Under-18 Category results of Girls’ Junior Championships revealed
The USA Volleyball (USAV) recently organised Girls’ Junior Championships (GJNC) in Atlanta, which created a great opportunity for young aspiring volleyball athletes of under-18 and under-16 categories to showcase their skills on the centre court. The Girls’
Junior Championships officially started off of June 25 and Monday, July 4 is the last day of the campaign. The Final day of the championships is scheduled to feature the gold medal matches in 16 open, 16 National and 16 American Divisions.
The final stage of the under-18 matches rounded off on Sunday, July 3 and the standings teams in the 18 Open, 18 National and 18 American Divisions were revealed. .
18 Open Results
Gold- Sports Shack 18-ASICS (Southern California); Silver- Synergy 18 Orange (Keystone); Bronze- Coast 18-1 (Southern California) and Vision 18 Gold (Northern California)
18 National Results
Gold- Six Pack 18 (Iowa); Silver- Surf City 18 Craig (Southern California); Bronze- Imi Ike 18s (Aloha) and ECJ 18 Elite (Ohio Valley)
18 American Results
Gold- Santa Barbara 18Smack (Southern California); Silver- Alamo 18 Kaepa (Lone Star); Bronze- Jamba 18 Tom (Southern California) and Fond Du Lac Fusion 18 (Badger)
A renowned figure in the U.S Volleyball Family, Tayyiba Haneef-Park was specially invited to award medals to the successful teams. She is two-time U.S. Olympian and 2008 Olympic silver-medallist. Currently, she was on extended holiday weekend and took a
break from training with the National Women’s Volleyball Team of USA. She was quite happy to see the love for volleyball and its development in the region.
Jane Croson from Lakewood, California was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 18 Open Divisions. She enabled Sports Shack 18-Asics to gold-medal.
Croson, who has firm plans to find a place in the U.S. Women’s National Team, was totally psyched after receiving the medal from Tayyiba-Park. She said being awarded by her today was incredible. Croson is someone who was part of U.S. Women’s Junior National
Team that captured the gold-medal at the 2010 NORCECA Women’s Junior Continental Championship. She also helped her team to claim the gold-ware at FIVB Beach Volleyball Youth World Championship, last summer.
Another member of the 18 National Division gold-winning Six Pack 18, Katelyn Kelley also enjoyed being awarded by Haneef-Park.
She said, “It was great that she came to support us. It feels great that she backs us and what we are trying to accomplish in the sport. It is cool to think about the fact that she was in our shoes at some point and then went on to become a member of the
U.S. National Team.”
Haneef-Park shared her thoughts with the players at the awards ceremony. She stated, “It is a combination of talent, hard work and dedication to make it to the top level. You have to be willing to sacrifice. The girls at this level can tell you that hours
on the court are also hours away from family and friends. Sometimes you have to miss out on some things, but you’re doing what you really love – playing volleyball – so it is worth it.”
Tayyiba Haneef-Park will also be awarding medals to winners of under-16 teams today (Monday, July 4)
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