USA Volleyball High Performance Championships
by Andy Morales on Jul. 26, 2011, under SportsPHOTOS: http://www.flickr.com/photos/andymorales/sets/72157627289277172/
98 select teams are competing at the Tucson Convention Center this week at the USA Volleyball High Performance Championships.
Taylor Reiter goes up for one of her kills against the Iroquois Empire.
Teams from around the globe including Chile, the Dominican Republic, New Zealand, Peru and two teams from both China and Mexico are also taking part.
Six local volleyball standouts survived a crowded tryout procedure and were placed on several select teams for the competition.
Sophomores Erin Ferber (CDO) and Taylor Reiter (Rincon/University) competed with about 130 athletes this summer in a special tryout in Phoenix for their age group (AZHP Girls Select).
“It was exciting just to be able to get a chance,” explained Ferber.
“The coaches were really nonchalant and were there to evaluate us so no one really knew who was doing well,” she added.
Reiter was both excited and nervous about the whole procedure.
“We made the first cut and then they called us back for the second round,” she explained. “We were able to practice at the Spiral courts in Phoenix and it was a great experience.”
Reiter and Ferber made the second round of cuts consisting of 30 athletes and then made the final cut of 12. They practiced a total of about five days in Phoenix with their new teammates.
Ferber was able to find housing with Xavier hitter Danielle Westfall and Reiter stayed with a family friend.
The AZHP Girls Select team was pretty dominant in day one action by beating Ireva 3-0 and Intermountain 3-1 despite only being together for less than a week.
Reiter collected five kills and a couple of blocks in the first match against Ireva (Iroquois Empire) of New York.
The AZHP Boys Select (Zachary Malis, Sabino) and the AZHP Boys Youth teams (Kyle McMinimy, Sabino and Andrew Magill, Foothills) dropped both of their matches of the day.
The A2 Youth Girls National White team (Haley Howell, Salpointe) went undefeated with victories over the Dominican Republic and a USA team from Florida.
Competition continues Wednesday morning and concludes on July 30.
LOCAL CONNECTIONS
Haley Howell (Zona VBC, Salpointe, Jr., Setter) A2 Youth Girls National White Team
Taylor Reiter (Zona VBC, Rincon/University, Soph, MB) AZHP Girls Select Team
Erin Ferber (Dinamo VBC, CDO, Soph, MB) AZHP Girls Select Team
Andrew Magill (APV, Catalina Foothills, Sr, Setter) AZHP Boys Youth Team
Kyle McMinimy (APV, Sabino, Sr, Libero) AZHP Boys Youth Team
Zachary Malis (APV, Sabino, Fr, OH) AZHP Boys Select Team
Matt Dyck (Coach Mt. View Boys) Head Coach AZHP Boys Select team
David Thistle (Coach Catalina Foothills Boys and Girls) Assistant Coach AZHP Boys Select team
AJ Malis (Zona VBC Director) Director Arizona High Performance Program
SCHEDULE & RESULTS
AZHP Boys Select (0-2)
NCVA Sel Boys 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-17, 25-16)
USA BSCT White 3-1 (25-20, 25-13, 23-25, 25-20)
Wednesday, July 27
Carolina Boys, 8:30 am
USA BSCT Red, 2 pm
AZHP Boys Youth (0-2)
Team Florida BIY 3-2 (18-25, 25-23, 18-25, 25-23, 16-14)
USA BYA2 Blue 3-0 (25-11, 25-19, 25-11)
Wednesday, July 27
USA BYCT Red, 8:30 am
USA BYA2 Red, 12:15 am
AZHP Girls Select (2-0)
3-0 (25-7, 25-9, 25-12) IREVA SNT
3-1 (25-13, 26-28, 25-13, 25-17) Intermountn Sel
Wednesday, July 27
SCVA Sel Blue, 2 pm
NCVA Select Red, 5:45 pm
A2 Youth Girls National White (2-0)
3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-21) Dom Rep YNT
3-0 (25-19, 25-11, 25-21) USA WJA2
Wednesday, July 27
USA GYA2 Red, 8:30 am
