DALLAS, Texas (July 2, 2019) – Winning a national championship is fun.
Winning a national championship with your entire club cheering you on is more fun.
The Bay to Bay 12-1 team out of USA Volleyball’s Northern California Region found this out Tuesday when it beat TORRIMAR 12-1 out of Puerto Rico 25-20, 25-14 to win the 12 Club title at the USAV Boys Junior National Championships at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
Borinquen Coqui 12-1M out of Puerto Rico and MB Surf ASICS 12’s-1 out of Southern California tied for third.
Having older Bay to Bay Club members cheering with and for the 12s team while TORRIMAR was supported by other teams from Puerto Rico gave the championship match incredible energy.
“It was so fun,” said Bay to Bay’s Roan David Alviar. “Just having one kill, everybody’s saying, ‘Yeah, go!’”
Club Director Matt Houlihan said full club support was part of the plan from the beginning.
“When my wife and I took over the club six years ago, she said, ‘I want to get to the point where our club is there supporting another team and just giving them all the positive energy and support that they need,’” he said. “It was awesome to see that community come together around a group like this.”
Bay to Bay went 8-0 in its march to the final, picking up steam as it went.
“First of all, when we were playing, we were, let’s just say, scared of the other teams,” Alviar said. “But as it went on, we got a little bit confident in ourselves and we started playing well.”
Houlihan said the team worked hard all year for its success.
“It’s a testament to how much time they spent in they gym,” he said. “How much they and their parents and coaching staff have dedicated.”
The BJNC uses a staggered start and finish for divisions over the course of the eight-day tournament played on 57 courts. Open and USA Division teams must qualify through USA Volleyball bid tournaments held across the country, or through at-large selections based on results at bid tournaments.
2019 USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships Schedule
- 18 Open, USA and Club Divisions: June 30-July 3
- 17 Open, USA and Club Divisions: July 4-7
- 16 Open, USA And Club Divisions: July 2-5
- 15 Open and Club Divisions: July 3-6
- 14 Open and Club Divisions: July 1-4
- 13 Club Division: July 5-7
- 12 Club Division: June 30-July 2
Sport Court is the official athletic flooring for all USA Volleyball national championship events.