Gulf Coast Region of USA Volleyball

The Gulf Coast Region provides top-quality USA Volleyball sanctioned events and programs.

2008 Beach Volleyball Series is all the buzz

(May 6, 2008) - Beach volleyball tournaments are on their way to a Gulf Coast beach near you:

• Gulf Shores, AL.
• Pensacola Beach, FL.
• Panama City, FL.
• Biloxi, MS.

The Gulf Coast Region of USA Volleyball is sponsoring its 2008 Beach Volleyball Series for junior players. The goal is to grow the game indoors and out. A promotional one-page flier and a brochure with entry form offer full details. A new "Beach" section has been added to the website, as well.

"We're issuing a special challenge to the athletic departments of area high schools," says Philip Bryant, commissioner of the Gulf Coast Region. "We will award a substantial donation to the athletic program with the most athletes in the tournament."

This new series has been six years in the making. The region has procured excellent equipment for these tournaments. Like all USAV-sanctioned events, the 2008 Beach Volleyball Series will offer high-level competition, well-run events and the opportunity to play in refereed games according to the official rules of volleyball as played in the Olympics.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for the series. Junior divisions of 12, 14, 16 and 18 will be offered for boys and girls, with an additional female 20-and-under division. Adult divisions are planned for the future.

"This new beach series is a very big deal," Bryant says. "We plan to offer high-level beach play that is fun for everyone. But make no mistake. These tournaments will be tough to win. The best players will all come out for it. We expect junior athletes from all over the country to participate. We look forward to hosting teams from other regions who want to test their mettle on the sand against the best volleyball athletes in the Gulf Coast Region.

"It will just be a fantastic new series, and a significant milestone in the growth of the sport of volleyball along the Gulf Coast."

The region is offering a special, less-expensive beach membership rate for this series. For full details, see the new Beach section.

Officiating certification requirements

(Nov. 29, 2007) - Gulf Coast Region Commissioner Philip Bryant has issued the following memo to club directors:

Directors,

Here are two very important pieces of information pertaining to your club's officiating certification requirements:

• Officiating clinician contact and partner-club info
• Clinic protocol info

All junior players and coaches must attend a referee and scorekeepers certification clinic each year.

All adult teams must have two certified referees and two certified scorekeepers.

Based on the aforementioned, note the following:

Work with your mentoring clinician officials and partners club(s) to identify times and location to host your officiating clinics. All officiating clinics should be conducted before Jan. 31, 2008. Follow-up clinics for new members can be scheduled on a small-group basis with your officiating team. Follow the proper protocol for new players and returning players.

All clubs that have partner clubs must work together to facilitate the clinic for all listed. The first official named is the lead clinician. That person will help in the scheduling and facilitation of your clinic.

If I may be of service, please call.

Philip

Philip Bryant
Commissioner
Gulf Coast Region
P.O. Box 1985
Orange Beach, AL 36561
(251) 979-4287 cell
(251) 981-4746 office
(251) 981-7526 fax

Time to get registered; new forms are posted

(Nov. 6, 2007) - The Gulf Coast Region is registering members today! For those who are eager to get a quick start on the 2007-08 playing season, which begins on Nov. 1, the Gulf Coast Region has updated its forms page with new forms for juniors and adults.

To renew your membership, you can use the USAV online registration for Gulf Coast Region members or the traditional individual membership form.

New clubs should contact Jennie Belarmino at jencook_01@yahoo.com .

Region information

• Bylaws
• Certificate of insurance request list (Microsoft Excel spreadsheet)
• Club directors - adult (PDF file)
• Club directors - junior (PDF file)
• Handbook for adult tournaments (PDF file)
• Handbook for junior tournaments (PDF file)
• Handbook for members (PDF file)

(To view the PDF files on this page, download the free Adobe Reader. Important: If you are having problems downloading or viewing any of these files, please get the latest version of Adobe Reader at the link above.)

Club codes

(Jan. 21, 2008) - Here are the club codes for Gulf Coast Region clubs for the 2008 season.

Region office

Philip Bryant - Commissioner
Tournament Seeding Chair
P. O. Box 1985
Orange Beach, AL 36561
251-981-4746
251-979-4287 cell
251-981-7526 - fax
e-mail: worldbb@gulftel.com