COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 27, 2016) – More than 4,000 athletes, parents and fans head to Dallas, Texas this week for the 28th annual USA Volleyball Boy’s Junior National Championships.
The Championships return to Texas after Houston, Dallas and Austin hosted the event in 2014, 2012 and 2010, respectively. This year’s event is hosted at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center from June 29-July 6.
The 2016 tournament features 464 teams played on 39 courts, the second-largest number of teams following 2015’s total of 479 teams. From 2014 to 2015, the Boys’ Junior National Championships saw a 17 percent increase. Twenty-nine of USA Volleyball’s 40 regions – plus teams from Puerto Rico and Australia – have at least one team participating; Southern California has the greatest representation with 127 teams.
“There’s been substantial growth in both team and region participation at the boys’ championships in general,” USA Volleyball Events Manager Barbara Eisenbeis said.
The teams will play in two divisions – Open and Club – from 12s up to 18s. The Boys’ 18 Club division is the largest this year with 75 teams. Teams qualified through a series of bid tournaments earlier this year.
The Dallas Sports Commission’s “Olympic Day” is July 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the convention center. Fans of all ages can participate in clinics to learn sitting volleyball, basketball and boxing, among others. U.S. Men’s Sitting Team Head Coach Greg Walker and multiple members of the U.S. Sitting Teams will be on-site to lead a clinic from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Fans also can get autographs from member of the U.S. Olympic Men’s Team from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. that day. More information, including how to purchase tickets for the World League matches, can be found here.