Haneef-Park is Honored to Hand Out Medals

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

ATLANTA (July 3, 2011) – Two-time U.S. Olympian and 2008 Olympic silver-medalist Tayyiba Haneef-Park, (Laguna Hills, Calif.) awarded medals to the teams in the 18 Open, 18 National and 18 American Divisions competing in their respective gold-medal matches on Sunday at the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships in Atlanta.

The USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships (GJNC) began on June 25 and concludes on July 4 with the gold-medal matches in the 16 Open, 16 National and 16 American Divisions on July 4. Haneef-Park will also present the awards in the three 16 Divisions.

“It’s just great to be here,” said Haneef-Park, who is taking a break from training with the U.S. Women’s National Team over the extended holiday weekend. “In Anaheim, we are closed off from everyone, so it is amazing to come here and to see the love for the sport and how much it is growing.”

Jane Croson (Lakewood, Calif.), the most valuable player of the 18 Open Division after leading Sports Shack 18-Asics (Southern California to the gold medal, felt inspired by Haneef-Park’s appearance at the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships.

“It was such an inspiration to see Tayyiba here today,” said Croson, who helped the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team to the NORCECA Women’s Junior Continental Championship last summer along with earning a gold at the FIVB Beach Volleyball Youth World Championships. “I have the goal of making the U.S. Women’s National Team and being awarded by her today was incredible.”

Katelyn Kelley (Iowa City, Iowa), a member of the 18 National Division gold-winning Six Pack 18, also enjoyed being supported by Haneef-Park.

“It was great that she came to support us,” Kelley said. “It feels great that she backs us and what we are trying to accomplish in the sport. It is cool to think about the fact that she was in our shoes at some point and then went on to become a member of the U.S. National Team.”

Haneef-Park appreciates and can identify with all of the athletes who have qualified to compete in the USAV Girls’ Junior Nationals. She is familiar with the hard work and dedication that it takes to play at a high level and recognizes these athletes for putting in so much effort.

“It is a combination of talent, hard work and dedication to make it to the top level,” Haneef-Park said. “You have to be willing to sacrifice. The girls at this level can tell you that hours on the court are also hours away from family and friends. Sometimes you have to miss out on some things, but you’re doing what you really love – playing volleyball – so it is worth it.”

As a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team, Haneef-Park helped her team to a fifth-place finish at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. She was also the second leading scorer for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, which contributed to the earning the silver-medal in Beijing.

At the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships, Haneef-Park felt honored to distribute the medals to the competitive, young athletes.

“Being here is a lot of fun,” Haneef-Park said. “From a different perspective, it is also rewarding to be here. Every day we go to practice and represent these athletes that are here competing today at the highest level and our country. It is an honor to see them fight hard and play hard, and it is awesome to see that what we do as the U.S. Women’s National Team is appreciated and that they have respect for what we do.”

Dani Rottman (Santa Barbara, Calif.) is a member of 18 American Division bronze-winning Santa Barbara 18Smack, felt fortunate to have the opportunity to be awarded her medal from a U.S. Women’s National Team member.

“It feels amazing to have someone we look up to awarding us with this medal that we have worked so hard for all season,” Rottman said. “Some of our team members have dreams of making the U.S. Women’s National Team and competing in the Olympics.”

Haneef-Park believes that the athletes competing in the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships are capable of achieving their dreams to become future U.S. Women’s National Team members and future Olympians.

“It is not always the best athletes that succeed,” Haneef-Park said. “The athletes that have drive and are willing to put the hours in are the ones who want it the most. Anyone of the athletes competing today could be the next Olympian or the next gold-medalist. They just have to want it the most and go after it.”

For USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships results, click here. For more information on the tournament, visit http://usavolleyball.org/events/4873.

All USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships gold-medal matches will be video streamed live at http://usavolleyball.org/live. All USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships medal matches except 13 Club will be streamed and accessed through the same URL.

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USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships Results

12 National: Gold- Borinquen Coqui 12-1F; Silver- ASICS MAVS 12 Blue; Bronze- Wave 12 Casey (Southern California) and MadFrog 12s Lewellen (North Texas)
12 American: Gold - Starlings-Monrovia 12 (Southern California); Silver – Victory 12 Elite (North Texas); Bronze – Alamo 12 Kaepa (Lone Star) and Laguna Beach 12 Gaido (Southern California)
13 National: Gold - Borinquen Coquir 13-1F (Puerto Rico); Silver - ASICS MAVS 13 Blue (Heart of America); Bronze - Madfrog 13s NAT STEF (North Texas) and Nebraska Elite 13 Thunder (Great Plains)
13 American: Gold - Club West 13- National (Southern California); Silver - Xtreme 13 Black (Lone Star); Bronze – Seal Beach 13-Tony (Southern California) and Premier 13 Gold (Great Plains)
14 Open: Gold – Cleveland Volleyball Company 14 Black (Ohio Valley); Silver – Mizuno Long Beach 14 Rockstar (Southern California); Bronze – OVA 14 Asics (Florida) and Nebraska Elite 14 Mayhem (Great Plains)
14 National: Gold – Team Piko 14 Ho’omau (Aloha); Silver – Coast 14-1 Luis (Southern California); Bronze – Iowa Rockets (Iowa) and Backswamp 14 Orwig (Ohio Valley)
14 American: Gold – Texas Image 14 Mizuno (North Texas); Silver – Sunshine 14 South Bay (Southern California); Bronze – Pinellas Heat 14 Elite (Florida) and Woodlands Wave 14UA (Lone Star)
15 Open: Gold - Northern Lights 15-1 (North Country); Silver - TAV 15 VB Rags Black (North Texas); Bronze – City Beach 15 Black (Northern California) and Woodlands Wave 15UA (Lone Star)
15 National: Gold – Blackswamp 15 Oberst (Ohio Valley); Silver - Miami Elite Blue 15 (Florida); Bronze- Ultimate G15 Gold (Great Lakes) and ASICS MAVS 15 Molten (Heart of America)
15 American: Gold – AZ Sky 15 Magic (Arizona); Silver – Iowa Rockets 15R (Iowa); Bronze - Cincy Classics 15 Red (Ohio Valley) and River City Juniors 151 (Great Plains)
16 Open: Finals on July 4
16 National: Finals on July 4
16 American: Finals on July 4
17 Open: Gold- Austin Junior Volleyball 17 Mizuno (Lonestar); Silver- A5 Mizuno 171 Heidi (Southern); Bronze- Club Red 17 Mizuno (Arizona) and Invasion 17-Black (Heart of America)
17 National: Gold- Orange County 17Blue (Southern California); Silver- Northern Lights 17-2 (Northern); Bronze- Alliance 17 Mizuno (Southern) and Iowa Rockets 17R (Iowa)
17 American: Gold- Instinct 17 Tigers N (North Texas); Silver- NorthShore Wood (Ohio Valley); Bronze- Alamo 17 Kaepa (Lone Star) and Nebraska Elite 17 Edge (Great Plains)
18 Open: Gold- Sports Shack 18-ASICS (Southern California); Silver- Synergy 18 Orange (Keystone); Bronze- Coast 18-1 (Southern California) and Vision 18 Gold (Northern California)
18 National: Gold- Six Pack 18 (Iowa); Silver- Surf City 18 Craig (Southern California); Bronze- Imi Ike 18s (Aloha) and ECJ 18 Elite (Ohio Valley)
18 American: Gold- Santa Barbara 18Smack (Southern California); Silver- Alamo 18 Kaepa (Lone Star); Bronze- Jamba 18 Tom (Southern California) and Fond Du Lac Fusion 18 (Badger)

Tags: 2011 Girls' Junior National Championships, junior, Junior Nationals, Juniors, Tayyiba Haneef, Tayyiba Haneef-Park, USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships