If you’re passionate about volleyball, you may have heard about the Texoma Region. Even though it doesn’t officially exist, it has made its mark in the 2018 USA Volleyball High Performance Championships with four Texoma rosters on the schedule. Established in 2016, Texoma is a combined team representing the Oklahoma, North Texas, and Lone Star Regions.
The Four Horsemen of Texoma volleyball – Eric Wooldridge and Sean Carter from Houston Volleyball Academy, Asa Freeman from Dallas, and Glen Lietzke, club director at Austin Junior Volleyball – are the driving forces behind this concept. Starting with just two teams, the program has since grown in size and stature. Former players from the initial combined effort in 2016 now compete on the A1 teams at the championships in Tulsa.
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Impressively, this concept has also expanded to include another collaboration called Northwest, consisting of players from the Puget Sound, Evergreen, and Columbia Empire regions. What does all this mean for America’s Regional Volleyball Associations? Simply put, it means that even if you’re from a small region, you too can have the opportunity to play and showcase your talent.
Providing Opportunities for Boys
The presence of boys in volleyball is crucial, especially for regions that may not receive as much recognition in other sports such as football or baseball. Sean Carter explains, “We’re from a part of the country that doesn’t really get a lot of coverage, and a lot of our athletes don’t get seen by college coaches because we’re not known as a hotbed for that.” The Texoma program allows athletes from these regions to gain exposure to Division I and II head coaches and increases their chances of being noticed.
Training Across Different Regions
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Training players from three different regions can be quite a challenge, but the Texoma program has found a way to make it work. Asa Freeman explains, “We do two tryouts. We host the Southwest Boys Tour that has tournaments in every city in our regions in Oklahoma and Texas. We host tryouts the day before and then we decide teams a few weeks later.” Additionally, they organize a mini-camp in Dallas, the most central location for all the players involved. By the time the event starts, they have already accumulated 19 hours of training on the court.
Overcoming Challenges for Coaches
Coaches constantly face the challenge of working with athletes from different clubs and with varying systems. Eric Wooldridge highlights this, saying, “There are athletes from other clubs, so they have different cultures, different systems, some with good systems, some with no systems, so we’re starting from ground zero.” However, through their dedication, the Texoma program has managed to cultivate a strong team culture where players buy into their system. The success stories of previous players who started with the program and moved up to the A1 team serve as powerful motivation for aspiring athletes.
Collaboration for the Greater Good
The Texoma program is not alone in its pursuit of collaboration. The establishment of the Northwest team demonstrates the growing trend of smaller regions banding together. Sean Carter expresses his excitement about this development, stating, “If you’re actually trying to develop all of the best talent in the country for your Olympic team, then a high-performance system has to be as far and widespread as there are athletes in your country.” It is essential to look for talent in every corner of the country, regardless of whether it is considered a traditional hotbed for volleyball.
Expanding Opportunities in the Puget Sound Region
In the Puget Sound Region, there is a similar drive to bring together players from different regions. Paula Schwan, a club coach from the Kent Juniors Volleyball Club, has been instrumental in this effort. She has been inviting players from neighboring regions, such as Evergreen and Columbia Empire, to participate in tryouts and camps for girls’ High Performance. This year, with Schwan’s guidance, Evergreen entered its first HP team, extending the opportunity to more players in the region.
Recognizing that there weren’t enough boys to form separate boys’ HP teams in each region, Schwan took the initiative to create a team called Northwest. This inclusive team represents all the regions in the area, aiming to provide as many opportunities as possible. Schwan’s ultimate goal is to see each region eventually forming their own teams, nurturing talent across the board.
Conclusion
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The Texoma and Northwest collaborations have shown that when regions come together, great things can happen. These programs have opened doors for athletes who may have otherwise gone unnoticed, giving them a chance to compete at a higher level and catch the attention of college coaches. By fostering a culture of unity and shared goals, they have proven that success can be achieved through collaboration. As the popularity of these initiatives grows, it is hoped that more regions will join forces to create even more opportunities for aspiring athletes to reach their full potential.
FAQs
What is the goal of the Texoma and Northwest collaborations?
The goal of these collaborations is to provide opportunities for athletes from smaller regions to participate in high-level volleyball competitions and gain exposure to college coaches.
How do the Texoma and Northwest programs train players from different regions?
The programs conduct tryouts and tournaments in various cities within the regions, ensuring that players from all areas have a chance to showcase their skills. They also organize training camps to bring the teams together before major events.
How do coaches handle the challenge of working with players from different clubs and systems?
Coaches understand the need to start from scratch and build a strong team culture that players can buy into. They emphasize the benefits of their system and the potential for players to move up to higher levels of competition.
Are there other collaborations similar to Texoma and Northwest?
Yes, the Puget Sound Region has also formed a collaboration, allowing players from different regions to participate in tryouts and camps. The goal is to eventually have individual teams for each region, fostering talent development across the board.
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Danh mục: Volleyball
