A Look at Iowa Region HP Teams
The High Performance program gives youth players (both boys and girls) the opportunity to compete against the very top players in the country in their age group and exposure to international competition. High Performance strives to provide junior athletes with…
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Continue ReadingThe High Performance program gives youth players (both boys and girls) the opportunity to compete against the very top players in the country in their age group and exposure to international competition. High Performance strives to provide junior athletes with high-level training and skill development from elite coaches, as well as uphold the tradition of creating a pipeline of talented volleyball players.
High Performance is categorized into the USAV program and regional programs. Region High Performance Programs are the branches of USA Volleyball’s National High Performance Program where try-outs and training operate separately within the legal entity. There are 18 Region High Performance programs run annually that compete alongside the USAV National programs at the USAV High Performance Championships.
The 2018 USAV High Performance Championships will be held at the Cox Business Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The event features more than 100 teams across the globe including USAV Region HP teams, USAV HP teams, and International teams. International teams who frequent the tournament are Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Dominican Republic, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, and Puerto Rico. Because the tournament operates under FIVB International rules (permitting only six substitutions per set), all athletes must be well-rounded.
Iowa is one of the few regions that hosts a High Performance program. The Iowa Region operates under the mission to facilitate all the quality programs offered by USA Volleyball as well as facilitate the growth of volleyball in Iowa through other organizations. Iowa HP is a three-tier program consisting of try-outs, an individual skills camp, and selection to an Iowa HP Travel Team.
Iowa has been a force to be reckoned with at the International tournament. The USAV High Performance Championships was founded 16 years ago, starting as a single division. The first tournament was held in Utah where Iowa made history by capturing the very first High Performance Championship. Iowa has been a competitor in the International tournament ever since and has been very successful, acquiring 6 golds, 4 silvers, and 3 bronzes. Five years ago, Iowa HP added a boys’ program.
The record medal count the Iowa Region has brought home from one tournament is four, in 2012 when Iowa hosted the tournament in Des Moines. Iowa Region High Performance Director, Kurt Trout, believes this is the year that Iowa matches that medal count, stating, “We are sending some of the strongest teams we have sent in quite some time.”
The Iowa Region hosted five multi-day try-outs from February through April where over 400 athletes across the state congregated for the opportunity to compete for Iowa at the USAV High Performance Championships starting July 24th. Try-out camps are ran by expert coaches invited from across the country including Tom Hogan (assistant women’s coach at the 2008 Olympic Games), Stacy Sykora (3-time Olympian), and Kayla Banwarth (and Iowa native Olympian).
Trout talks about the opportunity that Iowa HP provides to athletes, “High Performance provides opportunities to athletes they cannot get out of club or high school. High School is fun, but you only represent your town. Club is fantastic, but you only represent a region. High Performance is completely different because these athletes are representing the entire state of Iowa and have the opportunity to play with athletes across the state.”
Six teams of 9-10 athletes were assembled by age groups with elite coaches from the collegiate and high school level leading them. Training prior to the tournament will begin July 20th in Des Moines before traveling to Tulsa.
Women’s Junior Team
The Women’s’ Junior Team is composed of 10 athletes of ages 17-18. The team will be competing in the Women’s Junior International Division at the USAV High Performance Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma starting July 24th. The team will be coached by Tina Carter and Makani Cantor of Grand View University.
#1 Sierra Athen (Committed to Bellevue University)
2018 OH
Club: Attack VBC
High School: Red Oak
#3 Emily Box
2019 MB
Club: Cruisers
High School: Holy Trinity
#4 Aurora Light
2019 MB
Club: Eastern Iowa Xtreme
High School: Mount Vernon
#6 Kenzie Mantz (Committed to Iowa State University)
2019 MB
Club: Iowa Rockets
High School: Belle Plaine
#7 Shauntina Williams
2019 OH
Club: Iowa Rockets
High School: Clear Creek-Amana
#8 Jaedyn Schutt
2019 Setter
High School: MOC-Floyd Valley
#10 Rylie Olson (Committed to Grand View University)
2019 Setter
Club: Six Pack
High School: Osage
#11 Madison Larson (Committed to Winona State University)
2019 MB
Club: Six Pack
High School: Independence
#13 Sydney Midlang
2019 MB
Club: Six Pack
High School: Osage
#15 Anna Marvelli
2020 OH
Club: Central Iowa Select
High School: Indianola
Girls’ Youth International
The Girls’ Youth International Team is composed of 10 athletes of ages 15-16. The team will be competing in the Girls’ Youth International Division at the USAV High Performance Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma starting July 24th. The team will be coached by Vicki Brown of the University of Iowa and Devon Wells of Grand View University.
#1 Rylee Fay (Committed to Missouri State University)
2020 Setter
Club: Six Pack
High School: Iowa City West
#2 Aliyah Carter
2020 OH
Club: Adrenaline
High School: Dubuque Wahlert
#3 Abby Pospisil
2020 Setter
Club: Cedar Rapids Surge
High School: Cedar Valley Christian
#5 Pypr Stoeffler
2021 OH
Club: Midwest Volleyball Power
High School: LeMars
#8 Sydney Dennis (Committed to University of Iowa)
2021 DS
Club: Iowa Rockets
High School: North Cedar
#9 Justyus Jackson (Committed to University of Tulsa)
2020 MB
Club: Iowa Select
High School: Davenport North
#10 Caidince Cleveland
2021 DS
Club: Iowa Select
High School: Bettendorf
#14 Chloe Largent
2022
Club: Central Iowa Select
High School: Adair-Casey
#16 Lauren Shrock
2021 OH
Club: Iowa Rockets
High School: Solon
#21 Akacia Brown
2020 OH
Club: Iowa Rockets
High School: Cedar Falls
Girls’ Youth National (15-16’s)
The Girls’ Youth International Team is composed of 10 athletes of ages 15-16. The team will be competing in the Girls’ Youth National Division at the USAV High Performance Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma starting July 24th. The team will be coached by Marc Neef of Stony Brook University and Andie Olson of Osage High School.
#1 Jazlin De Haan
2021 OH
Club: Midwest Volleyball Power
High School: MOC-Floyd Valley
#2 Abbey Griffin
2020
Club: Central Iowa Select
High School: Albia
#4 Taylor Grinley
2021 Setter
Club: Iowa Heart
High School: Gilbert
#6 Lineya Wells
2021 MB
Club: Midwest Volleyball Power
High School: Sioux City East
#12 Saari Kuehl
2021 OH
Club: Club Iowa Juniors
High School: Gladbrook-Reinbeck
#13 Dasha Svitashev
2022
Club: Central Iowa Select
High School: Johnston
#17 Natalie Welch
2021 MB
Club: Eastern Iowa Xtreme
High School: Mount Vernon
#18 Alysen Dexter
2021 OH
Club: Ohana
High School: Des Moines Christian
#23 Abby Staun
2022
Club: Central Iowa Select
High School: Dowling Catholic
#24 Emmy Wedgbury
2021 DS
Club: Club Iowa Juniors
High School: Cedar Falls
Girls’ Select Black
The Girls’ Select Black Team is composed of 9 athletes of ages 14 and younger. The team will be competing in the Girls’ Select Division (youngest age division) at the USAV High Performance Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma starting July 24th. The team will be coached by Jenna Ness of Loras College and Joe Lynch of Iowa State University.
#5 Tatum Carlson
Club: Premier
#6 Olivia Lombardi
Club: Central Iowa Select
#7 Grace Graham
Club: Lancers
#9 Lauren Carter
Club: Central Iowa Select
#11 Hayden Kubik
Club: Central Iowa Select
#15 Claudia Aschenbrenner
Club: Club Iowa Juniors
#20 Mara Fluent
Club: Club Iowa Juniors
#22 AJ Schubert
Club: Iowa Select
#23 Chloe Cline
Club: Iowa Select
Girls’ Select Red
The Girls’ Select Red Team is composed of 9 athletes of ages 14 and younger. The team will be competing in the Girls’ Select Division (youngest age division) at the USAV High Performance Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma starting July 24th. The team will be coached by April Elsbernd of the University of Dubuque and Daniel Cabrera of Culver Stockton College.
#1 Cassidy Hartman
Club: Imagine
#3 Elise Mehaffy
Club: Club Iowa Juniors
#5 Peyton Johnson
Club: Iowa Rockets
#8 Chloe Vanetten
#9 Taylor Bechen
Club: AVBA
#11 Eva Fulk
Club: Iowa Power Volleyball Alliance
#14 Lauren Golinghorst
Club: Lancers
#16 Grace Embretson
Club: Iowa Rockets
#20 Sarah Galluzzo
Club: Ohana
Boys’ Regional
The Boys’ Regional Team is composed of 10 athletes throughout the state of Iowa. The team will be competing in the Boys’ Regional Division at the USAV High Performance Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma starting July 24th. The team will be coached by Frank Flanagan of Augustana College and Ben Bahr of Adrenaline Volleyball Academy.
#1 Jacob Lodico
Club: Sting
#4 Dawson Mente
Club: Iowa Select
#11 Tyler Morgan
Club: Johnston
#12 Spencer Thomas
Club: Iowa Select
#15 Blake Hosic
Club: High Flyers
#16 Tate Sandvig
Club: Johnston
#21 Bradyn Zula
#22 Grayson Juel
Club: Johnston
#23 Max Roquet
Club: Johnston
#24 Jordan Sedivec
Club: Johnston
For more information regarding Iowa Region High Performance, visit http://www.iavbreg.org/high-performance-1