Pasadena Family Opens Volleyball Club

When their oldest daughter started playing volleyball, Bill and Jenn Volberding grew to love the sport.

When the opportunity arose to form their own club, they knew it was something they had to do, and the Lady Aces Volleyball Academy (LAVA) was founded in September 2019.

“We fell in love with the sport, and also being there for the young adults,” said Jenn. “It’s a sport that’s been near and dear to our hearts.”

After volunteering to coach at the recreational and club levels, the Volberdings decided to open a volleyball club within the community so families had a local option.

“We thought, let’s try our hand at it,” said Jenn. “So after a few ideas here and there, LAVA was born.”

LAVA is a nonprofit organization, so the starting process was tedious, but Bill and Jenn spoke with people who had gone through similar procedures and former coaches before they took the leap.

“Together, we worked on gaining a digital footprint through social media, and then through word of mouth, we worked with local high schools and recreational teams to get the word out,” said Jenn. “The rest, as they say, is history.”

LAVA strives to teach a sport while simultaneously building character and community. For the Volberdings, this club is about more than playing volleyball.

“Initially, we wanted to give our young ladies another opportunity to play volleyball at club level in our community,” said Jenn. “However, as time goes on, we see LAVA as an opportunity to create positive motivation to not only excel in the sport of volleyball but also to help encourage these young individuals to do more in their lives.”

The organization began with one coach and has grown to include four coaches and many parent volunteers. Caitlin Adams is in charge of the 17-and-under team, Myeshia Wallace coaches the 16-and-under team, and the 14-and-under group is split between Brittany and Jordan Thompson. Bill and Jenn function as co-directors of the organization.

“The most special part of LAVA is the support of our players, parents, volunteers and coaches. Without them, we would not be successful,” said Jenn.

To learn more about LAVA, visit www.ladyacesva.org or email ladyacesva@gmail.com.