AAU VOLLEYBALL CLUB NAMED AS 2018 S.T.R.I.V.E. ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR

July 26, 2018.  The National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS) and American International Group, Inc. (AIG) are pleased to announce that the Triangle Volleyball Club has been named the 2018 S.T.R.I.V.E. (Sports Teach Respect, Initiative, Values and Excellence) Organization of the Year for its “kids first” approach to safety.  

Triangle Volleyball Club serves the triangle area of North Carolina: Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.  They are being honored for their dedication to embrace the belief that there is no reason to do what we do each and every day if one does not recognize the very power participation in sports has to shape and develop young people of character, capitalize on the power of the youth sport experience to teach life’s lessons, and prepare them for life beyond the court.  

Presented by NCYS and sponsored by AIG, the STRIVE Award for Organization of the Year, now in its seventh year, honors youth and amateur sports organizations that demonstrate a heartfelt passion, an enthusiastic commitment and a contagious spirit to help kids succeed in amateur youth sports activities while keeping young athletes safe. The NCYS and its sponsor AIG are inspired by the extraordinary quality of the finalists programs. 

Triangle Volleyball Club’s comprehensive injury prevention program priorities are to: invest in your gym space to provide a safer training environment; identify areas of fundamental weakness or propensity for injury in their athletes and educate athletes on how to improve their basic movement and mobility; educate athletes on how to care for their bodies considering nutrition, hydration, age-appropriate strength and conditioning, and active rest and recovery methods; and provide services to identify and prevent overuse-type injuries.

"The AAU is proud of all the coaches, parents and athletes who make up Traingle Volleyball Club, " said. Dr. Roger J. Goudy, AAU President/CEO.   "We look forward to continuing to see them out at AAU events in the future."

They are also being recognized for the essential emphasis placed on the health and safety of their athletes as their top priority while also competing at the very highest level of girls' junior club volleyball.  We appreciate Triangle’s commitment to educate the whole person through excellence in the sport of volleyball.  Furthermore, we respect your inclusion of service projects working with disabled (veterans and young people) through sitting volleyball. And we find meaningful value that Triangle is considered a leader in the US for adaptive sitting volleyball development and outreach.

The search for the 2018 STRIVE Organization of the Year Award winner began in March 2018 with a nomination period calling for youth and amateur sports organizations that have implemented at least three health and safety initiatives within their organization.  During the 22-days of online voting during the month of June the general public voted for their favorite Organization of the Year on the NCYS STRIVE Award website to determine the winning organization from the top five finalists.  Each finalist organization is a hero in its own right as they genuinely live up to the program name of S.T.R.I.V.E. and all that it represents.

The other four of the “Five for STRIVE” finalists are: 

• Baltimore SquashWise – Baltimore, Maryland;

• O'Fallon Little Panthers – O’Fallen, Illinois;

• Police Athletic League of Buffalo – Buffalo, New York;  and 

• Ed Snider Youth Hockey – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  

“With special thanks to the NCYS sponsor AIG, this award recognizes an organizations’ commitment to kids’ health, wellness and safety, demonstrating to young people that Sports Teach Respect, Initiative, Values and Excellence (S.T.R.I.V.E.) in a safe, fun, positive environment,” said Wayne B. Moss, Executive Director of NCYS.  “Triangle Volleyball Club offers up the whole star-studded package with an impressive program of good character development and an extraordinary variety of essential safety procedures.  They are clearly building the youth of today into leaders of tomorrow.”  Moss continues, “They have a model program that balances the importance of life skills and sport skills.  We are certain they will continue to advance the vital role these inspiring qualities play for a positive youth sports experience in a safer, more wholesome society.”

“AIG is delighted that Triangle Volleyball Club has been named as the recipient of the 2018 S.T.R.I.V.E. Organization of the Year. The organization is committed to implementing safe, responsible and dependable best practices, policies and procedures, as well as a positive culture, esteem values and a high standard of behavior,” said Katie McGrath, Head of Specialty and Sponsor Solutions at AIG. “We are proud to help honor an organization dedicated to the success and safety of young athletes on and off the playing field and help bring greater awareness to the positive benefits of amateur youth sports.” 

The S.T.R.I.V.E. Award for Organization of the Year will be presented to Triangle Volleyball Club at a date and location to be determined.

About The National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS)

Founded in 1979, the National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS) membership represents more than 220 organizations/corporations serving 60,000,000 registered participants in organized amateur youth sports programs. NCYS is well-known for its advocacy in promoting healthy lifestyles and safe environments for stronger neighborhoods and communities. 

As the largest known youth-serving organization in America, the NCYS is the portal and leads with a united voice for youth sports.  NCYS’ reason to exist is to enhance the youth sports experience in America and enrich the value the participation through trusted leadership, quality education and a meaningful passion to create a better, more wholesome society for today and for generations to come!  

For additional information please visit… Website: www.ncys.org | Linkedin.com/groups/1880979 | Facebook.com/ncys.org | Twitter.com/@youthsportsNCYS