COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 10, 2020) – It is not too late to be a part of the USA Volleyball High Performance Academy, a unique opportunity to learn from some of the top athletes, coaches and experts in the sport.
Created to engage and give back to the volleyball community during the COVID-19 pandemic, the USAV HP Academy gives athletes and coaches the chance to learn from U.S. National Team athletes, coaches and staff via webinars and scheduled online courses.
They can also learn from experts in the fields of nutrition, recovery, leadership and mindfulness.
“We wanted to find a way to create and share information that coaches, athletes and their families would find engaging, interesting and useful so they could continue to learn during our time away from the court,” said USAV Chief of Sport Peter Vint.
“We believe we have created an excellent and well-rounded program presented by some of the best volleyball and high-performance minds in the world.”
The postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games provided USAV with the opportunity to get some of its top athletes, coaches and experts involved with the HP Academy.
“Everyone in our volleyball community has had to make massive adjustments as we work through all of the levels of COVID-19 responses, and their impact on players and coaches,” said U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly.
“The opportunity is this: we’ve lost time spent on the court, in training and competition, so we can use some of that time building effective ways to stay engaged, to share information, and to foster learning. The four weeks of this HP Academy are the result, and I’m honored to participate in this inaugural venture. I’m also pumped to see how this program will develop over the next one year, five years and beyond.”
The Olympians and Paralympians presenting are:
Jake Gibb (three-time Olympian)
Foluke Gunderson (two-time Olympic medalist)
Tayyiba Haneef-Park (three-time Olympian and medalist)
Karch Kiraly (three-time Olympic gold medalist)
Rich Lambourne (two-time Olympian and gold medalist)
Jordan Larson (two-time Olympic medalist)
Jose Loiola (Brazil beach Olympian)
Tama Miyashiro (Olympic medalist)
Nicky Nieves (Paralympic gold medalist)
Dan Regan (Paralympian)
Kelsey Robinson (Olympic medalist)
April Ross (two-time Olympic medalist)
Taylor Sander (Olympic medalist)
Erik Shoji (Olympic medalist)
Kawika Shoji (Olympic medalist)|
Stacy Sykora (three-time Olympian and medalist)
Courtney Thompson (two-time Olympic medalist)
Among the topics covered are offensive and defensive tactics, systems and concepts; blocking, serving, attacking and passing concepts; along with sessions on leadership, sleep, nutrition and return to play after the pandemic.
Currently, 819 athletes and 156 coaches are registered for the four-week Academy, which began July 7 and costs $120.
Registration is still open and participants can view completed sessions on-demand.
What others are saying about the USAV HP Academy:
“I am completely honored that I have an opportunity to use this resource, especially before our high school season begins. In the climate that we have been in lately with COVID-19, this has come at a perfect time for my athletes and my staff.” – St. Charles East High School (Illinois) volleyball coach Jennie Kull
“To have sport science experts, experienced coaches, Olympians and leaders in the sport connect with the volleyball community on a broad platform really speaks to transforming the sport from being available to a few to being accessible to all. What a great value add that can benefit all of volleyball.” – Executive director of the USAV North Country region and a former head coach at Marquette and Auburn Laura Bush
“I’m excited to be a part of the first ever HP Academy! The knowledge group that has been assembled is going to give everyone involved a deeper look into our sport. The presenters will be sharing what they have learned from their experiences in volleyball and how they are continuing to pursue their passion for both volleyball and learning. I’m excited to be able to give to this academy but more excited to learn from all these masters myself.” – USAV Director, Coaching, Beach National Teams Tyler Hildebrand
“I have been so impressed the first two sessions. The first seminar, Tips and Tools on How to be a Great Sport Parent, by Dr. Peter Vint and Sue Enquist, was phenomenal with SO MUCH outstanding information for parents. The second session by the National Team coaches and high-performance staff blew me away with the level of sharing by the presenters. I cannot wait for the rest of the HP Academy sessions. So far, the best educational sessions, EVER, and I have been to a lot of educational sessions in my career!!!” – USAV Board of Directors Chair and former Florida State Head Coach Cecile Reynaud