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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us February 25, 2005 Club volleyball taking off locally, breeds talent By Ezra Mannix For the Tidings Petra Lorenzi sacrifices her Sundays by driving 130 miles on winding roads in winter weather just to go to volleyball practice. It's what you do if you live in Crescent City, Calif., and want to play for a major college team. BONNIE JENSEN, a member of the Southern Oregon Volleyball Club, hits the ball during practice at Ashland Middle School on Thursday night. The local club is a breeding ground for some of the most talented volleyball players in the region. Orville Hector | Ashland Daily Tidings "Some days you wake up and say 'I really don't want to go.' But it's only one practice a week," she said. Ultimately, Lorenzi knows it's worth it. She's part of the Southern Oregon Volleyball Club, which brings the region's best players together in one outfit, so recruiters from top university programs can have a one-stop look at promising young talent such as Lorenzi. At club practices and local tournaments, girls can hone their skills and get the chance to play at tournaments all over the West Coast. Lorenzi, a senior, can't get the exposure to college recruiters she wants by just playing for the Del Norte High School team. Plus, she enjoys playing and practicing with the Rogue Valley's best in the 150-member club's top team when she arrives in Ashland. "The girls are great and so are the coaches," she said. "What's great about this club is those girls can get out there and be seen," said Josh Rohlfing, Ashland High head coach and the director of SOVC. "When we bring them together they can compete with each other and be the best in the nation." University of Oregon recruiters took to Lorenzi, offering her a free ride to the school before a recent coaching change canceled that. California State University at Long Beach has also considered her, among others, thanks in part to SOVC. With her family, she is feeling around different schools, she said. "Club is where people see you - there are recruiters there. The volleyball community talks a lot, so you get your name out," said Jessica Walters, a first team all-Southern Oregon Conference hitter for Ashland High and SOVC member. Walters is eyeing Duke, Florida State, Washington and other major universities. In addition to exposure to recruiters, the girls move up through playing levels, starting from 12-and-under, to 14-and-under and 16-and-under. Finally, the 18-and-under teams are the last stop between high school and big time college ball. To prepare for the leap to college, there are four tournaments this spring and summer for SOVC's two 18-and-under "power league" teams, those for girls with aspirations of playing in college. Those two squads were seeded for the first of these tournaments in San Jose on Feb. 4-5. Slightly higher than the other SOVC "power league" team, Lorenzi and Walter's team is currently the seeded 33rd in a 120-team region that includes the Bay Area, northern California and Southern Oregon. The next meet is in Concord, Calif., Feb. 27 where they get to play for the chance to move to a higher ranking. Other tournaments are held in mid-March, the beginning of April and the final tournament in late June. These four trips are technically four installments of one long tournament culminating with June's finals. All this can create logistical problems for Rohlfing. "Sometimes, you don't know where the tournament is until the week of," he said. Rohlfing recalls the San Jose volleyball marathon where the students didn't finish until 10 p.m. on Sunday night with school the next morning. Despite necessitating a big time commitment, Rohlfing has seen membership grow lately. This year there are seven 14-and-under teams, as opposed to five last year. Three new 12-and-under teams sprouted this year after none last year. Rohlfing also plans to expand to boys' volleyball. "We have a bunch of local age group tournaments," he said. Twice a month SOVC holds tournaments at Ashland High school, including one for 16-and-under teams this Sunday, other meets are held at South and North Medford High Schools. For those that want to get involved in club volleyball, Rohlfing said, Rogue Valley coaches often give one-on-one lessons if students want, in addition to clinics his club offers prior to November tryouts. "Its about getting so many people interested in the sport," he said. For more information, the SOVC Web site is www.sovc.info, or contact local high school coaches. Ezra Mannix is a correspondent for the Ashland Daily Tidings. To comment on this article, contact Sports Editor Joe Zavala at 482-3456 ext. 3020 or [email protected] DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Free Musick Downloads Slippers Women's & Men's Slippers Ceramic Piggy Banks heloc Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weightloss Products Memory Foam Mattress tcg student loan consolidation home equity loans teleconferencing W2 Forms Tatoos student loans African Safari Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems diamonds Currancy Exchange Online Casinos Community Student Loans Tatoo Poker Games Homeschooling Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams