Junior Flyers Compete in USA Volleyball Beach Tour Event at Sandhills Courts on Saturday
As the practice came to an end on the beach volleyball courts at Sandhills Community College early Monday evening, a cheer rang out from each of the four groups of players: "One, two, three, Junior Flyers".
Fifty-six girls signed up for the Junior Flyers Beach Volleyball Club that held the first of 13 skill practices back on March 14. All of the local high schools and most of the middle schools in Moore County were represented.
Instruction is being provided by Lady Flyers Head Coach Alicia Riggan, Assistant Coach Ryan Riggan and members of the college's indoor and beach teams.
The club hosted its first USA Volleyball Beach Tour (Carolina Region) sanctioned tournament on March 26 and will host a second one on Saturday. With entries open until Friday at noon, the Junior Flyers have 13 doubles pairs signed up for the 12, 14 and 16-year-old age groups.
Saturday's action gets underway on the four sand courts at 9 a.m. Sandhills will host a third tournament on May 21.
For Alicia Riggan, the effort is all about growing a sport that was not sanctioned by the National Junior College Athletic Association until 2019. In the second year of the beach program at Sandhills this spring, only 16 junior colleges fielded teams countrywide with the Lady Flyers being the only one from North Carolina.
"We knew by adding beach volleyball at Sandhills that we needed players to start learning the game before they got here," she says. "The goal is to get kids on campus and see that we have a facility.
"A lot of the them are juggling different sports and we're just providing another opportunity for them hopefully to find out, 'hey I might really like this'. Kudos to the parents for driving them over here to do this."
According to Riggan, a player/parent interest meeting on March 1 produced a standing room turnout at the Dempsey Student Center.
Some of the junior players had not previously played volleyball, but were active in other sports such as soccer, softball and basketball. Most of the Lady Flyers helping with the coaching had not played beach volleyball prior to coming to Sandhills.
The Lady Flyers have had to learn the nuances of beach volleyball quickly, usually playing against teams with more experience and/or made up of year-around beach players.
Camryn Lowe, the most experienced Lady Flyer with three years of indoor college experience and two in beach volleyball, is one of the coaches. The others include teammates L'Asia Jackson, Mackenzie Swett, Lexi Allen and KeKe Lawrence.
Lowe appeared very comfortable and confident in her role as she led eight Junior Flyers throughout Monday's workout.
"I absolutely love it," she says. "The girls are so eager to learn even though it's a new sport for the community as well.
"They come out here to have a good time and try hard, and that's all you can ask for. I couldn't be more proud of the girls I coach."
The cost for the players is $200. Practices are once a week, but twice a week before tournaments. Each member of the team received a Junior Flyers Beach tank top that was designed by Ryan Riggan.
The Junior Flyers Club, and the hosting of tournaments, brings athletes and parents onto the Sandhills campus, providing an opportunity to get to know the coaches and players. And to showcase the sand court facility that was designed by indoor Assistant Coach Lindsay McManamon and constructed by the Sandhills Community College Maintenance Department staff.
Riggan says that she is looking forward to expanding the club next year. And she has talked to people at some of the local high schools about adding beach volleyball as a club sport and offering assistance toward that end.
C. Bergmann