Last week, the Side-Out team headed out to Columbus, Ohio for the 2016 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Annual Convention. It was a chilly yet wonderful several days. We met with old friends who have been longtime Dig Pink® supporters and new friends who embrace the mission of serving the stage 4 breast cancer community through volleyball. If you follow us on Instagram, maybe you saw the Instagram story we posted with our Columbus adventures! If not, never fear, just check out our Facebook photo gallery!
It seems fitting that the convention takes place in December because it is a celebration! The extended volleyball family gathers together to share their knowledge and passion for volleyball. Attendees enjoy educational sessions both in classroom and on courts, find peer support from new and veteran coaches and peruse the marketplace for training tools and new volleyball-related products at the “largest gathering of volleyball specific vendors in the country” (AVCA).
We were honored to debut a new video (see below) at the All-America/Players of the Year banquet Friday, December 16th. The Side-Out/AVCA National Dig Pink® Award winners were also announced at the banquet. Click here for a full list of the 2016 ambassadors, scholarship winners and Side-Out/AVCA National Dig Pink® Award winners. If you haven’t yet seen the AVCA Division I All-America teams, visit the AVCA website. These women are not only incredible athletes, but also intelligent, hardworking and caring individuals. Watching the best of the best receive their awards is always a favorite part of the convention for us.
Later that day, Rick Dunetz, Side-Out’s executive director, was interviewed by The Net Live. Click here to listen to the broadcast!
Oh, and did we mention the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Final Four takes place that same weekend? We had a blast watching Texas, Minnesota, Stanford and Nebraska compete in Nationwide Arena. Stanford beat Texas to earn their first championship since 2004…with 4 starting freshmen! There’s something really special about watching a match with an entire arena full of fans…if you haven’t yet had the opportunity to attend, we absolutely recommend it!
Were you in Columbus? What was the highlight of your trip?
