
Oregon NW Juniors Air Max

For more additional information, please contact:
Tifani Wendt - Commissioner
Columbia Empire Region
(503) 644-7468
tifani@columbiaempirevolleyball.com

www.columbiaempirevolleyball.com

PSR Adult Power League Series Information

2010-01-26T19:40:00.000-08:00

The Puget Sound Region is offering to host both a men’s and women’s Power League Series for the 2010 season. A minimum of 8 teams must be registered for each gender in order for the events to take place.

Below are some of the specifics of the leagues.

1) Cost for the league is $450.00 for the 4 playing dates and the entry fee is due in-full prior to the initial play date. The dates and locations are:

Women

Feb. 7th, 2010 at Mariner HS

Mar. 13th, 2010 at Highline CC

Apr 18th, 2010 at Mariner HS

May 16th, 2010 at Tacoma CC

Men

Mar. 13th, 2010 at Highline CC

Apr 18th, 2010 at Tacoma CC

Feb. 14th, 2010 at Mariner HS

May 15^th, 2010 at Mariner HS

2) Points will be accumulated based on a team's finish at the conclusion of each individual playing date. The winner of each play date will receive one premium (bonus) point. For example, if there are 14 teams in the league, the winner of a play date will receive 15 points, 2nd place gets 13, 3rd gets 12, etc.

Movement up and down in the league will be based on the finish for each playing date. On the first play date, all teams will have an opportunity to win that date. Following the first date, teams will be placed into “flights” and movement up and down between flights will be based on that day’s competition. The philosophy is to have teams play similar skilled opponents throughout the day.

3) Teams will be allowed to drop their lowest score out of the 4 play dates. This will allow some flexibility in the schedule. It will also allow for a poor performance on one date to not severely affect good performances on the other three. The final league standings will be based on the total points of your three highest finishes.

4) Since some teams may miss a play date it will be the PSR Tournament Director’s determination where they should be seeded in the subsequent play date. The main consideration will be to place teams where they will be most competitive.

NOTE – IT WILL BE ASSUMED THAT YOUR TEAM WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN EACH LEAGUE DATE UNLESS YOU INFORM US OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT THE PSR ADULT COORDINATOR Bill Foote @ bill@sfvbclub.org IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO PLAY IN AN EVENT. THIS IS VERY HELPFUL FOR PRE-EVENT PREPARATIONS.

5) Roster limitations have been placed so that a player may participate in the last play date ONLY if they have played with that team for at least 1 out of the first 3 play dates. This does not exclude new players from being added to your team for the first 3 play dates, it only limits adding a player for the 4^th and final play date. If a team is not in the running for the top 3 spots in the league, and is in need of adding a player for the 4^th date in order to be able to participate, they may petition the region to do so. Any such requests will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

YOUR TEAM WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING A CURRENT ROSTER, GENERATED BY THE USAV REGISTRATION WEB SITE, FOR EACH LEAGUE EVENT.

6) Prizes

1^st place – Reimbursed FULL paid entry to USAV Nationals = $900

2^nd place – Reimbursed half paid entry to Nationals = $450

Note #1 - Teams not going to Nationals cannot be paid ‘cash’. Should a ‘top two’ finisher choose not to go to Nationals, prizes get ‘bumped down’ to the highest 2 finishing teams according to their finish.

Note #2 – Whether your team is planning on attending Nationals or not, the Power League Series still saves each team money in entry fees. Teams will be playing in 4 events for $50 less than if they entered each tournament individually. The Power Series is designed to host the most competitive play for each team’s level as well as support the Puget Sound Region presence at the National Tournament.

Note #3 – Teams not from the Puget Sound Region will be allowed to play in the Power Series Events but are NOT eligible to receive financial assistance towards Nationals no matter where they finish. Should a team from outside the PSR win one or more events, that team shall receive award shirts for each of the team members for each tournament won.

For a pdf file with this overview which includes an entry form, click here.

U15 Power League #1 Results

2010-01-26T19:27:00.000-08:00

At the conclusion of the first Power League series event for the U15 age division, the Capital Ice 15's defeated PSVBA 15 National in the championship match earning the top-seed for February's second round.

The top-team teams after event #1 include:
1. Capital Ice 15
2. PSVBA 15 National
3. Narrows 15 Purple
4. Power Surge 15 Black
5. Cascade 15 Black
6. KJVBC 15 Baden
7. Puyallup Jrs. 15
8. UPVBC 15
9. OVC 15 RoShamBo
10. SIVBC 15 Typhoon

For a complete list of the final standings please visit the Puget Sound Region website.

The second event of the Power Leagues series for the U15's is schedule to take place on February 21st.

U16 Power League #1 Results

2010-01-26T19:11:00.001-08:00

The Washington Volleyball Academy solidified itself as the club to beat in the U16 age division as three WVBA teams finished among the top-five at the conclusion of the first power league event of the series. WVBA 16-Shannon defeated WVBA 15 Mizuno in the championship finale to finish first and second respectively.

The top-10 teams seeded into Power League #2 for the U16 age division are as follows:

1. WVBA 16-Shannon
2. WVBA 15 Mizuno
3. UPVBC 16
4. WVBA 16-Chris
5. KJVBC 16 Baden
6. SIVBC 16 Thunder
7. PSVBA 16 National
8. Capital Ice 16
9. Twin Lakes 16 Green
10. All Out 16

The second event of the U16 Power League series is scheduled to take place February 21st.

MLK Team Classic Results

2010-01-23T07:49:00.000-08:00

The first annual MLK Team Classic juniors volleyball event was held last weekend at the Moshofsky Center on the campus of the University of Oregon. Many teams from the Puget Sound Region competed in the event in one of three age-divisions (U18, U16, U14).

In the U18 division, UPVBC 18 lost a tough three-set championship match to Oregon NW 18 Air Elite (21-25, 25-18, 15-8) to finish second.

Other top PSR finishers in the U18 division included:
KJVBC 18 Baden, WVBA 18, WVBA17, Lake Tapps 17 Orange (tied-5th)
SIVBC 18-Tsunami (10th)
KJVBC 17 Baden (11th)
ITVC 17 Asics (tied-13th)

WVBA 16-Shannon swept the field throughout the weekend, earning the tournament championship with a three-set win over All Out 16 (25-15, 20-25, 15-11).

Other top finishers in the U16 field included:
WVBA 15 (tied-3rd)
KJVBC 16 Baden (tied-5th)
WVBA 16-Chris (9th)
UPVBC 16 (10th)
PSVBA 16 (tied-11th)
Northshore Jrs. 16-Black, OVC 15 RoShamBo, ITVC 16 Asics, Narrows Purple 15-1 (tied-13th).

In the U14 division, WVBA 14 won the championship with a straight set victory (25-22, 25-22) over Clark County.

Congratulations to all teams!

PSR Adult Tournament Schedule

2010-01-22T17:20:00.000-08:00

The Puget Sound Region has now posted a complete schedule for adult men's and women's indoor competition.

The spring indoor schedule is highlighted by the following events for both men and women:

*A four-event Power League series
*Men's and women's masters level championships
*Regional championships for both AA/A and BB/B levels

Some events are still seeking a host. If interested, please contact the PSR office at: USAVPugetSound.Office@Verizon.net or (425) 673-4103.

PSR U16 & U15 Power League #1

2010-01-22T17:03:00.000-08:00

This weekend kicked-off the first installment of the Puget Sound Region Power League series for both the U16 and U15 age divisions. Regional teams will compete in four Power League events to determine the seeding into the regional championship tournament to be played later this spring. A total of 16 pools will kick-off this first event for each of these age groups.

Here is a list of the top-10 teams (as seeded) heading into the weekend:

U16 -

1. WVBA 16-Shannon
2. Capital Ice 16
3. All-Out 16
4. PSVBA 16 National
5. KJVBC 16 Baden
6. UPVBC 16
7. SIVBC 16 Thunder
8. WVBA 15 Mizuno
9. Cascade 16 Blue
10. Northshore 16 Black

U15 -

1. Capital Ice 15
2. PSVBA 15 National
3. Narrows 15 Purple
4. SIVBC 15 Typhoon
5. OVC 15 RoShamBo
6. KJVBC 15 Baden
7. UPVBC 15
8. WVBA 14 Mizuno
9. Power Surge 15 Black
10. Northshore 15 Black

For a complete list of teams and opening day pools, please visit the Puget Sound Region website at: www.pugetsoundvb.org.

Good luck to all teams!

U18 Power Leage #1 Results

2010-01-13T15:56:00.000-08:00

At the conclusion of the first weekend of Puget Sound Region U18 Power League competition, it was the UPVBC 18's defeating SIVBC 18 Tsunami in the finals to claim the early season position atop the regional rankings. UPVBC has started the season strong, picking up right where they left off last season and their run through the U17 Open division at the 2009 Junior Olympic Volleyball Championships held in Miami, Florida. In addition to capturing the first weekend of Power League, UPVBC also won the Sports For Youth tournament championship the previous weekend. UPVBC senior veterans Emily Cotter (Western Washington University signee) and Kayla Reno (University of Montana) are joined by senior standout Brooke Bray (University of Montana) in their quest for a regional title and another trip to the national championship event. UPVBC is coached by Michael Miller.

The highest finishing U17 teams were: Island Thunder 17 Asics (3rd-tie); WVBA 17 Mizuno (5th-tie); Lake Tapps 17 (10th); KJVBC 17 Baden (11th); and Olympia 17 RoShamBo (13th).

This year, the top four teams heading into each of the three remaining Power League events will play an inter-regional tournament against the top four teams representing another neighboring region. The remaining Puget Sound Region teams will comprise the six flights of local regional Power League competition scheduled to take place February 7th, March 7th, and April 3rd.

Official results from the first weekend of U18 Power League competition are as follows:

1. UPVBC 18
2. Sudden Impact 18 Tsunami
3. KJVBC 18 Baden
3. Island Thunder 17 Asics
5. WVBA 17 Mizuno
5. Island Thunder 18 Asics
7. Bonney Lake 18
8. Saturday's Warriors 18 TC
9. The Edge 18 Black
10. Lake Tapps 17
11. WVBA 18 Mizuno
11. KJVBC 17 Baden
13. Olympia 17 RoShamBo
13. Sudden Impact 17 Storm
15. Space Needle 18
16. NW Jrs. 17 Elite
17. Gig Harbor 18
18. High Velocity 18
19. Northshore 17 Black
19. Puget Sound 17
21. YMCA Blaze 17
21. Narrows 18 Purple
23. Rain City 17 Thunder
24. Lake Tapps 17 MSA
25. SIVA 17
26. Northshore 18 Black
27. Lake Tapps 18
27. High Velocity 17
29. Olympia 17 Black
29. Lynnwood Spike It 18
31. Aces 18
32. South End Jrs. 17-1
33. Club Wahine 18 Black
34. Twin Lakes 18 Green
35. The Edge 18 Blue
35. Mill Creek 18
37. Rain City 18 Passion
37. Smokey Pt. Vipers
39. SIVA 18D
40. South End Jrs. 17-2
41. Bainbridge Island 18
41. Cascade 18 Blue
43. Saturday's Warriors 17 Serendipity
43. Power Surge 18 Gold
45. Evergreen Jrs. 18 H/K
45. Club Wahine 17 Black
47. South Sound Ohana 17
48. Skagit 17 Bulldogs
49. NW Jrs. 17 Thunder
50. Puyallup Jrs. 17
51. Rainier VBA

It was a very competitive first weekend of Power League competition. Congratulations to UPVBC 18's!

PSR POWER LEAGUE BEGINS!

2010-01-11T15:48:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Power League series for Puget Sound Region juniors began this past weekend. Leading the way this first weekend was the U18/17 division. The Puget Sound Region sponsors four Power League age divisions, U18/17, U16/15, U14/13, and U12. The first weekend event for each age division takes place over two days of competition. The remaining three events will all be only one day.

Throughout the course of the four Power League events, teams will compete to ultimately climb the regional rankings in order to secure a higher seed for the Puget Sound Regional Championships to be held in April and May. The regional champion for each age group also earns a bid to the Junior National Championships to be held in Reno, Nevada June 24-July 3, 2010.

The top 10 seeds heading into this past weekend's first event for the U18/17 division were as follows:

1. UPVBC 18
2. WVBA 18 Mizuno
3. SIVBC 18 Tsunami
4. KJVBC 18 Baden
5. WVBA 17 Mizuno
6. The Edge 18 Black
7. ITVC 18 Asics
8. Bonney Lake 18
9. Cascade 18 Blue
10. KJVBC 17 Baden

The U16 and U15 divisions kick-off their first Power League events the weekend of January 23rd, while the U14/13 and U12 teams will compete the weekend of January 30th. Seeding for these age divisions are yet to be announced.

The following are the Power League series event schedules for each of the combined age groups:

U18/17 -
January 9-10
February 7
March 7
April 3

U16 & U15
January 23-24
February 21
March 6
April 11

U14/13
January 30-31
February 20
March 7
April 10

U12
January 31
February 20
March 7
April 10

At the conclusion of the Power League series, the age groups are separated and a regional championship will be held for each age division. For instance, the top qualifying U18 team will be seeded #1 into the U18 regional championships, as the top finishing U17 team will earn the #1 seed into the U17 regional championship event.

The regional championship dates are as follows:

May 8
U18 & U17

May 1-2
U16 & U15

April 24-25
U14

April 25
U13 & U12

Rankings and results will be updated and posted shortly after the conclusion of each event.

Please visit the Puget Sound Region official website (www.pugetsoundvb.org) for detailed information.

Good luck to all participating teams!

W.A.T.N.? - Courtney Thompson -

2010-01-08T12:30:00.000-08:00

FROM THE SOUTH SOUND...TO THE RED, WHITE, & BLUE!
CATCHING UP WITH COURTNEY THOMPSON!

In the first installment of "Where Are They Now?", it made a lot of sense for us to reach out and connect with one of the most decorated and well-known athletes to hail from the Puget Sound Region. Courtney Thompson helped to elevate the training and competitive standards of the sport, not only locally, but on both national and international levels.

As a prep phenom, Courtney was a standout multi-sport athlete from Kent, Washington, having honed her skills on the volleyball courts at Kentlake High School and with the Kent Juniors Volleyball Club. After multiple state championships and helping KJ teams repeatedly qualify for the USA Volleyball Junior Olympics, Courtney helped catapult the University of Washington women's volleyball program to national prominence as the team's captain and starting setter throughout the duration of her four-year career. While at UW, the Huskies won their first Pac-10 and NCAA Division 1 championships, with Courtney earning multiple all-Pac-10, all-Region, and all-America honors. Additionally, at the conclusion of her senior season, Courtney was a finalist for the Honda-Broderick Award and was nominated for an ESPY, both of which select the NCAA's Female Athlete of the Year.

Immediately following her illustrious collegiate career, Courtney traveled overseas to begin her professional career, of which led to an invitation to train and compete with USA Volleyball's women's national team. Courtney currently trains and resides in Anaheim, California, home of the USA Volleyball training center.

Courtney recently returned to the area to be with her family during the holiday season. Additionally, she had the opportunity to host some clinics and visit with some local club teams and athletes around the region. We were very fortunate to be able to sit down and chat with Courtney recently to discuss her life and career as one of the world's best volleyball players. Here is a transcript from our recent chat:

PSR: Hey Courtney! Thank you very much for taking time to chat with us here at the PSR.

CT: Thanks for having me. I'm excited to be here!

PSR: How are you?
CT: I'm doing great thanks. I had a great holiday with the family and am excited to start training again.

PSR: So, the PSR is making efforts to reach out to our athletes through a recent new blog that we have created. Part of that blog is an opportunity for our members to catch up with former athletes that have come out of member clubs and organizations representing the PSR. It was an easy choice for us to select you as our inaugural "W.A.T.N.?" profile, as many of our members, as well as other local volleyball enthusiasts, followed your career very closely while you were here in the area.

CT: I am honored to be apart of the new blog, and proud to be from the Puget Sound Region! One of the best things about my career has been meeting so many great people along the way, so I enjoy staying connected to where I came from.

PSR: What have you been up to the past few months?

CT: I've been with the USA team since April, and have been training and competing a whole lot since then! We have an awesome coaching staff, and a really great group of girls training so it has been a very fun experience. I also finished writing a book for younger volleyball players, and am coaching a club team down in California. You can check out the book at courtlessons.com!

PSR: Had it always been a goal or dream of yours to compete with the USA national team?
CT: Yes, but I never thought it would be in volleyball! Once volleyball became 'my sport' in high school, winning a national title in college and winning a gold medal for Team USA became my dream.

PSR: When did you first realize that that may become a reality for you?
CT: In junior high and high school I would have never imagined in a million years that I would be getting to do what I'm doing now. It wasn't until my junior year at the University of Washington, that deep down inside I thought that if I kept working hard and improving I could have a chance to make the national team.

PSR: How was the transition for you from the collegiate level to the international scene and competing with and against the best athletes in the sport?
CT: It's similar to the jump from high school to college, in that it's a lot faster and you don't get away with plays that you would while playing at the previous level. It took me a while to adjust, but competing with and against some of the best players in the world has been more fun than I could have ever imagined. I am thankful everyday I get to compete at such a high level. It is truly a dream come true!

PSR: What is your typical day like when you're training with the national team?
CT: I get to the gym around 8:30 a.m. We have practice from 9-12:30 or 1:00. Then, we lift weights and do agility training for about an hour. Next is lunch and a shower. Then, we head back to the gym for practice from 3:00 to 4:00 or 4:30, then maybe watch some film or do some rehab. In the evenings we eat a lot, try to relax and get ready for the next day. I love it.

PSR: Throughout your career in the state of Washington, you have always set the benchmark for training hard, as well as displaying incredible work ethic and leadership. Has much changed for you in those areas now that you're competing at the highest level, among some of the greatest athletes in the world?
CT: I've tried not to change at all. That has been, and hopefully always will be, what I'm about. If anything, it's more important for me to try to do everything related to volleyball the best way that I can, whether it's getting extra reps in the gym, eating right, recovering right, working out right, watching more film, etc. That is what got me to this level, and I just believe that if you want to be the best you have to outwork other people. And when you love something, working hard is worth it.

PSR: What have been some of your greatest experiences so far competing with the national team?
CT: Traveling to some of the places that we have has taught me a lot outside the game of volleyball. I knew we were lucky in America, but didn't realize to what extent until I started traveling more. Those experiences are all ones that stick with you. As for volleyball, probably playing Brazil, the best in the world, in Brazil with 17,000 people all 'booing' USA. It was pretty surreal and is always so fun to play the best team in the world.

PSR: What are some of your fondest memories when you were competing throughout the PSR and with your KJ club teams?
CT: That's a tough one. We had some great times! Probably those long days at tournaments where you play a tough match, then have your parents bring you lunch. You just get to have fun with your teammates until you play again. Yeah, I miss the parents bringing lunch! Traveling with your club team for the first time is always special, and I was really lucky to have played with some great people throughout my career. And, I am still friends with all of them!

PSR: If you could offer a message or bit of advice to juniors or young volleyball enthusiasts to help motivate and inspire those that have great aspirations in their own volleyball careers, what might that be?
CT: I would tell them to never let someone else's expectations or opinion of you determine what you believe you can accomplish. Keep working to become the best they can be, and enjoy the journey it takes you on!

PSR: If you could give a shout out to your biggest mentors or fans that have influenced and/or supported your volleyball career, who would you like to recognize?
CT: Whew... I don't think we have enough time for me to name them all. I've been so fortunate to have amazing coaching my entire career. I would have to start with my family for sure, my parents and my two older brothers have had more influence on me than anyone. Dawn Colston, Drew Terry, Tom Champoux, Jim McLaughlin, and my coaches now Jamie Morrison, Karch Kiraly, and Hugh McCutcheon, have all had an enormous impact on my career, as well as my life. I am so thankful for them all!

PSR: Alright, so I'm sure many would like to know a little bit more about who Courtney Thompson really is. I have a few random rapid-fire questions for you...answer at-will:

PSR: Favorite athlete(s)?
CT: Peyton Manning, Karch Kiraly, and Pat Tillman

PSR: Favorite movie(s)?
CT: Gladiator and...The Little Mermaid

PSR: Favorite holiday?
CT: That's easy, Christmas! Of course!

PSR: One food you could not live without?
CT: Does green tea count?

PSR: If not playing volleyball, what would you be doing?
CT: I'd probably be on the professional bowling circuit.

PSR: Favorite thing that comes with being an elite-level athlete?
CT: Getting to compete at such a high level every day and...also getting free sweats.

PSR: Any one thing you will not miss once you decide to move on from playing volleyball?
CT: Oh yes...jump training of any kind!

PSR: Favorite place you have been while playing professionally or with the USA national team?
CT: That's a tough one, probably Switzerland. The country is beautiful and their food is great!

PSR: Best competitor you've ever played with or against?
CT: I've played against Karch Kiraly in practice, so that's an easy one to answer. He is certainly as good as advertised!

PSR: Any pre-game rituals?
CT: I usually listen to the same music on my I-Pod. It's a lot harder to have routines when you play international volleyball because you have so little control over things like your schedule, what you eat, where you train, etc. So, I don't have as many routines as I did in college. I have learned to be very flexible!

PSR: Share something that your fans may be surprised to know about you?
CT: I have my own bowling ball.

PSR: Courtney, thank you very much for being here and taking to chat with us. We really appreciate your representation of the Puget Sound Region and efforts to help grow the sport of volleyball. We wish you great success as you return to your training with the national team, and with your new book! You have connected with many people, especially among the volleyball community in the Pacific Northwest, and I'm sure that everyone is both grateful and proud! Thanks again!
CT: You're very welcome! Thanks for having me here and also to everyone for all of the continued support!

GOT NEWS...SOMETHING TO SHARE?

2009-12-30T14:02:00.000-08:00

LET US KNOW WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND!

The PSR wants to hear from you! In efforts to stay connected with our members and volleyball enthusiasts around Western Washington, we hope that you'll take the time to share with us your thoughts, comments, suggestions, and/or ideas that may support or help improve the PSR as it represents the local volleyball community.

You can always comment here on the Puget Sound Region - USAV Volleyball blog! However, if you fancy some privacy or another alternative, we have some options for you to reach us:

E-mail:
pugetsoundusav@gmail.com

Facebook:
search = Puget Sound Region - USAV

Mailing address:
6900 220th Street SW, Suite B
Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043

Please send us your news, results, story ideas, criticisms, applause, etc. ...we want to know!

-PSR

WELCOME!

2009-12-29T14:06:00.000-08:00

STAY CONNECTED TO THE PUGET SOUND REGION!

Welcome to the official blog of Puget Sound Region Volleyball! This will serve as your home for the latest news, event updates and other information representing the Puget Sound Region of USA Volleyball.

As the indoor competitive season for juniors and adults is upon us, the PSR is wanting to reach out to all of our members, fans, and volleyball enthusiasts of Western Washington, in order to celebrate all things that have helped us to become one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing regions in the country. The "Puget Sound Region - USA Volleyball" blog is just one avenue in which we hope to tangibly connect with all of you.

Over the past few years, throughout the Pacific Northwest, the sport of volleyball has elevated to a greater level, largely in part to PSR coaches and administrators that continue to create and provide opportunity for athletes to train and compete throughout Western Washington and nationally.

Consider this, the PSR continues to make great contributions nationally. Every year, many of our junior- and adult-level teams compete at championship events. Former PSR athletes are being selected for our national indoor and beach teams. PSR member coaches are contributing to the highest levels of training and organization. Our officials are being selected to work in the most competitive environments. Member organizations are hosting national caliber events. The bottom line, our members make us who we are and we want to share the news! We want to hear from you, peek inside the gyms, look behind the scenes, and get know our members.

It is evident that an incredible foundation has been established locally for the sport of volleyball. As the PSR continues to remain highly committed to supporting the outstanding efforts of our members, we are also very excited to increase our own organizational efforts to grow the sport even further, across all levels. Youth to adult. Beginner to advanced. Recreational to competitive. Stay connected with us and be a part of the excitement that is PSR volleyball!

It is a great time to be involved with the sport of volleyball in the Pacific Northwest!

Get out! Go watch! Go play!