The NVA is proud to announce more exciting news regarding the 2022 season, including a new league structure with divisions and an all-star match! The National and American Conferences have been split into four divisions with three teams each, totaling twelve teams. The regular-season matches will now feature both interdivisional, interconference, and cross-conference play spreading across five-season events (two more than the year before). The new layout opens the door for a more competitive rankings system that utilizes your overall record and accumulated ‘NVA Points’ to determine qualification and seeding for the playoffs.

The four divisions are set as follows:

During the regular season, each team will play:

–       Two teams in their division twice

–       Three matches against the opposing division in their conference, and then

–       Three more matches against one of the divisions from the opposite conference

Altogether, each team will play ten matches, competing for the best overall record of their divisions. The team with the top record in their respective division will automatically qualify for the playoffs. The following two teams within that conference with the best overall record will also qualify for the playoffs regardless of division. Four teams from each conference will be represented in the playoffs, similar to 2021.

On top of the extended regular season, the NVA is also planning its first-ever All-Star Game! During Event 5, the NVA will bring together the top performers of the regular season to compete for an exhibition featuring some of the top talent in the world in one match!

Make sure to get all the NVA’s scheduled events down in your calendars, so you don’t miss any action this season! With new team rivalries established from last year’s competition, fans can expect big show-outs for match-ups such as Freedom vs. Stingers, Stunners vs. Tyrants, Blaze vs. Matadors, Sasquatch vs. Kraken, and Untouchables vs. Exposure. Come back to the news page and follow the NVA (@nvausa) on Instagram to find more info on the teams this coming season in the following weeks. Fans

should also check out the next two episodes of the Quest for the Cup series and get a first look at our two new teams, the Colorado Kraken and the Seattle Sasquatch.

–       NVA Staff Writer

The National Volleyball Association is now bigger than ever before, moving into the upcoming 2022 season, bringing you: more games, larger events, new teams, a new league structure, and even greater volleyball action! The American and National Conferences have each split into two divisions during the off-season. You will now see a Coastal and Central division within each conference. In addition, each conference has inducted a new franchise, bringing the league to a total of 12 teams, which has opened the door to a full regular-season schedule. From April to July, fans will be able to watch 60 matches with teams grinding their way through the rankings to solidify a spot in the 2022 NVA Championships! Here is the release for this year’s NVA Regular Season Event Schedule without further ado.

2022 NVA Regular Season Schedule

Event 1: April 8th – 10th

Event 2: May 6th – 8th

Event 3: May 28th – 30th

Event 4: June 17th – 19th

Event 5: July 8th – 10th

NVA Championship: August 5th-7th

Each event will feature twelve matches over three days with four games a day. Each team competes in two matches per event weekend, totaling ten matches throughout the season. The teams will be fighting each game to bolster their overall record and rack up NVA Points to win their respective division. Winning your division will automatically advance you to the playoffs.

Some of the highlight matches include…

– Saturday 04/09 @ 12:00 PM PST: Dallas Tornadoes vs. Colorado Kraken, the Tornadoes grudge match against their previous head coach and his new team, the Colorado Kraken.

– Friday 05/06 @ 9:00 AM PST: Las Vegas Ramblers vs. Utah Stingers, both of last year’s top regular-season teams who have both made the final podium two years running, will face off in this newly-formed rivalry.

– Friday 05/06 @ 12:00 PM PST: OC Stunners vs. Texas Tyrants, a rematch of their five-set, quarterfinals thriller, which is regarded as the best match of the 2021 playoffs.

– Sunday 05/30 @ 9 AM PST: Chicago Untouchables vs. Southern Exposure, a rematch of a highly gritty quarterfinal matchup from last season that ended in a five-set Exposure win.

– Sunday 06/19 @ 6 PM PST: LA Blaze vs. Inland Empire Matadors, as they battle for dominance in this cross-town rivalry.

– Sunday 06/30 @ 9 AM PST: New Jersey Freedom vs. Seattle Sasquatch, the first matchup between the Northwest and Northeast Coast teams.

Next week, be sure to check back in to delve into the ranking system that includes divisional and cross-conference play. Also, stay tuned for more information on the league’s two new teams, the Colorado Kraken and the Seattle Sasquatch! Follow the NVA on Instagram and Facebook to get weekly media updates on league developments and player stories if you haven’t already. Fans can also jump back in and watch all of last year’s matches on YouTube and get a taste of what is to come!

Follow the link below to get a breakdown of the 2022 season and conference divisions!

https://www.nvausa.com/news/detail?id=158

-NVA Staff Writer

The NVA finished off 2021 with a bang by bringing their all-stars to the AVCA’s 40^thAnniversary Convention in Columbus, Ohio! For three days, the league’s players and coaches hit the courts with some of the world’s greatest volleyball minds to help advance the sport of volleyball, educating the next generation of American coaches. The NVA had the privilege to work alongside inspirational icons such as Karch Kiraly and John Speraw as well as hosting the All-American Banquet recognizing elite players from Women’s Collegiate Volleyball.

Those who attended the All-American Banquet and the coinciding NCAA Div. 1 championship match between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Wisconsin Badgers witnessed some of the most extraordinary players in the history of NCAA. The game had historical precedence, with one player becoming the first-ever five-time AVCA First-Team All-American. Of course, it would be none other than the Division 1 player of the year, Wisconsin middle blocker Dana Rettke!

The NVA had the privilege of handing out the awards to the AVCA Players of the Year, and we are excited to share their names with you again! Readers can find the complete list of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd team selections from each division on the AVCA website. https://www.avca.org/awards/

AVCA PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

NAIA AVCA Player of the Year– Nada Meawad, Park (Missouri)

Two-Year College AVCA Player of the Year– Marian Ovalle, New Mexico Military Institute

NCCAA AVCA Player of the Year– Sydney Schwitters, University of Northwestern-St. Paul

NCAA Division III AVCA Player of the Year– Heidi Westra, Calvin University

NCAA Division II AVCA Player of the Year– Alexis Cardoza, Cal State San Bernardino

NCAA Division I AVCA Player of the Year– Dana Rettke, University of Wisconsin – Madison

For many of the NVA players present for the convention, the best moment of the event came from the Athletes Unlimited Draft, which has invited nine graduating collegiate stars to join their league. Athletes Unlimited is the only pro indoor women’s volleyball league in the U.S., which premiered last year on the CBS Sports Network! Two of the draftees, Div. 1 Player of the Year, Dana Rettke, and Nebraska’s Laura Stivrins, went head-to-head, middle on middle, in the 5-Set NCAA Championship thriller. This historic draft is the first of its kind in the U.S. to provide an immediate pipeline for the nation’s most valuable volleyball players to go straight from university to the major leagues!

https://auprosports.com/read/meet-the-9-draftees-from-the-inaugural-athletes-unlimited-volleyball-draft/

Inspired by AU Sports, the NVA is preparing to eventually establish their draft, looking to bring graduating student-athletes into the fold after the NCAA Men’s Final. With another successful year at the AVCA, the NVA has done well to show attending coaches just how disciplined, determined, and hungry our athletes are. We hope that the word will continue to spread from coaches to the next generation of college players that the dream of becoming a professional volleyball athlete is just on the other side of graduation! With this much talent already on display on the women’s side, the NVA and their teams are eager to see what homegrown products come from NCAA Men’s Volleyball this summer!

-NVA Staff Writer

In just under a week, the National Volleyball Association will be partnering once again with the American Volleyball Coaches Association for the 2021 AVCA Convention in Columbus, Ohio! Now, celebrating its 40th anniversary, the AVCA was formed back in 1981 by Terry Liskevych and Andy Banachowski as an advocacy group for coaches. Since their conception, the AVCA has significantly expanded, adding tons of new services and clinics, all with the same core dedication to serving volleyball coaches and the volleyball community.

From December 15th-18th, the convention halls will be jam-packed with seminars regarding coaching skills, skill development, career advancement, club management, and even sports psychology. Each educational session will be led by the country’s top NCAA Div 1, Olympic, and Club coaches, including some of the current greats with; Karch Kiraly (USA Women’s National Team), John Speraw (USA Men’s National Team), and Alan Knipe (Long Beach State), all leading their own sessions. On top of that, the event offers break-out sessions for coaches to network and reconnect with other coaches from around the nation.

The NVA is sending 16 athletes and coaches from around the league to take part in ten educational seminars as part of the on-court practice demonstrations. Utah Stingers Owner & NVA VP Russell Holmes will also present awards to the top NCAA athletes at this year’s All-American/Players of the Year Banquet. This will be the second year that the league has participated in this phenomenal event and has eagerly awaited its return since the last AVCA convention back in 2018.

There’s still time if you haven’t yet registered for the convention. You can also purchase passes on-site starting at 4 pm on Tuesday the 14th at 4 pm. However, if you cannot make it in person, you can still watch every seminar online with their Virtual Convention, including live Learning Labs created exclusively for virtual attendees, a virtual exhibit show, and Career Center. Below you’ll find links to find out more information about registering, as well as our seminar schedule for the week. If you see us there, give us a shout, we would love to talk and learn together as we all push to help foster the next generation of volleyball in the USA and grow the game!

Schedule and AVCA Links:

Thursday 12/16

–       11am – 12pm: Technical and Tactical Components that Lead to a Better Transition Game. (Dave Preston)

–       3pm – 4pm: Rethinking Feedback in a Practice Setting. (John Speraw)

–       4:15pm – 5:15pm: Controlled Variations of Live Play: How to Challenge your Starting Side to Prepare for Game Day. (Wright State Staff)

Friday 12/17

–       1:15pm – 2:15pm: Planning and Facilitating a Week of Practice Drills. (James Madison Staff)

–       2:30pm – 3:30pm: Bolstering your Attackers’ Toolkit. (Karch Kiraly)

–       3:45pm – 4:45pm: Training your Team to be Efficient Out of System. (Shannon Winzer)

Saturday 12/18

–       9am – 10am: Serve Receive with USAV Women’s National Team. (Tama Miyashiro)

–       9am – 10am: Adaptive Creativity – The importance of customizing drills to enhance & excite your players. (Eric Snyder)

–       10:15am – 11:15am: Coaching Using Story Telling – External Feedback in Action. (Jamie Morrison)

–       10:15am – 11:15am: Practice Pyramids: Growth Through the Climb. (Chad Willis)

https://avcaconvention.org/

https://avcaconvention.org/virtual-convention/

-NVA Staff Writer

The Texas Tyrants began their own Instagram trend of ‘workout accountability shoutouts’ on their stories this past year, which slowly became a team staple. The movement started with Setter Isaiah Acfalle and Opposite Tim Johnson posting selfies of themselves working out, quickly spreading to the rest of their teammates and even to other teams in the league. The two recently shared some background on the posts becoming part of their team culture and its impact on their ability to stay strong in the gym during the NVA offseason.

“I don’t remember when or how it started, really!” shared Acfalle. The two, Johnson and Acfalle, were workout partners when they decided to essentially ‘call each other out’ on social media to hit the gym and work out when they could not lift together. “We wanted to find a way to make sure the other wasn’t slacking off. Then more people wanted to take part as well (because) they liked the accountability aspect of it!” Acfalle went on to say. Soon after, these two created a poll on their Instagram stories to see who else wanted to join in and be tagged on social media in their public shoutouts.

Johnson shared how lifting weights together with your teammates helps not only strengthen your body but can also build team chemistry. He mentioned, “In those sessions, we push each other and give each other feedback. If I feel that I can’t do the extra rep or additional session knowing that I have people around to help me push through.” For everyone involved in the trend, the accountability posts helped to fill that void left when there wasn’t someone else there to lift with you.

Overall, the trend paid off for the Texas Tyrants as they became a force to be reckoned with in the 2021 NVA season. After a slow start, the Tyrants finished the year as one of the hottest teams going into the playoffs and were the only team to take the eventual 2021 Champions, O.C. Stunners, to five sets in the playoffs. “The whole experience felt like we were the Average Joe’s from the movie Dodgeball,” Acfalle said.

Johnson explained the transition from college to becoming a professional athlete and the importance of creating an environment where it is easy to make investing in your body a priority. “No one is going to lead you to the gym or help you maintain a healthy diet. That is your responsibility, and proper preparation is key to making sure you stay on track,” he mentioned.

Lastly, when asked what advice they would give to others wanting to get their friends and teammates involved in an accountability thread, Acfalle had this to say; “We aren’t tagging people that we think need to go lift because they are out of shape. We tag them (because) they have goals and things they want to achieve.”

Johnson also gave his advice regarding accountability, stating, “We are all in different stages of life, fitness, and different stages in our careers as Professional Athletes. But if we commit to helping each other, no matter what stage we are at, then we will continue to grow together.” He followed up on that idea by also sharing a lesson Acfalle taught him. He said, “Being at the gym is a competition with yourself. Be the best version of you that YOU can be. No need to compare to others; focus and work on yourself. Thanks, coach Zay!”

Still, today the team is holding each other accountable on social media to hit the weights and keep diving in the sand this offseason. The Texas Tyrants have big goals and expectations for this upcoming season, all doing their part to accomplish these goals together. To see what all the talk is about, go on Instagram and give Acfalle (@acfalle), Johnson (@tim.johnson17), and the Texas Tyrants (@texastyrants) a follow to join in and follow their journey!

“Volley On With the NVA!”

-NVA Staff Writer

This NVA off-season Texas Tyrants Outside, Gianluca Grasso, is competing for his second season in the Puerto Rican Premier league with the Caribes de San Sebastián! Transferring from his last team with the Mulos de Juncos, Gian has moved from the central east side to a slightly larger municipality on the west side of the island in San Sebastián.

During the club’s dominance at the height of the Puerto Rican Superior League in the 2000s, the Caribes hosted two of the most legendary middle blockers from the USA National team David Lee and David Smith at the start of their professional careers. Gian is also the second USC alumni to play for the team with 2002 alumni, Opposite Brook Billings, competing for the Caribes during the early part of his impressive 14-year international career.

Grasso has made a massive statement to the rest of the league, scoring 35 points in two matches victories against the Changos de Naranjitos and the Patriotes de Lares. Having the best stats of the superior league thus far, Gian was awarded the Most Valuable Player of the week! After the season Gian had with the NVA, as the second-highest scorer in the league, it is no surprise that he is doing so well already.

The Caribes de San Sebastián have high hopes for Grasso and the team this year as they look to return to the podium for the first time since the club took 1st place back during the 1999/00 season. With LA Blaze Opposite Rafael Cruz and Outside Pablo Guzman also on the roster, the Caribes are likely favorites to finally knock the Mets de Guaynabo off their five-year reign over the league.

Be sure to follow both Gianluca Grasso (@gianlucagrassovolley) and the Caribes de San Sebastián (@losnuevos.caribessansebastian) on Instagram to find information on all of their upcoming games and to find awesome videos and photos of Gian tearing it up on the court. The Texas Tyrants love to see all the success Gian is having and can’t wait to see him in the gym next season!

“Volley On With the NVA!”

-NVA Staff Writer

Finishing off the 2021 season, no one expected the Texas Tyrants to finish in 5th place with three other teams, unable to pull through the quarter-finals and make a deeper run in the playoffs. Especially after the Tyrants finished 2nd during the regular season, just coming shy of two winning sets for first after tying in points with the Vegas Ramblers.

Despite the unfortunate outcomes of being knocked out in the first round of post-season competition, the Tyrants still came away with some players within the Top 10 rankings. These stats are based on player’s regular season and playoff performances, excluding players who have not played ten or more sets or have not made 100 attempts or more.

Gianluca Grasso was awarded the Best OH2 during the closing ceremony of the championship event, mainly due to his points production during the season. With 163 points, Gian was ranked 2nd for ‘best scorer’ (total points) and 6th for points per set, averaging 4.29 (163/38). For his defensive stats, Gian ranked 4th for reception averaging 91% (161/176) positive passes and 7th in total digs with 75. Then lastly, tying for 8th for total aces at 10

Daniel Jacobs showed to be a lethal weapon for his team when he came off the bench, ranking 7th in attack efficiency, hitting at 48% (62/128).

Daniel’s efficiency was also linked to Isaiah Acfalle’s success as the “pinch” setter. Isaiah ranked 2nd among setters for efficiency on assists averaging 35.56% [(68-5-15)/135].

Anthony Robinson pulled off quite an impressive season as he finally got a significant starting time after leaving the Matadors. He tied for 8th for total blocks with 17 and was even selected for the dream team for top OH2 after event three.

Libero Julian Rivera, a surprise pick-up, was instrumental in the team’s defense. He finished 2nd for passing with a 92% (191/207) positive reception and was even NUMBER ONE for total digs with a whopping 98 digs.

Only one year together under their belts, the Tyrants became one of the most feared teams in the league. With all these top players returning next year, all staying local this off-season rather than playing abroad, the Tyrants should be back with even more team chemistry as a heavy favorite for the finals.

“Volley On With the NVA!”

– NVA Staff Writer

Heading into the finals weekend, the Texas Tyrants were favorites to win the championship after a solid performance through the regular season. Finding their footing in the first event, losing hard-fought matches to the Vegas Ramblers and Utah Stingers, the Tyrants went undefeated for the next seven games of the season. In their first year as a team in the league, they passed with flying colors with a winning record of 7-2, matching the Ramblers, who finished first in the regular season.

Their season was made even more memorable by the amount of outpouring support the Tyrants got from their fans. No matter what event, from California to New Jersey, the Tyrants fanatics have rivaled even Team Freedoms fanbase, which has been around since 2012. Even other teams and coaches in the league have been closely watching the Tyrants, as their playstyle has caught the eyes of other professionals.

The Tyrants shared fiery passion and focused intent that allowed them to overwhelm many competitors and routinely bounce back from inevitable defeat. Their shared desire to win at any cost was made even more lethal by the vigorous training they received from their coach Mauro Grasso. When the going got tough, there was never a moment of panic for the Texas squad, trusting their own process to show them the way forward. With everything going for the Tyrants, everyone who had followed them this season believed that they would be competing in the championship match.

Unfortunately, that finals matchup came too soon as the Tyrants took on the OC Stunners in the quarterfinals. The electrifying five-set match was an outstanding display of talent as both teams had to go above and beyond to have any chance of defeating the other. Every minute of the game was a slugfest, with both teams looking as if they were going to take it all until the other stole it right back. The only way the Stunners were able to pull off their victory in the 5th set was thanks to the unfathomable performance by the finals MVP, Corey Chavers, who scored 30 points.

The Tyrants had many memorable performances in their finals performance from Anthony Robinson, Daniel Jacobs, Ryan Maune, and Gianluca Grasso. Grasso even won an award as being the Best Outside Hitter for the 2021 Season. Maune also played his heart out in the match, proving to be a challenge for both the Stunner’s middles Nick West and Nick Amado. Reflecting on the game and his first season with the NVA, Ryan had this to say.

“The match we had against the Stunners is going to motivate our whole team for next year! We struggled to find a rhythm early and always had to fight back in every set. Experience is the best teacher, and I think this loss will only make us better as a team! 

I think we’re the youngest team in terms of experience in the NVA, so the future is nothing but up for us. We have a fantastic coach and a great group of passionate guys who work hard every day. This season is nothing to be disappointed about, and we are ready for next year!”

With more experience under their belt, the Tyrants are sure to do even greater things next season! But with the addition of two new teams in Seattle and Colorado, there will be even more competition to cut down before they find themselves back in the finals again. To catch all the excitement of their final match against the Stunners, follow the link below to find full coverage on YouTube. Be sure to follow the Tyrants(@texastyrants) and the NVA(@nvausa) on Instagram to get updates on your favorite teams, as well as find highlight clips from the season. 

NVA Quarter Final: Texas Tyrants vs OC Stunners

https://youtu.be/F-b_dM5pgVs 

• NVA Staff Writer

Of the four playoff matches on Friday, July 9th, this will be the best and most competitive one to watch. Both teams have experienced a tremendous amount of adversity and growth this season. 

Tyrants are among the newest teams in the NVA and unequivocally made tremendous improvements in their performance on the court during the 2021 season. The Tyrants started the season with a 1-2 record but quickly improved thanks to Coach Mauro Grasso. Coach Grasso quickly helped the Tyrants find their identity and convinced his players to buy into a system that allowed them to end the season with a 7-2 record. 

The Tyrants are not one of the biggest teams, but they are physical and play tenacious defense. Although they mainly relied on Gianluca Grasso to lead their offense at the beginning of the year, Coach Grasso discovered a way for the team to build confidence in the other Tyrants’ players. The Tyrants found ways to play better defense and found other players to step up and score points. As the season progressed, Anthony Robinson, Tim Johnson, Austen Lovett, Ryan Maune, and Daniel Jacobs took the load off of Grasso. The team has done well to share the wealth with their hybrid subbing system. Both setters, Gabriel Quinones and Isaiah Acfalle, have given the Tyrant’s opposite hitters and middle blockers a dynamic role in helping the Tyrants finish the season with a 5-match winning streak and 7-2 record.

The Stunners is the other NVA team that started the season 0-3 and made the playoffs. Their winless start had more to do with a lack of players and injuries than lack of performance. Joey Jarvis arrived late and a little bit out of playing condition from COVID lockdowns in Canada, so he was not in top form. Stunners also didn’t have a libero available as Matt Hilling stepped into the position in their first match. In the second match, setter Spencer Andrew injured his groin on the last play of their loss to the Tyrants. Without a backup setter, the Stunners assigned Hilling again to play setter in their third match. On top of his regular position as an outside hitter, it was the third different position that Hilling played in the three losses. 

Before the New Jersey event, the Stunners added four quality players to their roster: Setters Nikola Dmitruevic and Roberto Ramirez, outside hitter Corey Chavers and libero, Josh Ayzenberg. All four made an immediate impact as the Stunners won the next two out of three matches in Atlantic City. They then managed to return home to close out the season with three consecutive wins and a 5-4 record to finish in third place of the National Conference. 

The Stunners have one of the tallest, most prominent, and deepest rosters in the NVA. On top of that, one of the best liberos in the league with Ayzenberg and his backup, Jake Hurwitz. Stunners are deep in every position. At the outside hitter position, the team has Joey Jarvis, Corey Chavers, Matt Hilling, and Antonio Anguizola. The Stunners are four deep at the middle block with Nick Amado, Nick West, Shayne Beamer, and Kevin Gear. Although the Stunners only have one solid Opposite in Jair Sanchez-Santiago, Hilling has proven to be an excellent backup for Santiago.  

Prediction. Although the Tyrants did defeat the Stunners early this year, 3-1, this Stunners’ team is much improved, more solid, and playing with more confidence. One advantage the Tyrants have over the Stunners is Coach Grasso, who has a wealth of international coaching experience and deserves to be another candidate for Coach of the Year. But to chalk up a win, the Tyrants will need more offense from their middle blockers Austen Lovett and Ryan Maune. The Tyrants will also need to side out well and limit the number of points the Stunner’s potent offense will make on transition plays.

The Stunners’ have one of the best offenses in the NVA. They are lead by Joey Jarvis, one of the best and most consistent outside hitters who find all kinds of ways to score points. Corey Chavers has proven to be one of the hardest hitters in the league. Middle blockers Nick Amado and Nick West are aggressive and physical hitters. And defensively, the Stunners have one of the best liberos and a formidable blocking team with Amado and West. The Stunners are also an aggressive serving team as West and Chavers are lighting up the league with powerful jump serves. 

However, the Stunners do also have one caveat to overcome that has haunted them all season. They’ve committed long runs of errors in every set played with as many as four in a row. Because of this, the Stunners have played from behind in many matches and have easily given up leads. 

There is also potential that the Stunners’ will be missing  Opposite Jair Sanchez-Santiago in the playoffs as he returns home to train at the Puerto Rico National Team. The Stunners and NVA wish him the best of luck and hope the Puerto Rico National Team will add him to their roster. But if so, the team will likely look to Matt Hilling again to fill in the holes.

Although this is a coin flip, the Stunners should win in three or four sets. But the Tyrants’ tenacity and never-give-up mentality might string it out to a fifth set. Stunners 3, Tyrants 2.

The next playoff match prediction will be the Team Freedom #2 Seed in National Conference versus the Stingers #3 Seed in American Conference at 4:00 pm. To find more articles about the Texas Tyrant’s and the OC Stunner’s regular season, check out their news section at the bottom of their team websites. 

https://tyrants.nvausa.com/

https://stunners.nvausa.com/ 

“Volley On With the NVA!”

NVA Staff Writer

More often than not volleyball teams will have two or three consistently good pin players, usually what you are looking at would be one solid outside hitter and one offensively consistent opposite hitter, but what are you supposed to do when you have four incredibly good, and offensive pin players? That is the great situation the number one ranked team in the NVA, the Texas Tyrants, have found themselves in. The Texas Tyrants are able to flex their offense in more ways than one, with two consistently good outside hitters in Gianluca Grasso and Anthony Robinson, and two incredibly athletic opposites with Tim Johnson and Daniel Jacobs. 

Starting with the outside hitters Gianluca Grasso and Anthony Robinson, you have two different types of players to deal with on the court. Gian is a consistent passer and blocker, but runs one of the fastest “go” balls the NVA has ever seen. “Go” balls are usually an up and down set landing in area four of the court, typically falling through the pin about half way up. What Gian runs is a “shoot” which has no apex and flies straight through the pin, making it hard for both the other team’s middle blocker and opposite to get to the right side to form a solid block. Gian also is very efficient in hitting the “bic” which is the back row quick, in which once again, he takes teams by surprise with his speed. Anthony Robinson on the other hand requires a slower set, but with the time in the set, he has more range to either hit down the line or cross court, both which are productive swings. 

Finally we have our two opposites, Tim Johnson and Daniel Jacobs. In games past Tim Johnson has been getting the start, but due to experienced coaching from Coach Grasso, late in games you will see a double sub, where the backrow opposite will get subbed for a new setter and a front row setter will get subbed for a new opposite, which is where you see Daniel Jacobs. Once again both these players are radically different but highly effective players. Tim Johnson requires an incredible high set, with only being 6 ‘4, his 40+ inch vertical jump allows him to reach balls most players only dream of reaching. Contacting the ball at this height allows him to hit shots on the court that are usually taken away due to a well formed block being set up, but Tim just goes over them. Daniel Jacobs on the other hand has an absolute whip of an arm, while he may not jump like Tim Johnson does, he still jumps incredibly well and has tremendous range. Daniel Jacobs is also a very disciplined blocker, and thanks to his experience on the outside, can step in and pass to help shrink the seams in serve receive. 

Check out Gian, Daniel, Tim, and Anthony as they dominate the offense next week July 9th-11th as they try to make their run in the NVA Championships.