More than 400 teams expected, with both boys and girls competing
The USA Volleyball Junior Beach Tour Championships will be held on Siesta Beach July 20-25, Visit Sarasota County has announced.
The event will be a tournament-style competition that will feature more than 400 teams from across the country, a news release explains. The teams will be composed of youth ages 10-18 — both girls and boys — the release adds.
“The Sarasota County Sports Commission is very excited to host the Junior Beach Tour Championships,” said Sarah Thomas, sports sales manager for Visit Sarasota County, in the release. “We look forward to showing off the No. 1 beach in the world, Siesta Key, and welcoming all of the players and families to Sarasota County,” she added in the release. “We expect the best junior players from all over the country for a great week of fun and competition.”
The Junior Beach Tour is conducted in the United States from January to late July, the release notes. The top three winners of each division from 90 Junior Beach Tour locations around the country earned a spot in the Junior Beach Tour Championships Open Division, the release explains. Additionally, each Open Division team has at least one player who earned a bid to qualify his or her team in the Championships Open Division. Players who did not earn a spot in the Open Division may play in the Club Division Championships, the release points out.
“I am extremely excited and happy to have the USAV Junior Beach Tour Championships held on Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida,” said Mark Paaluhi, USAV Junior Beach Tour manager, in the release. “I have been very fortunate to travel the world and visit many beaches, but Siesta Key has always been special and one of my favorite beaches,” he added in the release.
The opening three days, July 20-23, will see the Boys’ 12 and under and 14 and under Open and Club play, along with Girls’ 12 and under through 16 and under Open and Club divisions competition, the release notes. The final days, July 23-25, will feature the Boys’ 16 and under through 18 and under and Girls’ 14 and under through 18 and under play in both the Open and Club divisions.
General admission to the tournament and parking will be free, the release points out.