Record Crowd Watches 18s Finals in Austin

Bill Kauffman
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: bill.kauffman@usav.org

AUSTIN, Texas (July 5, 2010) – The USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships 18 Open and 18 Club Division gold-medal matches were played in front of an estimated record crowd of 2,300 fans Monday afternoon at the Austin Convention Center in Texas.

The action on the court did not disappoint the massive, standing-room-only crowd. Manhattan Beach Surf 18s rallied from deficits in the first and third sets to come-from-behind to defeat silver-medalist Outrigger 18s (Aloha) 25-23, 21-25, 15-13 in the 18 Open Division championship match. High Line swept Seaside 25-23, 25-22 to win the 18 Club Division gold-medal match.

“I thought it was a wonderful turnout,” USA Volleyball Chief Executive Officer Doug Beal said. “The stands were packed and the energy level was high for the teams to compete in. In both championship matches, there were two talented teams and it is sad that a team has to lose.”

Bryce Miller, a member of the 18 Open winning Manhattan Beach Surf 18s, stated that playing in front of big crowds in high school helped prepare for today’s match.

“Today’s match was fun,” said Miller, who was named to the 18 Open Division All-Tournament Team. “In the CIF Finals, we draw crowds of 3,000 fans. So we are used to playing in front of large crowds.”

Jeff Stork, a three-time Olympian who was the starting setter on the 1988 Olympic gold-medal team, presented the medals to both divisions for teams reaching the podium. He sees athletes using the USA Volleyball Junior National Championships as a means to continue receiving better training, which in turn, helps the success of the U.S. Men’s National Team.

“As a historical note, I never got a chance to play JO-level volleyball as it was not around at the time,” Stork said. “This event has come so far over the years, and has helped the sport grow. The athletes are getting better and the overall skill level is getting better. In some respects, we are reaping some of the rewards of the program based on the international success including gold at the 2008 Olympic Games. On the other side, we have not seen as large of a rise as far as opportunities to play in college and that is disappointing.”

After the matches, Beal recognized the fact that many of the athletes who competed on championship court for gold medals on Monday have names volleyball fans will continue to hear about.

“A lot of these kids I am sure we will continue to see and hear about during their college careers,” Beal said. “Some may even train with the U.S. Men’s National Team when the time comes.”

Stork admired the athletes competing on the final day of their division, despite a grueling schedule over four days of action.

“The championship match was fun to watch, and it was great to play in front of a large crowd like today’s,” Stork said. “These young players compete for four straight days, sometimes playing as many as four matches a day. They get tired, and sometimes they may not be able to play their best once they get to the championship match. I really admire their ability and stamina to sustain a high level of play throughout the tournament.”

In addition to the fans watching from the stands, the two matches were also video streamed to an outside audience adding to the buzz for the match. USA Volleyball, in partnership with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), will also video stream gold-medal matches for Open and Club Divisions in 16s (July 6) and 15s (July 7) age groups. The streaming video can be accessed at usavolleyball.org/live.

For more information on the USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships, visit usavolleyball.org/events/2403.

2010 USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships Schedule
12 Club (July 2-4): Gold – Narajinto Envol (Puerto Rico); Silver – Vaqueros 12-1 (Puerto Rico); Bronze – Torrimar 12-2 (Puerto Rico)
13 Club: Cancelled due to limited team registrations
14 Club: July 5-8
14 Open: July 5-8
15 Club: July 4-7
15 Open: July 4-7
16 Club: July 3-6
16 Open: July 3-6
17 Club: July 6-9
17 Open: July 6-9
18 Club (July 2-5): Gold – High Line Volleyball Club 2009-2010 18B (Southern California); Silver – Seaside 18-Mikasa (Southern California); Bronze – Spectrum 18s (Southern California)
18 Open (July 2-5): Gold – Manhattan Beach Surf 18s; Silver – Outrigger 18 (Aloha); Bronze – Orange County Volleyball Club 18-1 (Southern California)

Tags: USA Volleyball Boys' Junior National Championships