Young Faces Honored by Experience at Tryouts

Becky Murdy
Media Relations and Publications Assistant
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: becky.murdy@usav.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 25, 2011) – Nine out of the 12 2010 U.S. Girls’ Youth Olympic Team members have made the trip back to Colorado Springs, Colo., and the U.S. Olympic Training Center for their first attempt at U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team selection.

Samantha Cash (San Diego, Calif.), Crystal Graff, (Madison, Wis.), Micha Hancock (Edmond, Okla.), Jade Hayes (Ozark, Mo.), Madison Kamp (Orland Park, Ill.), Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio), Katie Mitchell (The Woodlands, Texas), Taylor Simpson (Colorado Springs, Colo.), and Lauren Teknipp (McDonough, Ga.) make up the nine Youth Olympic Team representatives.

The nine U.S. Youth Olympic Games players in Colorado Springs this weekend are among the youngest in the competition, but are motivated by the high-level of competition and their early success within the USA Volleyball High Performance pipeline. The team won the silver medal at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore under head coach Rod Wilde and assistant coach Charlene Whitted.

The U.S. Women’s National Team program is open to athletes who have concluded their college eligibility and who wish to train full-time. This program could begin as early as March 2011, or when an athlete’s scholastic or professional club season has concluded. Athletes who will have remaining collegiate eligibility may still participate in the program with participation beginning May 2011 or when their scholastic calendar ends.

In addition, athletes in college with collegiate eligibility remaining for the 2011 season and not selected to the USA Women’s National Team may be invited to participate in the U.S. Women’s National Senior A2 Team. This program is tentatively scheduled to take place in Dallas from May 23 through June 1. A projected 36 athletes will be invited to participate in the program, which will include training and competition in the 2010 USA Volleyball Open National Championships in the Open Division from May 28-31. USA Volleyball considers the event as the National Championship for the sport of volleyball in the United States.

Tryout participants born in either 1992 or 1993 will be also considered for the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team program. The U.S. Women’s Junior National Team will compete in the FIVB Women’s Junior (U-20) World Championship to be held July 21-30 in Peru. All nine of the U.S. Youth Olympic Games participants in Colorado Springs this weekend are eligible for this program as well.

McMahon, an opposite and member of the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team that won gold at the NORCECA Women’s Junior Continental Championship, was humbled by the elite group that joined her on the court.

“The high level of competition is just amazing here,” McMahon said. “We all have been here before, at the (Olympic Training) Center, but not competing against college kids or trying out for the National Team. We all know that this is a great opportunity and that not a lot of girls our age get to do this. We know how fortunate we are.”

Being nervous seemed to show on the faces of all the participants, not just the young faces. But for Cash, also a NORCECA gold medalist, the nerves were replaced with excitement. The 6-3 middle blocker from San Diego embraced the opportunity with humble optimism.

“It is definitely nerve-racking being here,” Cash said. “We see all these players and have watched them on TV. It is an honor to be playing with them. We know who they are, whom they play for and how they play and we get to compete with them. The competition is very exciting.”

Day one of try-outs resembled a family reunion for a lot of the players who spend most of their time cross-country from previous teammates and coaches. The elite groups of contestants are among the best in the country, making the world of volleyball seem like a much smaller place.

“At the level that we are playing at you start to see familiar faces,” Cash said. “We have all played for some of the coaches out here so that helps.”

A self-proclaimed “underdog,” Kamp embraced the intense atmosphere with an open mind considering her past experience in the USA Volleyball High Performance pipeline and her prep success. As a first-year setter, she led Chicago Christian to the Illinois High School State Class 2A Championship match before losing in the final in 2009. This past fall, she helped her squad to the 2A state title as a senior. On Friday night at the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryouts, she played with intensity knowing what opportunities were present.

“It is an intense environment out here,” Kamp said. “It is a do-or-die type thing. The level of pressure is very high.”

Tryouts will continue through Sunday, Feb. 27 for the record-high 205 participants.

Tags: 2010 U.S. Girls' Youth Olympic Team, Crystal Graff, Jade Hayes, Katie Mitchell, Lauren Teknipp, Liz McMahon, Madison Kamp, Micha Hancock, Samantha Cash, Taylor Simpson, U.S. Women's Junior National Team, U.S. Women's National A2 Team, U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team