Youngsters Competing at USAV HP Championships

Candice Kasischke
Intern, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: candice.kasischke@usav.org

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. (July 29,2010) – Ariel Miyasaki, Hannah Cherry and the brothers Joe and Gage Worsley have not let age be a hindrance to them while competing as the youngest competitors in their gender divisions at the 2010 USA Volleyball High Performance Championships taking place July 26-30 at Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

Miyasaki (Honolulu, Hawaii) turned 13 years old in March of this year and is a libero on the U.S. Girls’ Select A1 White Team in the Girls’ Youth National Division at USAV High Performance Championships.

“I did not know I was one of the youngest players here,” Miyasaki said. “I did know coming into this tournament that there would be older competition and that I would have to play harder. I didn’t think that I would make this team, and was overjoyed when I found out that I had. Since I’ve been here, I have noticed that the girls’ are a lot larger, so you have to step up your defense.  They play a lot smarter too and it is a great experience to play defense against them. I also love my coaches and teammates. It will be sad leaving them tomorrow. “

Miyasaki started playing volleyball after going through trial and error with other sports she tested out first.

“I started playing in fourth grade, my first club team that played two years for was Nawhaine Maoula Club Team then I moved to Jammer’s Volleyball Club,” Miyasaki said. “I wanted to play sports and I tried basketball and softball, but they just didn’t seem right for me.  One day my parents asked me if I wanted to try (volleyball), so I did. I started playing it and I loved it and I now want to play it for the rest of my life.”

Hannah Cherry (St. Charles, Mo.), an outside hitter on the U.S. Girls’ Select Continental Blue Team, is also 13 years old. She had an interest for volleyball in fourth grade and has grown a love for the sport.

“I started playing in the fourth grade for my school and the following year for the club Team St. Louis,” Cherry said. “I love everything there is about playing volleyball. It is such a team sport. I also love the feeling after I score a point.”

Cherry’s birthday falls in July and due to the August cut-off date for schooling, she has always been young within her age group.

“Our coach in club always has our team play an age group up so I am used to seeing older and better competition. It helps me learn,” Cherry said. “Since my birthday is so late, it has helped me want to work harder and get more experience.”

Cherry finds the competition at the USAV High Performance Championships to be challenging and necessary for athletes who are serious about their game. 

“At this tournament in particular, I have really liked playing at such a high level and meeting new people,” Cherry said. “It’s true what everyone tells you about the necessity of playing in events like these or for a club team if you want to do well in high school ball.”

Joe and Gage Worsley (Moraga, Calif.) are the youngest in the boys’ divisions at the 2010 USAV HP Championships. Gage is 11 years old and Joe is 13 years old, both playing with mostly 15-year-olds on their teams. Gage is competing with the U.S. Boys’ Select Continental Red Team as a libero and Joe is playing with the U.S. Boys’ Select White Team as an opposite. 

The brothers began playing on the sidelines of practices for their father, Roger Worsley, who is technical director for the men’s volleyball team at Stanford University.

“We were raised in a gym,” Gage said. “We always had balls and volleyball around us. Our dad used to coach at Rochester Institute of Technology on the east coast, and we would go to practices and watch. We started peppering with some of the player and we thought it was pretty fun.”

The Worsley brothers feel that the experience at the tournament has been challenging, but beneficial to them as they grow in their volleyball careers.

“It has been a challenge for me playing on a higher net at this tournament, but it is really helping my game and helps me learn ball control,” Gage said. “I have grown up playing volleyball my whole life, so it doesn’t intimidate me to face older competition and I just try to do my best.”

"The more experience you get, the better you will be,” Joe said. “The older and bigger players don’t intimidate me. I don’t get intimidated easily at all. When I go back home and play with my team at home, I will be a better player because of this tournament. It is a challenge for me to hit but I am just going to try harder.”

Gage and Joe also have dreams of making it to the Olympics.

“I just play my game and have fun with it,” Joe said. “I have dreams of going to the Olympics and winning a medal. I would prefer a gold medal, but I will shoot for any medal at this point.”

Gage said in agreement, “I want to go to the Olympics too, but I want two gold medals!”

The youngest age divisions of the USAV HP Championships will wrap-up tournament play on Friday, July 30. The Girls’ National Youth Division gold-medal match will be played at 8 a.m., while consolation flights of the Girls’ National Select Division are set for the same time.

For more information on the 2010 USA Volleyball High Performance Championships, click here. To view the match schedule/brackets and live results, click here.

Event photos taken by OSIR/Debbie Reber can be viewed and purchased by clicking here.

Tags: USA Volleyball, USA Volleyball High Performance, USA Volleyball High Performance Championships