U.S. Beach Delegation Headed for Russia

Release edited by: Erin Campbell
Intern, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6864
E-Mail: erin.campbell@usav.org

USA Volleyball contact: B.J. Evans at bj.evans@usav.org or 719-228-6800

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 5, 2010) – The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ SportsUnited Office, in conjunction with USA Volleyball, is sending 20 beach volleyball athletes – 10 boys and 10 girls between the ages of 14-18 along with four coaches – to Russia on Aug. 6-21.

The delegation is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ SportsUnited Office as part of an exchange program under the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission’s Education, Culture, Sports and Media Working Group. The group will be hosted by the Russian Volleyball Federation and will visit both Moscow and Anapa.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Misty May-Treanor (Santa Monica, Calif.) will also travel to Russia as a Sports Envoy and will guide the American and Russian players through beach volleyball clinics on Aug. 9-10.

“I was in Russia in the 1980's and it was a life changing experience for me to see some of the training and cultural differences,” USA Volleyball beach coach Anna Collier (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) said. “I think it will be the same for these athletes.”

“The event will give several up and coming USA beach athletes a taste of international travel and training,” said Ali Wood Lamberson (Hermosa Beach, Calif.), USA Volleyball Director of International and Beach High Performance Programs. “We will be forging relationships with the Russian athletes and coaches, one of the top emerging countries on the international beach scene, and exposing them to beach volleyball USA style.”

The delegation will travel to Moscow for one week of volleyball clinics with Russian youth and cultural excursions. Their second week in Russia will be spent in the town of Anapa on the Black Sea coast, where they will have an opportunity to see a different side of Russia and practice at the state-of-the-art Volleygrad volleyball training center. This will be the first group of American youth athletes to travel overseas on a SportsUnited program.

Along with conducting clinics, May-Treanor will meet with ECA exchange program alumni at the American Center and attend a dinner hosted by the Russian Volleyball Federation and the Russian Ministry of Sport, Tourism, and Youth Policy.

“[The Delegation] will experience a different style of life and training, with the bonus of Misty May coming to Russia,” Collier said.

For more information, visit the SportsUnited website, Facebook page, or contact Laura Tischler, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State, at 202-632-6454 and TischlerLL@state.gov.

Tags: Ali Wood, Beach, Beach Volleyball, Misty May-Treanor