Brief History of the Carolina Region:

The Carolina Region of USA Volleyball (USAV) officially became an independent Region of USA Volleyball in 1981/1982, but North Carolina amateur volleyball players have been a part of the USA Volleyball structure since its inception. USA Volleyball originally divided the country up into Numbered Regions of which North Carolina was placed in Region Five. Eventually, Region Names were adopted and North Carolina was part of the Southern Region along with Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and South Carolina. NC teams would have to travel throughout these states to play in Region tournaments! In 1981, a group of NC volleyball players (Rick Bardolph, Tere Dail, and Fred Wendelboe-first Commissioner) felt it would be beneficial for NC and SC to split off from the Southern Region to help foster growth. The Carolina Region was officially incorporated in March of 1982. The Region inherited 275 members from its split with the Southern Region.

By 1987, Carolina Region volleyball was growing steadily. A group of members in South Carolina felt growth in that state could be better achieved by forming their own Region, so with the approval of the Carolina Region and the Regional Operations Division of USA Volleyball, the Palmetto Region (all of SC) split off from the Carolina Region in 1987. The Carolina Region had 1563 members in 1987 of which 282 split off to become the Palmetto Region. North Carolina was on its own as a USAV Region.

The Carolina Region was fortunate to host the 1990 USA Open Volleyball Championships in Raleigh, NC. A host of volunteers from across the state helped make this a successful event, the last one not held in a Convention Center. In 1993, the Carolina Region had continued to grow and part-time staff was needed to service the membership and continue the growth. By 1994, one full-time paid Office Manager was hired. The Office was based in the basement of the Commissioner’s house! And the Region has continued to grow. By 2001 the Region had grown so much new office space was required, so the Region leased a two-room suite in Clemmons, NC. In 2003, the Region had grown so much that the Board felt additional staff was needed to continue to serve our membership and promote growth into the future. The Office Manager became the Director of Operations and a new Director of Programs and Member Development was hired. The Region continued to grow. In 2009, the departure of the Director of Programs and Member Development for a new job prompted the Region to rethink its staffing structure. The Director Of Operations position became the CEO/Executive Director and FOUR part-time staff members were hired to continue the work of the Region. Staff positions added in 2009 were the Coaches Program Director, High Performance Program Director, Officials Program Director, and an Administrative Assistant in the office. The 2022/2023 membership season (last full season) saw the Carolina Region register 10,926 Full members (and 2931 Collegiate, Youth, Summer, League, and one-event members) and 876 teams.

The Region sanctions volleyball tournaments for adults and juniors practically every weekend during the months of December through April. The Region puts on Officials clinics (Referee & Scorer), coaching clinics (IMPACT & CAP), High Performance clinics and camps, and maintains a popular web site with all kinds of information on North Carolina volleyball. The Carolina Region Board of Directors is continuously planning for the future of volleyball in North Carolina.

USAV History

Brief History of USA Volleyball:

The United States Volleyball Association (USVBA) was created in 1928. Now also known as USA Volleyball (USAV), it is the national governing body for the sport of volleyball in the United States and is recognized as such by the Federation International de Volleyball (FIVB) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).

It is the USAV mandate to nurture all variations of the game (indoor, grass, sand, six-person, doubles, coed, etc.) at all skill and age levels. USAV responsibilities include supporting a year-long training schedule for the Olympic Teams; USA Youth Volleyball (ages 7-12); the Junior Olympic Volleyball program (ages 12-18); U.S. Open Championships by age groups and playing divisions; the USA Coaching Accreditation Program (CAP); establishing rules of play in the U.S. and certifying referees and scorekeepers. The vision of USA Volleyball is to be acknowledged as the world leader in volleyball. USA Volleyball is committed to and works toward opportunity for all to participate. It is an advocate for all Americans – endeavoring to assure universal access to opportunities at all levels of the game. The USA Volleyball national office is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

“USA Volleyball is at work for you to ensure that investment in the sport – whether that be in dollars, time, publicity or simply goodwill – is being put to work for the betterment of the sport.

Volleyball associations/federations worldwide endeavor to provide equal opportunities and maximum enjoyment for participants and spectators, maintaining the values of fair play and peaceful involvement. USA Volleyball embraces this view, joining with all of its global partners to enable pleasurable participation from the broadest base of recreational play, to the highest levels of international competition. Volleyball can enrich the lives of all who play and watch it. IT SHOULD BE FUN!”

The vision of USA Volleyball is to be a world-class leading organization in all aspects of volleyball and to engage and inspire our nation through a cultivated passion for the game and continued success at winning Olympic and Paralympic medals. 

The mission of USA Volleyball is to lead, serve and grow all areas of the sport of volleyball – including beach, indoor and sitting – achieving excellence while providing a lifetime of opportunities for all to participate in a safe and positive environment

In order to accomplish this mission, USA Volleyball has established five strategic priorities:

1. Safety First.  Provide the resources, policies, tools and procedures to ensure that safety is a top priority for all USA Volleyball members.  Foster a safe environment for members to report concerns and take the necessary appropriate action to address all claims in a timely manner.
2. Sustained competitive International, Olympic and Paralympic Success. As the USOC-recognized NGB, provide the opportunities and support necessary for our athletes at all levels of international competition, in beach, indoor and sitting, to reach the podium. 
3. Participation, Program and Membership Growth: Provide the opportunities and resources through available programs which develop and retain a steadily growing participation base and a membership that is increasingly diversified. 
4. Resource Optimization: Have a strategic and fiscally prudent financial plan that includes both resource cultivation and judicious allocation in support of our overall goals.
5. Marketing and Brand Affinity: Increase brand awareness while expanding affinity for USA Volleyball.