Quiksilver boys 15 team wins gold at USAV National Championships
Members of the SCVC 15 Quiksilver gold medal-winning team include (back row, left to right) Nathan Toomey, Theron Mandeville, Clarke Godbold, Luke Turner, Logan Sharp, Sebastian Rodriguez, Shane Stroyke, Sam Walton, (front row) Joe Radanovich, Jason Ashenfelter, Mark Marla, Caden Garrido and Drew Wilson. The team was coached by Chris Austin, John Xie and Rick Arce. Photo courtesy of Mary Boice/SCVC
In a battle between South Bay clubs in the 15-year-old Open Division, Quiksilver defeated Team Rockstar to win the gold medal at the USAV Boys Junior National Championships in Columbus, Ohio July 5.
Quiksilver, a Redondo Beach-based team coached by Redondo Union High School boy volleyball head coach Chris Austin and assistants John Xie and Rick Arce, capped of the best single season in the 26-year history of the Southern California Volleyball Club (SCVC).
Quiksilver held off Rockstar 25-21, 28-26 to claim the title and become the first SCVC team to win its Triple Crown by capturing championships at the SCVA Boys Invitational, National Qualifier, SCVA Boy’s Classic and USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships.
SCVC owner/administrator Mary Boice founded the club with one boys team in 1991 and in three years had nearly 80 boys ages 13-18 playing on eight teams.
“Since 1991, I have seen many great players and many great teams,” Boice stated. “Their success always comes from the same place – commitment to team first. Being selfless with hard work, focus and all eyes on the same goal.”
Austin believes having good athletes with good upbringings within the household and staying within the system while discovering themselves and their goals are the keys to the team’s success.
“We train much differently than our opponents and we are searching for a different type of success than those who we run into,” Austin said. “We learned who we are as young men and what things make us better people, better teammates, and while we aren’t all the way there yet, we seem to be much closer to that discovery than most.”
Sebastian Rodriguez led the way for Quiksilver, being named tournament MVP award, yet it was more that statistics that Austin feels earned his player the top honor.
“Sebastian is recognized often for his athleticism and potential,” Austin explained. “His greatest attribute shown thus far is his ability to make teammates around him better in what others would call big tournaments. His communicating on the court, court savvy, and literal pats on the back to his group are what made him the most valuable. We have plenty of guys who can serve, who can pass, set, hit, dig, block, cover, all that…. The type of teammate he was and his attention to detail in Columbus was difficult for other players in the tournament to duplicate.”
Along with its silver medal in the 15 Open Division, Rockstar finished second in the Gold Bracket of the 14 Open competition, and in Bronze Bracket play won the 18 Open and 13 Club divisions.
Also enjoying success was Manhattan Beach Surf, whose club teams placed second in the 13 Club Gold Bracket, won the 12 Club and was runner-up in the 18 Club Silver Brackets, and had second-place finishes in the Bronze Brackets in the 16 Open and 17 Open divisions.
Team Rockstar members include (front row, left to right) Kevin Bentovoja, Parker Zane, Coach Aaron Wong, Coach Eric Beranek, Ethan Gordon, (back row) Kalani Rusher, Max Lossone, Garrett Carver, Ben Coordt, John Belardi, Cole Collins, Spencer Williams, Jim Garrison and Kyle Johnson. Photo courtesy of Austin Garrison