As our RMR regional competition season winds down, we move our focus to the summer Camp and Clinic season. Many of our local clubs promote skills camps of their own, or bring in collegiate or professional clinicians to bolster their offerings. We post camp/clinic fliers on behalf of our RMR clubs and partners HERE.
This year, the RMR has taken an extra step. We have invited the "Art of Coaching" team to bring their Coaches Clinic to Denver! We're one of only three regions in the country who will host this program this year, and RMR Clubs and Coaches receive big discounts!
Our AOC camp will run May 17 and 18th at Metro State.
For more information about the Clinic Program and the RMR Discount program, please see the Art Of Coaching DENVER 25 Landing Page
RMR Community;
A few weeks ago, we published an RMR Recruiting Policy that included the idea that “currently-affiliated athletes were completely off limits” until July Tryouts. We received significant feedback from many of our Directors regarding that concept, and so we reached out to USAV leadership directly. They made clear that USAV and most Regions are moving away from “restrictive regulations” of this nature, and towards a more open “free market” philosophy. The RMR will follow suit.
Please find attached (above) a single-page “white sheet” that describes our updated Recruiting Policy. Also, please be aware that the RMR reserves the right to update the Policy from time to time, as our Board of Directors finds necessary.
We're aware that the RMR, like USAV and "club volleyball" universally, has been changing rapidly. We all yearn for the stability of previous times. Still, implementation of new technology, new policies and new management standards will help us meet challenging new market realities.
Like most of you, we do hope to "settle in" on stable annual calendars, ranking systems, and of course a recruiting policy that serve everyone smoothly and well, and that can be left in place for several years into the future. "Fingers crossed" that this Recruiting Policy represents a step in that direction!
Finally, an apology. This year we are dreadfully late in publishing our recruiting plan and calendar. I'd like to thank our Girls Junior Committee for all of their hard work! Meanwhile, as Director, I do apologize to all of you in the RMR Community for the late delivery of this necessary information.
Enjoy the weekend, whether you'll be playing here in Denver with Power 4-Odd, or competing at the PNQ, Northern Lights, or Big South Qualifiers...
... and Good Luck!
Keith Murlless, Executive Director, RMR
Check out this article, written by a prominent journalist, just after the recent USAV / New England Region Boston Volleyball Festival : BOSTON GLOBE "As I See It"
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Rocky Mountains will be alive with the sound of volleyball in 2025 when Denver hosts the USA Volleyball Open National Championship on May 23-28 at the Colorado Convention Center.
The Open National Championship is the longest-running volleyball tournament in the United States and features women’s and men’s teams with players ages 18 to 80.
The field will include teams comprised of former USA Volleyball national team players and national team development program (NTDP) athletes.
“We are happy to be bringing the 2025 USA Volleyball Open National Championship to the Mile High City of Denver,” said USA Volleyball President and CEO Jamie Davis. “The Open Championship provides adult teams at every level a chance to compete against others from both foreign and domestic. This tournament epitomizes the essence of USAV and shows that volleyball is truly a sport for life. We thank the Denver Sports Commission for all its support.”
In addition, USA Volleyball will celebrate volleyball leaders and stars at its Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony ahead of the 2025 tournament.
The RMR Girls Spring Forum (for Club Directors) will be held Wednesday May 7th, 730-930pm, at the RMR Offices in Ken Caryl. Full zoom functionality will be provided to Directors who prefer to attend virtually.
Directors in the Denver area may attend in person. Please drop us a line to help us determine how many guests we should anticipate, as the office will only comfortably seat about 30 persons.
24-25 GIRLS SOS RANKINGSUpdates mid-morning each Monday |
In addition to winning RMR Regional Bids here in Denver at the ZBT, several of our RMR clubs have secured bids at USAV Girls National Qualifiers.
Congratulations go out to:
At SLC Showdown GJNC
NORCO 15 Black 15 USA
Colorado Juniors 16Shannon 16 USA
At Pacific Northwest GJNQ
Colorado Elite 16 Grizzly 16 Liberty
At Mideast GJNQ
Elevation 18 Peak 18 USA
Colorado Juniors 18Jayne 18 Liberty
At Red Rock Rave GJNQ
FrontRange 18 Black 18 USA
Mesa Juniors 18 Black 18 Amer
At Sunshine GJNQ
CS Altitude 16 Navy 16 Amer
At Florida Fest GJNQ
Colorado Juniors 18Kevin 18 Open
To see how the RMR is doing on the national stage and here at home, please see
Hint: Search "RMR" at the TM2 Homepage
Reasonable question, but...
Like last year; We will post event schedules on Wednesday (maybe Tuesday night...) before your event !
We understand that you want to book hotels early!
But here's why we can't publish sites and pools earlier...
* We keep registration open until only two weeks before the event
* This allows your Club Director maximum flexibility, as they manage complex calendars.
* We “accept all teams that apply by deadline." This means that our division sizes fluctuate widely.
* Those division sizes need to be matched to the available facilities
* And so we need a full week, after registration closes, to build the event!
* Also: We try to consider driving distances for the teams in each seeded pool, before placing it at a facility (maybe north, maybe south)
* And seeding changes each Sunday based on SOS results -- even from Sundays when you're not playing.
* So really, since we don't know your current seed until Monday morning, we're building the event in less than two days!
We know it's important to you... and so we do our best, every week!
The RMR
Parents;
This year the RMR has joined with many other USAV Regions across the country, in implementing the PURPLE CARD policy. The program is designed to help manage spectator behavior at our events.
"Spectators" can mean visitors, players or coaches from off-duty teams, parents, siblings... anyone in the gym! The Purple Card can be displayed by a referee (including coaches who are working as referees at a given match) whenever spectator behavior becomes an issue. When the purple card comes out, the match stops and the captains and coaches consult with the referees. The spectators... everyone at the game... very quickly become aware that the officials, and by extension the RMR, believe that the temperature at the game has risen too high.
In most Regions, the teams associated with an offending spectator or group can be hit with a RED-CARD, including loss of a playing point for that team. If you go to Arizona, expect that protocol.
Here in the RMR we're trying to avoid "hating a team for what the parents may have done." But we will immediately advise our Site Directors that a spectator or group may need to "take some time off" to cool down. That means that while the team may not lose a point, the spectator(s) may be asked to leave the gym for a set, for a match, or for the day. Additionally, the RMR will be advised of the circumstances, and from there, spectators may face longer suspensions, or even loss of membership and attendance privileges altogether.
OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP IT SAFE, FRIENDLY AND FUN FOR EVERYONE. We've all seen how "other sports" have been affected negatively by fan behavior. We're proud of our fans, and with the Purple Card, hope to keep the RMR a fun place to play!
Feel free to contact me personally, with any questions or concerns that you may have about the program...
Keith Murlless, Executive Director, RMR
Inclement Weather PolicyThe RMR does not dictate whether teams or participants should or should not travel during inclement weather or under any other unsafe condition. Club/Team/Personal travel to any RMR event is always at your own risk and expense. Safety first!
That said, we rarely cancel events. In the event that interstate highways are closed, or if gyms are closed by their school districts or owners, we publish these closures both at the RMR Home Page, and directly to all involved TEAM COACHES, via the TM2 email system.
In the event that a team is running late or cannot attend, it is the responsibility of the Team Coach or Representative to notify the RMR as early as possible. We can be reached by text at our office cell phone 303-584-0376.
Weather-related cancellations may be eligible for refund if highway closure is corroborated by State Highway Patrol. Cancellations for any other reason substantially affect all attending teams, and are therefore not eligible for refund, and may be subject to fines or other club sanction.
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Here are some screenshots that might help you get to the Academy.
In this example we display my fictitious daughter “Test Murlless”
Please view the screenshots below “in order”
Slide 1: Our HOUSEHOLD page showing parent and kid ("Test") —> Click “HOME”
Slide 2: Our HOME page, which shows the blue LAUNCH button —> Click LAUNCH
Slide 3: Choose the athlete (not the parent)
—> Click button next to daughters name, then LAUNCH
Slide 4: Now inside the Academy, with daughters' name appearing top left
—> Defaults to “Enrollments” (but click it again to be sure)
—> Choose new or in-progress course
—> Click any “NEW” course to start (1st year students only)
--> "Returning" players select the "returning" courses only
NEW: All Academy completions will be presented for all members, HERE
I hope this helps!
Keith
Sign in to MySE.
Navigate to the Home tab using the left-hand navigation.
On the top of the page, find Club Assignment Requests.
Find the desired club assignment and click View Details.
Read the message, and click Accept Assignment.
Follow the prompts to complete the club assignment.
Please use the chart below to verify what age group your player is eligible for this season!
--> An athlete may play in an age class "older" than their own, but may not compete in age-groups younger than the one that they qualify for according to the USAV age definitions, below..
Age Definitions and policies are tied to age classes (18s, 17s, etc) based on DOBs before or after July 1st of each year.
Athletes are generally eligible as old as the 18s age-class. (this year “born on or after July 1, 2006” )
Note two “waivers” that allow participation beyond the basic rule:
Waiver #1: Any athlete who will turn 19 (this year “born on or after 7/1/2005”) before July 1st, but are still in high school may participate as an 18s player.
Waiver #2: A female athlete who is 18 or younger but still a junior in high school may play 17s club. (this to allow greater recruiting opportunity)
Waiver #3: a male athlete who is 15 or younger and has not started 9th grade yet, may play 14s club.
—> All waivers are automatically applied to the logic when an athlete registers with USAV. No need to apply for a waiver.
Two “may not play” rules are worth noting:
1) If any athlete will turn 20 before July 1st, then they may not participate in USAV club.
2) Once an athlete has participated at all with any collegiate club or varsity program, they become ineligible for USAV club participation.
The Age Definition Chart below can help illustrate these concepts (do pay attention to the various footnotes). The Age Definition Discussion is also helpful for clarification. Both are included below
We publish an age-class calculator for your convenience, both below, and at the Director web-page. Look for the bright-teal-colored calculator, then simply enter any athlete's DOB there, to confirm their USAV playing age-class!
Good luck!
The RMR
This is a great place to find all the information you need to purchase a membership, access the USAV Academy, find your memebership card and more!
For use during the
season
Please note:
The calculator automatically "rolls over" into each new season on July 1st. The title above reflects the season that the calculator is reporting for.
Also, the "girls' junior class waiver" is automatically included in the age group reported here.
Select the Month, Day & Year, then click on the button to see the youngest age group of that birth date. |
24-25 Indoor age Definitions Table
Did something "go wrong" at an RMR event? This could be a tryout, practice, or an RMR competitin? Use this form to let us know!
Accessing the USAV Academy is much simpler beginning Spring 2024! Just sign in to your Sports Engine Account, and you'll find a box at the top middle that has the USA Volleyball Academy name and logo and a blue "Launch" button at the far right. Hit the "Launch" button, and you should be good to go.
PARENTS
Take a few minutes to watch this webcast that offers some great "Do's and DONT's" for you, as you begin the USAV registration process!
Welcome to the RMR!
If you are new to the region, and perhaps to USAV, you'll be "trying out" for our Colorado or Wyoming juniors clubs. In that case, you'll need a Tryout Membership.
Tryout memberships become available in early May but don't formally take effect until June 1st, the start of our Summer Season! The membership lasts through the fall, until you find a club. Best of all, the cost of the tryout membership will be applied to the cost of your "Regular Membership!"
--> Remember that if you were a USAV member in 24-25, you don't need a tryout membership!
Athletes who sign with a club for the upcoming season are reminded to wait for an invitation link from their club, that will help them affiliate with that club as a regular member. Beyond the regular club membership the RMR does offer several specific special use"membership types:
FOR ATHLETES:
Most junior players will be "Regular Junior 25-26 players."
Anyone who will turn 18 before August 31st, 2026 will register as "Junior Player with SafeSport." (You can apply to have this requirement waived if your birthday comes AFTER your team expects to finish for the year)
We also offer some specific memberships:
Young adults aged 16 or 17 who will serve as assistant coaches purchase a special "Team Manager" membership.
Athletes 11 or under play under a discounted "11&U Player" membership.
Athletes 8 or younger play for free as "8 & Under Players."
New for 25: Athletes 8-14 can join our low-cost RMR Youth League (previously CYL). We offer a discounted membership for Youth-League-Only players. And youth who will also play in regular-season clubs don't have any added membership fee... their membership is already included. Stay tuned for more "RMR-YL" details, coming soon!
Athletes who will join beach clubs either separately, or in addition to their regular indoor full-season membership should contact RMR Membership, to apply for a special two-sport, two-club membership. (Yes, you can join one club as an indoor member, but play beach for another club!) Some beach clubs play all year long!
FOR ADULTS:
Club Parents are not required to be USAV members. Many often do join however, in order to serve as team chaperones, as site directors, or as scorekeepers or referees.
Adults intending to become professional Officials; please see our "For Officials" page.
Adult players please go to our ADULTS page.
RMR Membership for athletes falls into two broad categories:
Most athletes are returning to the RMR from last season. They can re-use their 24-25 Membership (and their SportsEngine profile) for the new 25-26 season. Since their 24-25 membership is still "live" through August 31st, there's no need to buy a "tryout" membership, even if they are considering changing clubs.
If you were not a member of USAV/RMR last year, then you DO need to purchase a Tryout membership for the Tryout season. This low-cost membership covers any tryouts that you're involved in until Sept 1. The Tryout membership IS upgradable, into your "full season" membership once you find a club and settle in.
25-26 Regular Memberships will open for purchase on July 12th:
Referees, Coaches and Directors will be allowed to begin the process July 10th, so that they can get their background screening and Safesport courses started.
Athletes can purchase their 25-26 season membership beginning July 12th. Your Club will send you and your family a specific "Invitation Link." The link will take parents directly to the correct type of membership for their athlete. That membership will already be affiliated with your Club.. you get the right membership type, linked to the right club... all through the Invitation Link.
I mentioned above that if you are returning to USAV/RMR then you will use your existing profile at SportsEngine, to manage your membership. But If you're new to USA-Volleyball and the RMR, you'll be setting up a brand new family account at SportsEngine.
SPORTSENGINE is the fancy program that manages all of our memberships. PARENTS build "households," into which they add their daughters and sons, as RMR member-athletes. Club Directors build "Clubs," Coaches build "Teams"... and the RMR and other events use ROSTERS from these teams.... all within this one program. SE is a powerful tool, but it's not always easy to understand.
We've published some articles to help you get off to a great start, but here are two "pro tips" to point you in the right direction:
1) Your family only needs one account.
--> As the legal guardian, you as the parent, will set up the family account! THEN you add your student athletes to the family.
--> Athletes are not allowed to set up accounts in their own names. (because they are minors)
2) Be careful to only use "passport quality" names. The SportsEngine computer is a real stickler for correct spelling. Nicknames, or anything else other than "passport names" leads to confusion when your coach is trying to assign their players to the team roster!
3) Choose one very solid email address for your family account. This address will be the whole key to your household. Your athletes will be able to enter their own private email addresses later in the setup.
4) We can help! We have lots more information about going USAV and the RMR at our "Membership" page. And don't forget that we have our own "membership expert" available to help you! Send any questions that you may have to membership@rmrvolleyball.org. Kirsten will get right back to you with helpful notes and online articles... all the stuff that "new members" and their families need to hear!
See you soon!
The RMR
Dear RMR Volleyball Families,
Here's a quick note to let you know that the RMR has partnered with VKTRY Performance Insoles - The Official Insoles of USA Volleyball.
All of our RMR coaches, athletes and their family members receive 20% off these exciting new products!
See Testimonials HERE....
VKTRY also provides a 90 day money back guarantee and free shipping!
Request the code from us at office@rmrvolleyball.org.
MAKE A SAFESPORT REPORTThis page offers guidance regarding SafeSport issues and how to report. It also offers a "REPORT A CONCERN" link, as well as a REPORT phone number.
Remember that Safesport is designed to address matters of Players Physical and Emotional Safety, or concerns about sexual, gender-based, or racial misconduct.
For more routine complaints about general misbehavior ate events or practices here in the RMR, please use the Incident Reports, above |
OUR MISSION:
NATIONWIDE USA Volleyball is the only volleyball organization within the United States recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). The Rocky Mountain Region (RMR) is a member organization of USAV, and along with the other Regions across the country, supports their mission to 'grow the game." Our national umbrella supports not only youth and adult amateur sport, but also the Indoor, Beach and Para-Olympic International Teams. Additionally, education of athletes, coaches and officials is core to the USAV mission.
HERE AT HOME Our goal as a non-profit organization is to foster growth and participation in all modalities of the sport of volleyball here and across the nation. The RMR is dedicated to providing a "best you can find" sort of volleyball experience to all age players, on hardwood, grass and sand courts across Colorado and Wyoming. We directly offer thirty or more high-quality, competitive and safe competitions each year. We are proud to be a part of the explosive growth of our sport!
SAFELY USAV and the RMR are committed to offering a safe competition environment, and to protecting the mental and physical health of our participants. We are active engaged in the US SafeSport program, and are strict adherents to its principles. Every adult over the age of 18 working with RMR-USAV junior players must be cleared through a comprehensive background check and must be SafeSport Certified annually. The RMR registers and certifies participants solely under the auspices of USA-Volleyball, and offers all of its competitions in full compliance with all USAV doctrines and regulations. The RMR recognizes and adopts (for purposes of RVA activities and privileges) any penalties imposed by the USA Volleyball Ethics & Eligibility Committee.
The RMR commitment to participant safety includes embracing a tolerant and inclusive philosophy, free of bias or prejudice. See our equity/diversity/inclusion statement (scroll further down this page)
AT THE OLYMPIC LEVEL The RMR is proud to claim a number of Olympians as our own. We have a rich history of providing athletes and coaches to the US national teams, as well as to NCAA institutions and to professional volleyball leagues both indoors and out. The USA Volleyball National Office is located in Colorado Springs, which allows RMR members an excellent opportunity for collaboration with our National Teams and its coaches. For more about the USOlympic Sports Movement in general, and USAVolleyball in particular, Click HERE.
A LIFELONG SPORT
Volleyball never ends.! Truly a life-long sport, volleyball offers "something for everyone!" The RMR offers juniors programming for the grassroots and development levels as well as for elite programs. We host age groups 8 to 18 years in our support of youth sport!
Our athletes have a great chance to "move to the next level." Over 90% of the Collegiate Division I and II volleyball athletes in Colorado and Wyoming have participated with USAV, in regions like the RMR. And we offer Beach opportunities as well as indoor, to complement the explosive growth of "collegiate beach!"
We serve the adult playing community as well, with programming for young-adult, adult, and senior/masters level athletes. We're proud that RMR teams have posted so many "podium finishes" at the US Open National Championship over the years!
COACH TRAINING The RMR supports and develops coaches. The USAV IMPACT program was one of the country's first fundamental training grounds. Today, Coaches continue to advance, through CAP and BCAP and with the support to fate USAV Learning Academy. Coach-development will be one our new points of emphasis this year, and for years to come!
REFEREE DEVELOPMENT USAV is THE place to learn all about officiating! From "team scorer" all the way to "Olympic Referee" the RMR has a proud tradition of providing officials to every volleyball scene in the nation, and around the globe!
STATEMENT OF INTENT The RMR believes in USA-Volleyball and in its mission. We register coaches and athletes only into USA-Volleyball membership, and proudly offer programming solely within USAV jurisdiction.
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The RMR shall not, nor shall anyone acting on behalf of the RMR, discriminate against any person, or group of persons, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, age, national origin, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.
We know that racial and other forms of discrimination are not new, however recent events have made it painfully clear that progress cannot be made unless each individual and organization within our community makes a decision to step out of their comfort zone, learn something new about someone different than themselves, and take action to make inclusion a priority.
The racial, socioeconomic status and gender identity demographics in our region and in volleyball are significantly different than our state and especially of our country. At the RMR we are committed to an internal examination to address the shortfall of diversity and inclusion within our organization, in our clubs and in volleyball as a sport and community.
Our Board of Directors and staff commit to:
Read on (below) for more information on these initiatives as we examine how to best implement and expand access to our sport. If you would like to volunteer or have ideas for implementation, please contact Executive Director Keith Murlless
It's important to increase awareness!
Watch this video to see how DEI influences everyone, through the eyes and voices of our own volleyball community.
--> Thank you to “Match Point” for speaking so eloquently to this topic!
Websites & Other Resources
Racial Justice Online Resource List
U.S. Center for SafeSport
The U.S. Olympic Committee announced the members of the Board of Directors. I have included a link to the press release below. I hope to have more updates for you soon. Thank you for your continued support of the USA Volleyball SafeSport Program. |
MAKE A SAFESPORT REPORT
This page offes guidance regarding SafeSport issues and how to report. It also offers a "REPORT A CONCERN" link, as well as a REPORT phone number. |
Have questions about Safesport and the types of concerns that are addressed by the Safesport program? The HelpLine link above, or the phone number below, give you access to safeSport resources. These tools can guide you if you have a concern that may merit being reported.
Phone: 866-200-0796 (open 24 hours
Online: safesporthelpline.org
For questions about the Safesport program and its implementation in the Rocky Mountain Region, please contact Executive Director Keith Murlless. (safesportquestions@rmrvolleyball.org)
This "safesportquestions" email address is for program inquiries; it is not the emergency reporting line To make a report, contact local authorities and Safesport directly, at the contact points posted above.
Below parents can find easy references to help navigate SportsEngine.
Shinkara Hardship Fund
The Shinkara Fund was established to assist junior athletes who might need a little help with the expenses related to club volleyball.
The RMR thanks "legendary local volley-philanthropist" Tom Kawano for all of his support over the years. So many adults and juniors have come to love the sport, and have enjoyed expanded opportunities to play, thanks to Tom and his good works!
Application for Shinkara support is due Feb 28th, and can be made using this online FORM. Awards are traditionally granted in early April.
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8.24.24
Accessing the USAV Academy is much simpler now! Just sign in to your Sports Engine Account, and you'll find a box right there in the middle of your homepage that has the USA Volleyball Academy name and logo and a blue "Launch" button at the far right. Hit the "Launch" button, and you should be good to go!