District volleyball standouts to compete in Junior Nationals
Seventy-one area volleyball players from a dozen area school districts will be competing for the Pittsburgh Volleyball Club at the 33rd annual United States Boys' Junior National Volleyball Championships, which will take place Sunday through July 8 at the Dallas Convention Center.
"This is the third year for our club and the third year we will have teams competing at the national championships," said North Allegheny coach Dan Schall, who serves as volleyball director for the club.
"We sent six teams the first year, seven teams last year, and will have seven teams again this year."
The Junior National Championships feature the top teams in the country in seven different age groups: 18-and-under, 17-and-under, 16-and-under, 15-and-under, 14-and-under, 13-and-under and 12-and-under.
"All seven age brackets have a club division in which any team may participate," Schall said. "In the 18, 17, 16, 15 and 14 age brackets, they also have an Open Division. The Open Division is much tougher and all teams must qualify. The best teams in the country are in the Open brackets."
The Pittsburgh Volleyball Club has seven teams entered in five different age brackets.
"We had one team qualify for the Open Division," Schall said. "Our 18-and-under team is one of 36 teams in the open bracket. They earned their bid during the winter season at the Boys Great Lakes Festival in Chicago. We also have a second 18-and-under team that is entered in the club bracket. There are 56 teams in that bracket."
The PVC also has two teams entered in the 17-and-under division, both in the club bracket.
"We also have one team entered in the 16, 15 and 14 divisions, all the the club brackets," Schall said.
Eleven of the 20 players recognized as WPIAL first-team all-stars are playing for the Pittsburgh Volleyball Club. Seven were Class AAA all-stars and the other four were Class AA stars.
The PVC's team entered in the Open Division features four WPIAL first-team all-stars, Bethel Park setter Ryan Dunay, Seneca Valley middle hitter Chad Albert, North Allegheny outside hitter Zach Shaw, and Butler Area outside hitter Xavier Krause. All four are recent graduates.
"We held tryouts and picked nine to 12 players on each team," said Derry Area coach Shawn Spencer, who is head coach of the 18-and-under Open team. "We had more kids try out in the 17 and 18 age brackets, so we picked two teams. We have a first and second team in both age brackets."
Penn-Trafford coach Jim Schall is coaching the second 18-and-under team. His squad includes three WPIAL first-team all-stars -- Derry outside hitter Jeremy Hauser, Deer Lakes outside hitter Sean McTigue, and Derry setter Andy Panizzi. Hauser and McTigue are recent graduates, while Panizzi completed his junior year.
North Allegheny assistant Dan Long is the head coach of the first 17-and-under team, which includes three WPIAL first-team all-stars, Bethel Park opposite Grant Underwood, North Allegheny outside hitter Tommy Keisling, and Peters Township opposite Gabe Pritz. All three completed their junior year.
"All seven of our teams will be competitive," said Our Lady of the Sacred Heart coach Mike McDonald. "Our best teams are our top 18 and 17 teams and our 16 team."
McDonald is assistant coach of the 16-and-under team. Fox Chapel coach Phil O'Keeffe is the head coach. The team features McDonald's son, Shaughn, a two-time first-team WPIAL Class AA All-Star.
"I've coached at the national championships close to 20 years," McDonald said. "I made my first trip to nationals in 1988 and went every year until 1999 or 2000. I took off the next seven or eight years, then came back four years ago when my son started playing."
The other three PVC head coaches are Dave Neely (17-and-under), Ryan Lundy (15-and-under) and Mike Nypaver (14-and-under).
Each team will play at least three matches per day for three days. A knock-off round will take place for the top teams on the fourth day.
"It's a working vacation," McDonald said. "We do get one day to ourselves for sightseeing, but we're here to play volleyball."
The PVC has conducted three practices a week since the high school season ended to prepare for the national tournaments. All practices are at the Monroeville Sports Complex.
"Each club member pays a fee that depends on whether they participate during the winter," said Pete Madia, a North Allegheny assistant who serves as club director. "The fee covers uniforms, rental for training facilities, a fee for the coaches and hotel expenses. Each player and any parents must pay for their transportation costs and meals during the trip."
Madia handles the administrative aspect of the group.
"Pete is the brains of the group," Dan Schall said. "He does a lot of different things for the club."
"Dan handles the volleyball side of it, while I handle the business end of it," Madia said. "He's more in communication with the coaches, planning practices and picking the teams."
The PVC has had two teams earn top 10 finishes. In 2010, they fielded a team in the 18-and-under division that placed fourth in the Open bracket. Last year, they had a team place fifth in the 18-and-under division in the Club Division.
"This is the third year for our club and the third year we will have teams competing at the national championships," said North Allegheny coach Dan Schall, who serves as volleyball director for the club.
"We sent six teams the first year, seven teams last year, and will have seven teams again this year."
The Junior National Championships feature the top teams in the country in seven different age groups: 18-and-under, 17-and-under, 16-and-under, 15-and-under, 14-and-under, 13-and-under and 12-and-under.
"All seven age brackets have a club division in which any team may participate," Schall said. "In the 18, 17, 16, 15 and 14 age brackets, they also have an Open Division. The Open Division is much tougher and all teams must qualify. The best teams in the country are in the Open brackets."
The Pittsburgh Volleyball Club has seven teams entered in five different age brackets.
"We had one team qualify for the Open Division," Schall said. "Our 18-and-under team is one of 36 teams in the open bracket. They earned their bid during the winter season at the Boys Great Lakes Festival in Chicago. We also have a second 18-and-under team that is entered in the club bracket. There are 56 teams in that bracket."
The PVC also has two teams entered in the 17-and-under division, both in the club bracket.
"We also have one team entered in the 16, 15 and 14 divisions, all the the club brackets," Schall said.
Eleven of the 20 players recognized as WPIAL first-team all-stars are playing for the Pittsburgh Volleyball Club. Seven were Class AAA all-stars and the other four were Class AA stars.
The PVC's team entered in the Open Division features four WPIAL first-team all-stars, Bethel Park setter Ryan Dunay, Seneca Valley middle hitter Chad Albert, North Allegheny outside hitter Zach Shaw, and Butler Area outside hitter Xavier Krause. All four are recent graduates.
"We held tryouts and picked nine to 12 players on each team," said Derry Area coach Shawn Spencer, who is head coach of the 18-and-under Open team. "We had more kids try out in the 17 and 18 age brackets, so we picked two teams. We have a first and second team in both age brackets."
Penn-Trafford coach Jim Schall is coaching the second 18-and-under team. His squad includes three WPIAL first-team all-stars -- Derry outside hitter Jeremy Hauser, Deer Lakes outside hitter Sean McTigue, and Derry setter Andy Panizzi. Hauser and McTigue are recent graduates, while Panizzi completed his junior year.
North Allegheny assistant Dan Long is the head coach of the first 17-and-under team, which includes three WPIAL first-team all-stars, Bethel Park opposite Grant Underwood, North Allegheny outside hitter Tommy Keisling, and Peters Township opposite Gabe Pritz. All three completed their junior year.
"All seven of our teams will be competitive," said Our Lady of the Sacred Heart coach Mike McDonald. "Our best teams are our top 18 and 17 teams and our 16 team."
McDonald is assistant coach of the 16-and-under team. Fox Chapel coach Phil O'Keeffe is the head coach. The team features McDonald's son, Shaughn, a two-time first-team WPIAL Class AA All-Star.
"I've coached at the national championships close to 20 years," McDonald said. "I made my first trip to nationals in 1988 and went every year until 1999 or 2000. I took off the next seven or eight years, then came back four years ago when my son started playing."
The other three PVC head coaches are Dave Neely (17-and-under), Ryan Lundy (15-and-under) and Mike Nypaver (14-and-under).
Each team will play at least three matches per day for three days. A knock-off round will take place for the top teams on the fourth day.
"It's a working vacation," McDonald said. "We do get one day to ourselves for sightseeing, but we're here to play volleyball."
The PVC has conducted three practices a week since the high school season ended to prepare for the national tournaments. All practices are at the Monroeville Sports Complex.
"Each club member pays a fee that depends on whether they participate during the winter," said Pete Madia, a North Allegheny assistant who serves as club director. "The fee covers uniforms, rental for training facilities, a fee for the coaches and hotel expenses. Each player and any parents must pay for their transportation costs and meals during the trip."
Madia handles the administrative aspect of the group.
"Pete is the brains of the group," Dan Schall said. "He does a lot of different things for the club."
"Dan handles the volleyball side of it, while I handle the business end of it," Madia said. "He's more in communication with the coaches, planning practices and picking the teams."
The PVC has had two teams earn top 10 finishes. In 2010, they fielded a team in the 18-and-under division that placed fourth in the Open bracket. Last year, they had a team place fifth in the 18-and-under division in the Club Division.
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