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 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. North Carolina teams had to travel throughout these states to play in Region Five tournaments.
In 1981, a group of NC volleyball players – Rick Bardolph, Tere Dail, and Fred Wendelboe (NC’s 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 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 1,563 members in 1987 of which 282 split off to become the Palmetto Region. At that point, North Carolina was on its own as a USAV Region.
The Carolina Region or Carolina Region Volleyball (CRVB) was fortunate to host the 1990 USA Open Volleyball Championships in Raleigh, NC. A group of volunteers from across the state helped make this a highly successful event and the last one not held in a Convention Center.
In 1993, the Carolina Region hired its first part-time staff member to service the membership and help support NC volleyball. By 1994, one full-time paid Office Manager was hired and the CRVB office was based in the basement of the Commissioner’s house.
By 2001, the Region had grown so much new office space was required, so the Region leased office space in Clemmons, NC. In 2003, the Board felt additional staff was needed to serve its membership and for future growth. The Office Manager became the Director of Operations and a new Director of Programs and Member Development was hired.
In 2009, with the departure of the Director of Programs and Member Development, the Region re-thought its staffing structure. The Director of Operations position became the CEO/Executive Director. Additionally, a part-time Director of Programs (to oversee Coaching, HP, and Tournament Administration); a part-time Officials Program Director (to oversee all aspects of the Officials Program), and a part-time Administrative Assistant were hired to support the work of the Region.
As of the 2023/2024 membership season, the CRVB registered 11,622 Full members (and 1973 Youth, Outdoor, League, and one-event members) and 926 teams.
The Region continues to sanction indoor volleyball tournaments almost every weekend during the months of December through April and outdoor volleyball tournaments during the months of March through September. The Region also sanctions and supports Officials clinics (Referee & Scorer), coaching clinics, NTDP clinics and camps, and maintains a popular website with informative and relevant information about CRVB and USA Volleyball activities and programs.
The CRVB Board of Directors is currently undergoing a comprehensive long-term strategic planning initiative that is dedicated to promoting and improving the sport of volleyball for all ages throughout the state of North Carolina from grassroots programs to elite development. The new CRVB Strategic Plan includes the establishment of three Committees: Governance, Resource Development/Communications and Programs/Services. CRVB will be implementing specific goals and activities for each Committee over the next year that were agreed upon at their annual Retreat in June, 2024.
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Resource Optimization: Have a strategic and fiscally prudent financial plan that includes both resource cultivation and judicious allocation in support of our overall goals.
- Marketing and Brand Affinity: Increase brand awareness while expanding affinity for USA Volleyball.