sportstyle

74 • May 2021 sportstyle • sportstylemag.com Y es, in regard to participation, vol- leyball had an abysmal year in 2020 — the timing for the indoor season was terrible and clubs had to shut down operations and tournaments completely for most of the year. Nevertheless, pent-up demand has the female game poised for growth. The girls are now getting back on-court and adding to the excite- ment is the Olympic spotlight that will shine on the sport this summer. The addition of 3x3 volleyball at the Games is expected to provide an extra boost to volleyball participation and visibility. "The pandemic affected girls' volleyball participation the same way that most other junior sports were affected," explains B.J. Hoeptner Evans, USA Volleyball's communica- tions manager. USA Volleyball couldn't hold its biggest event of the year, the USAV Girls Junior National Championship. Nor could it hold its National Beach Tour-Junior Championship for beach volleyball players. "This year, we are working to hold our events so girls have competitions in which to partic- ipate." She adds. Toward this end, the organization hosted its Sunshine Classic Tournament in March, which is a qualifier for this year's GJNC sched- uled for Las Vegas the summer. Another key USA Volleyball initiative is the support of the Starlings Organization, a non-profit that works to provide girls with the opportunity to play club volleyball regardless of socio-economic background or level of play. In fact, junior volleyball comprises the vast majority of USA Volleyball and 90 percent of the organization's membership is comprised of girls between the ages of 12-18. Although the global game is popular with both genders, the female version continues to dominate at the high school and club levels in the U.S. For many team dealers, volleyball has long been an integral part of the business. "Volleyball – including beach volleyball – is seeing lots of growth and new teams are forming. Beach volleyball is even a sanctioned high school sport now," says Aaron Karsh, director of operations at California Pro Sports in Harbor City, CA. "Thirty percent of our team business is women's and that will continue to rise in total volume. We see an opportunity to get in front of new teams and players." While some dealers don't have a separate strategy for selling to girls, Karsh does. "Make sure to get feedback from women's coaches and, for very young players, their mothers. Get a better idea of what girls want. Get their opinions and figure out which girls on the team are the influencers," he says. "What you see on social media is also important. Brands that do well on social media tend to be more popular with girls." Karsh also stresses the importance of having accurate apparel size charts — for volleyball and basketball in particular, tall sizes should be made available. "You also need to have size samples because girls like to try on uniforms," he says. "The challenge is in figuring out cuts and sizing and knowing body types regarding fit. Also, a visible tag with the size printed on it is a definite no-no for girls." Spirit wear is an important category as well in volleyball and is big for parents and fans, especially on the girls' side. Meanwhile, on the East Coast, "Volleyball had a late start and is just now [early March] getting up and running. It was pushed back from fall to spring," explains Scott Treiber, owner of Medford, NJ-based Sports Paradise, which operates three locations. Like Karsh, Treiber places much importance on team web stores and sees sizing as an ongoing issue. "However, more of our current challenges focus on product availability and supply chain issues," he says. "There's lots of women's product on websites, but many women are still opting to wear unisex apparel. About 50 percent of women want men's sizes and cuts, such as baggy sweats. But for uniforms, they still get women's cuts." Overall, Treiber believes that the women's team business is strong and female teams are buying just as much as the male teams. "Lacrosse and soccer have more players on their teams, but there are more volleyball and basketball teams," he points out. n DIGGING DEEP After being blocked by the coronavirus in 2020, female volleyball is ready serve up some good news. The girls are now getting back on the court and adding to the excitement is the Olympic spotlight that will shine on the sport this summer. • Volleyball took one of the biggest hits of all team sports last year, with total participation plunging 1.8 percent (beach/sand), 16.6 percent (court), and 12.7 precent (grass). Sports that were typically played inside and with a team suffered the most during the pandemic. (Source: SFIA) • For the first time, the Summer Olympic Games will include 3x3 volleyball, a small-sided team game that takes up less space in the gym and gives players more opportunities to touch the ball. FAST FACTS GIRLS' SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL • TEAM

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