The RMR hosted a “Town Hall Zoom” Wednesday evening, April 10th
If you missed it, here's a recording of the zoom
Topics covered included:
* Power 6 Even, its cancellation, and whether we’re able to offer any re-scheduling
* End of Year Regionals and where that event will play
* How “Bids to the USAV Girls Junior National Championships” work
... and where things stand for all our the RMR teams (see the RMR Bid Page)
* Behavior (and picnic trash) at RMR tournaments
* Safesport: It’s there for a reason
and of course...
* Tryouts and Recruitment for the 24-25 season
2 Jan 2024 RMR hosted Zoom with 100 parents to introduce various topics of discussion. SportsEngine, Officiating clinics, the USAV Learning Academy, TM2 and event formats, and the basics of our club-recruiting plan for 2024 were all touched on. Future plans include shorter "single topic" sessions one a month, under the same informal zoom environment.
Many clubs still have available positions to fill. This spreadsheet displays the most current information, as submitted by the club directors.
This article demonstrates how to navigate with your private Sportsengine account, to reach the USAV Academy. There students can learn about officiant, coaching and more. The Academy offers "ENROLLMENTS" which are mandatory courses for credit, as associated with your specific role (coach, referee, student athlete, etc) Also offered is the "Course Catalog." There you can study almost any topic you'd like, just for fun and education!
The RMR has announced its summer beach calendar HERE
But NCAA has already been in play for two months. This week, we offer CONGRATULATIONS to our friends at Colorado Mesa, where Hahni Johnson and Amanda Ollinger have been recognized as the AVCA/CVBV "Beach Athlete Pair of the Week!"
Thank you to our facilities that have rearranged their schedules and have agreed to host the rescheduled Power 6 Even on April 28th! Registration will be live for all Team Registrars on April 11th at 8am and close April 15th at noon. Thank you to all of our families for your patience as we have worked through the logistics of making this happen!
As the RMR Power series is nearing the end, many of our RMR teams are hitting the road to compete on the national level. "Qualifier Season" is when teams from all over the country compete at National Qualifiers for an opportunity to earn a bid to play at Girls Junior National Championships this summer. There are 6 divisions that teams can earn a bid: Open, National, USA, Liberty, American and Freedom. Earning bids nationally is very difficult as teams compete on a much larger scale and against the best teams from all over the country. National Qualifiers are 3 day events that award anywhere from 1-3 bids/division. Some of the teams qualifying at National Qualifiers already held region bids from the RMR Zelinkoff Bid Tournament. So they accept the higher bids they earn and the region bids come back to the RMR to "trickle down" to the next highest finishing teams from the ZBT. (The RMR is working with teams now, regarding which bids they're receiving, and whether or not they will accept)
We are so proud of all of our RMR teams that are competing and representing our region so well! Congratulations to all the teams that have earned bids, here in the Region, or out at the Qualifiers ... and punched their tickets to the GJNC!
Northern Lights Qualifier (Minneapolis, MN):
17 Liberty-Colorado Springs Altitude 17 Navy
Pacific Northwest Qualifier (Spokane, WA):
18 Open-NORCO 18 Black
17 Open-Colorado Juniors 17 Kevin
17 Open-NORCO 17 Black
17 Liberty-Colorado Juniors 17 Jayne
17 Liberty-Team Colorado 17N1
16 USA-Rocky Elite 16 National
Red Rock Rave (Las Vegas, NV):
15 USA-Front Range 15 Black
Salt Lake City Showdown (SLC, Utah):
17 Open-Colorado Juniors 17 Kevin
17 USA-Colorado Juniors 17 USA
16 Open-Colorado Juniors 16 Kaleena
RMR Zelinkoff Regional-Bid Tournament:
Teams who won Regional Bids at this event are posted to our BID STATUS page.
They may "move up" by winning in higher divisions at Qualifiers, or when teams above them do so.
See the BID STATUS page for current standings!
The system of bids, leading to the Girls USAV National Championship, can be confusing. Read on, for a short introduction...
USA Volleyball offers different levels of play at their National Championships. From the top down: Open, National, USA, Liberty, American, Freedom and Patriot. While the Patriot division accepts all comers, in order to play in the higher divisions, you have to "earn a bid." This can be done by winning at one of the USAV Junior National Qualifier tournaments, or here at home through "Regional Bids."
The RMR, like all USAV Regions, receives bid allocations based on both membership size and historical participation at the USAV Championships (see chart below)
Regions are granted three different types of bids: National, American and Freedom, respectively. Additionally, USAV offers bids in the Open, USA and Liberty Divisions through their Junior National Qualifiers. And finally, USAV does offer the pay-to-play Patriot division for teams that would like to enjoy the experience, but have not yet earned bids.
Here at the RMR, we are granted all three bid types (National, American and Freedom) for the 14s-18s. We have only two bids… National and American... for the 12s and 13s. And only a single bid, the National, for our 11s.
This year, we've put all of these bids onto the table in a single large tournament. The ZBT plays Saturday-Sunday March 16-17. Saturday plays on 27 courts spread across 6 sites. Sunday we'll use about 18 courts at 3 sites to offer Gold, Silver and Bronze elimination brackets. Although we use both neutral and club-owned facilities, no team gets to pay in their "home gym."
We play the ZBT “by Age Division.” The 1st place finisher (in all divisions) takes home the National bid. In the 12s and up, the 2nd place team also earns a bid.. the American. And in the 14s and up, the 3rd place finisher takes the Freedom!
All bid-earning teams are required to accept their bids (fines and sanctions apply) Forfeits or other “gamesmanship” will be treated the same as non-acceptance
It's important to stay prepared to travel, since MORE BIDS CAN COME IN! When the teams that won bids here at the ZBT go out to the Qualifiers and win "higher" bids, the regional bids that they hold now "trickle down" to the teams that finished "next" here at the ZBT. Also, USAV is frequently able to offer “re-allocation” bids (from other Regions that don't use theirs) ... and those can “trickle down” to the RMR teams that finished 4th, 5th, 6th, etc in their age division at ZBT. (see pp2-3 in the PDF for Reallocation details). That's why we "played out all brackets" yesterday at the ZBT.
The RMR has a tradition of sending lots of teams to the GJNC every summer. We fight hard at the ZBT for the privilege, and we proudly accept the bids that USAV can send our way.
"Best of luck" to all of our teams this summer!
The RMR
USA Volleyball President and CEO Jamie Davis has announced that he will not be renewing his contract with USAV after it expires at the end of the year. He will continue to oversee the organization through the Olympic and Paralympic games and will then serve as an executive consultant to assist the board of directors with a smooth leadership transition. In addition, Davis has agreed to assist the board in the search for his successor.
“I am very proud of what our team has accomplished at USAV since I began in 2017”, said Davis. “USA Volleyball memberships have grown by nearly 30% over that span to 425,000, our teams won three gold medals at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic games, our women are the reigning beach world champions and the organization is in the healthiest financial situation in its history. I feel that following this Olympic quadrennial it is a good time for another leader to take the reigns and to build on the solid foundation we have created. I would like to thank our dedicated staff, the 40 USA Volleyball regions and our board of directors for all of their hard work and support. Without them, such success could not have been achieved. I look forward to working with the board and our management team to ensure a smooth transition over the remainder of the year.”
Dave Gentile, USAV Board Chair summarized Jamie’s leadership as follows: “Jamie’s departure will surely create a void for USAV, as he has been instrumental in leading the enterprise to new heights and accomplishments during his seven-year tenure. The Board appreciates all he has done for USAV and the Sport of Volleyball. He clearly is leaving the organization in a much better position than when he arrived. For all he has done, the USAV Board is genuinely proud to have collaborated with Jamie these past seven years. We wish him only the best in his new ventures.”
This article form Sportico magazine discusses the amazing growth of our sport, with USAV CEO Jamie Davis. Enjoy the read!
https://www.sportico.com/leagues/other-sports/2023/us-volleyball-participation-surging-1234742921/
... MORE VOLLEYBALL IN DENVER AND THE RMR!
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (January 23, 2023) – 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.
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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RMR Membership for athletes falls into two broad categories:
Most athletes are returning to the RMR from last season. They can use their 22-23 Membership ( and their SportsEngine profile) for the new 23-24 season. Since their 22-23 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 your tryouts and any club practices or activities 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.
23-24 Season Memberships will open in two phases:
NEW: Phase 1: Referees, Coaches and Directors will be allowed to begin the process in mid-August, so that they can get their background screening and Safesport courses started.
Phase 2: For athletes, the membership process opens on September 1st. Please don't accidentally buy a 22-23 membership before Sept 1... We want you to be ready for the 23-24 season!
Your Club will send you and your family a specific "Invitation Link" on or after Sept 1st. 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
Athletes who have signed with a club for the 23-24 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:
The upgradable 23-24 Tryout Membership is still available and does includes the option to upgrade to a full 23-24 membership after you affiliate with a club. Get the "tryout membership" and you'll be good-to go for any club tryout... and eligible to upgrade to a full membership when you've chosen your club!
Young athletes who are joining low-cost beginner leagues do so through their league administrator, or may contact the RMR at office@rmrvolleyball.org.
Athletes who will join beach clubs either separately, or in addition to their regular indoor full-season membership may contact the office as well. (Yes, you can join one club as an indoor member, but play beach for another club!)
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.
For use during the
season
Note: This automatically converts to the new season on July
1st of each year.
Select the Month, Day & Year, then click on the button to see the youngest age group of that birth date. |
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. |
USA Volleyball is required on an annual basis to communicate with all adult members the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP) and How to Report misconduct mechanisms. The Center created a shortened version of the MAAPP called MAAPP at a Glance which captures the key components of the MAAPP. If you wish to read the full MAAPP, please click on the second link below.
All adult participants of USA Volleyball are mandatory reporters of abuse.
The U.S. Center for SafeSport has exclusive jurisdiction over allegations of Sexual Misconduct. To report sexual misconduct, please click the following link to report directly to the U.S. Center for SafeSport
Report a Concern | U.S. Center for SafeSport (uscenterforsafesport.org)
To report any other form of Misconduct including Physical and Emotional misconduct (such as bullying, hazing harassment), retaliation, violations of the MAAPP, or any other violations of the SafeSport Code, you may file a concern with USA Volleyball at the following link:
USAV Incident Reporting Form (formsite.com)”
In addition, the U.S. center for SafeSport offers SafeSport training for parents and minor athletes free of charge. These courses can be taken at the link below:
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
USA Volleyball Safe Sport
The safety of its participants is of paramount importance to USA Volleyball. USA Volleyball has ZERO TOLERANCE for abuse and misconduct. This includes not only on-court safety, but also off-court safety in any part of USA Volleyball’s programs. USA Volleyball is committed to creating safe and fun environments for youth. This includes, but not limited to, providing training, educational materials and resources for our regions, clubs, coaches, parents and athletes. |
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.