Volleyball Trio Joins Forces with USOC to Structure 2012 Beach Team Trials

USA Volleyball Contact:
B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager of Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800       
E-Mail: bj.evans@usav.org

AVP Contact:
Alison Shapiro
Public Relations Manager
Phone: 310-426-7112       
E-Mail: ashapiro@avp.com

To view a .pdf version of this release, click here.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 3, 2009) – AVP Pro Beach Volleyball (AVP), USA Volleyball (USAV) and USA international beach athlete representatives, along with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), have joined forces to work cooperatively to design and produce a format for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Beach Volleyball, it was announced today.

This partnership results from an earlier announcement by the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) that countries would qualify berths for the 2012 Games as opposed to individual athletes earning spots based on world ranking points (which had previously been the case for the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games). The only U.S. Olympic Team Trials for beach volleyball were held in Baltimore, Md., prior to the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

“The Olympic Trials will showcase USA Volleyball’s most notable and accomplished beach athletes as they compete for the coveted opportunity to represent the United States in the 2012 Olympic Games,” said David Schreff, Chair of USA Volleyball. “It is therefore fitting that USAV and AVP partner with the USOC and the eventual Host City for the Trials to develop and produce these memorable events.”

“Continuing to build a strong partnership with USAV is in the best interests of both organizations,” said Jason Hodell, CEO of the AVP. “We believe that this new process will give our top athletes the best opportunity to qualify and represent the United States at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.”

While the details of how countries will earn berths have not yet been released by the FIVB, the organizations are seizing the opportunity to collaborate to ensure the design of an Olympic Trials format that will meet the expectations of U.S. athletes and provide the best possible platform for promoting and elevating the sport in the United States.

USAV and AVP have formed a three-person Commission that will consist of a representative from each organization and a mutually agreed-upon athlete representative. The primary representative for USAV is Kerry Klostermann, Secretary General; for AVP is Justin Kamm, Executive Vice President; and the athlete representative is Kevin Wong. Additional organization and athlete representatives will participate on the Commission to provide input and expert advice. The Commission is formed for the purpose of making decisions, subject to the approval of the USOC regarding the anticipated opportunity to conduct Olympic Trials in terms of scheduling, format, athlete eligibility, site(s), sponsorship and marketing efforts and media coordination.

“We applaud the efforts of USA Volleyball and the AVP in agreeing to work together to produce an Olympic Trials event for beach volleyball,” said USOC Acting CEO Stephanie Streeter. “The addition of beach volleyball to the lineup of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials events increases the attraction and intrigue that comes with top U.S. athletes vying to represent Team USA in London.”

About USA Volleyball:
Founded in 1928, USA Volleyball is a Colorado incorporated non-profit organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) as the National Governing Body (NGB) for the sport of Volleyball and Beach Volleyball in the United States.

USA Volleyball is responsible for both the Olympic disciplines of indoor volleyball and beach volleyball. USA Volleyball has over 240,000 registered members, 12,000 teams and 5,000 clubs nationwide. With an annual budget in excess of $12 million dollars, USA Volleyball supports the USA men’s and women’s senior national team programs, youth and junior national teams, national championship events, coaching education and certification programs, grassroots development, and programs for the disabled and Paralympic Teams. USA Volleyball has a rich tradition of success as evidenced by winning an Olympic medal in every Olympic Games since 1984 and capturing numerous World Cup, World Championship and Continental Championship titles.

About AVP, Inc.:
AVP, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. One of the fastest growing entities in the sports world, the AVP operates two of the industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour (1983) and the AVP Hot Winter Nights Indoor Tour (launched in 2008). The AVP is set to stage more than 35 events throughout the United States in 2009 and features more than 150 of the top male and female competitors in the sport. AVP athletes won both the women’s and men’s gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, marking the first gold medal sweep by a single country in the history of Olympic Beach Volleyball. AVP is headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif. For more information, please visit www.avp.com.

Tags: 2012 Olympic Games, AVP, Beach Volleyball