Beach Clinic & Tournament *new format!

Saturday May 12th, 2012

**FANTASTIC NEW FORMAT!   Join us in Des Moines for this awesome one day event!   Sign up for our morning clinic & you'll learn the skills and tactics of the beach 2v2 game from BCAP certified clinicians and special guest clinicians, with new drills and techniques as recommended by the USA Beach staff!  And, also sign up to play in our early-bird 2v2 tournament that afternoon so you'll have a chance to try out these new skills!  The clinic and the tournament are for junior teams of 2 players, in either the female or male divisions from 12U-20U.

Mark your calendar so you don't miss this awesome beach volleyball event to kick off your summer!

Registration information link available soon!

USA Beach High Performance Tryout

Sunday June 3rd, 2012

USA Beach Volleyball is on the RISE and their High Performance programming is amazing!   We want YOU to have opportunity to be a part of it all too, so we're bringing a 2012 High Performance Tryout to the IOWA REGION!   

The event will be held in Des Moines iowa and the likely date will be Sunday June 3rd.

Mark your calendars....save the date and come join us for this tryout and perhaps, it will open a whole new beach volleyball opportunity for you!   

Follow THIS LINK to the USAVolleyball website for more information on the awesome Beach High Performance programming options.   More specific 2012 information will be updated soon.

CO-ED 4's Sand Volleyball Tournament

Saturday June 16th, 2012

NEW this season!   Join us in Des Moines for a 4v4 co-ed sand volleyball tournament on Saturday night, June 16th 2012.    Come to The Sands and enjoy a FUN 4v4 event...and an opportunity to play under the lights!   Divisions for everyone--12U-20U.  

Save the date for now as you won't want to miss this summer time highlight!

Event information and registration available soon!

5th Annual Junior Beach Regionals

Saturday June 23, 2012

USA Volleyball's Iowa Region is proud to announce it's 5th Annual Junior Beach Regionals!

Save the date and join us this summer in Des Moines because you won't want to miss this awesome 2 v 2 beach event!   Any experience levels are welcome and every age and gender divisions will be offered, from girls and boys U12-U20.  This event has been so popular--gaining more and more teams each year, so this year we're back at the Sand's again...a huge 20 court facility which will be able to accommodate everyone!  

Information and registration link available soon!

2012 USA Volleyball's Jr. Beach Tour!

Saturday July 14th, 2012

Iowa Volleyball Region is excited to announce that Des Moines, Iowa is once again a 2012 tour stop site on the USAVolleyball Jr. Beach Tour!  Save the date, so you can for sure register to be a part of the 3rd Annual HAWKEYE OPEN!  This event is open to all age and gender divisions, and it's one of 25+ cities and 'beaches' on the USAV Jr. Beach Tour stops.  Last year we welcomed competition from Iowa Region, neighboring Regions and athletes from as far as the North Texas Region, so come on out and meet some other beach volleyball athletes from your neighborhood...and from across the midwest.  

Invite your volleyball friends--you won't want to miss this premiere event!

Save the date!

Event information and registration will soon be updated and can be found on this link:  http://usabeach.org/

Wanna Host a Beach or Grass Event?Are you (or is your club) interested in hosting another beach or grass event?  Awesome!  Let us know and we'll help you advertise it!   Many cities have smaller sand courts and they could work perfectly for a single age division event.   All you need are adjustable courts (net height varies by age division) and lines and you're all set!   Our region also has some outdoor nets we rent out so if you're more interested in hosting a grass tournament...let us know and we can help you out with that as well.  

Contact Outdoor Director:  Michelle Goodall  michelle@iavbreg.org or 515-229-6114 or feel free to phone the Iowa Region office:  515-727-1860.

Beach Rules

Beach Volleyball rules are very similar to indoor rules, but there are a few significant differences.  Here are the major differences, but for more info, please go to the USAV Beach website.

BEACH RULES:

1. Games begin by deciding serve and side. Serve and side can be determined by a coin toss, rock-paper-scissors, or other variations.
2. When serving, a player may toss the ball only once.
3. When receiving a serve, players must "bump" the ball, or receive with hands together. Players may not take the serve with open hands, double contact, or lift.
   1. A "down ball" may be taken as a double contact without a violation.
   2. A "free ball" should be taken as a bump. If taken with the hands, it must be clean
   3. (No double contact. This contact can be judged similar to the "set" or second contact)
4. When setting, a player must be facing the way the ball travels - i.e. a player may set a ball forward or backward, but may not set a ball over the shoulder to the side. If wind redirects the ball, this is not a violation.
5. When hitting, players may not open hand dink, or "redirect" the ball with the fingers. The hand must be closed or a "roll shot" can be used.
   1. Beach courts do not have a centerline. Players can go under the net, as long as they do not interfere with play on the other side.
6. When blocking, if the block contacts the ball, it counts as a contact. The team then has two more contacts to put the ball over the net.
   1. The blocking player may play the ball up after blocking, i.e. take both first and second contacts (same as indoor).
7. When refereeing, the team officiating duties are lined out in the tournament format. Parents are not allowed to officiate (or keep official score).
   1. Primary Player Referee Duties:
      1. keep score
      2. record results in pool sheet
      3. help with serving order
      4. help settle disputes (playing teams should call their own violations, and call out the score).
8. Any competition disputes are first settled between the teams, then to the referee, if the dispute is not solved, then the teams should ask a tournament official at the tent.
9. Court Dimensions: 8 meters by 8 meters per side, for all age divisions.

USA Volleyball's Jr. Beach ProgrammingFind more Jr. Beach Programming Options on the USAVolleyball website, here.

Outdoor Medical Forms

• Junior Medical Release Form without Notary (PDF)
• Adult Participation Medical Release and Contact Form (PDF)

Preparation For A Tournament

Here's a quick list of items you could bring to an event, though we do send out a complete list with the event information after registration is complete.  What to bring?

• Beach Wear - shorts, t-shirt or bathing suit, etc.  Whatever YOU'RE comfortable in!
• Sunscreen, sunglasses, visors/hats, socks (the sand can get HOT!)
• Your outdoor volleyball (if you have one) for warm ups
• A LOT of drinks & some snacks
• A great attitude!