Parent Corner

The Other Side of the Tracks
written by Trish Sanchez

Volleyball is just a game right?

Four years ago a friend of mine asked me if I knew volleyball players that didn’t play club volleyball, kids that would be available to play at Crossroads. One of their teams needed to qualify and there wasn’t enough teams in that age division to do that. I knew some kids because I coached Catholic School in the city (Denver) and there was plenty of talent available.

So we threw a little team together. Wearing borrowed basketball uniforms and with two practices under their belt, we walked into Crossroads and beat most of teams that were trying to get the bid. I didn’t understand the magic of club volleyball after that. Especially when learning about the fees. Heck we did it for a few bucks. The poor person mentality I possess will never leave me; I was totally against spending those big dollars.

That year at Crossroads we had people three deep watching our matches because this team was improbable. Frank Lavrisha (head women's volleyball coach at Regis University in Denver), a friend of mine, stood watching and asked why my kids didn’t play club volleyball. I replied, “Frank my kids don’t fit in here. Look around you, all I see are skinny white stick bugs.” He shrugged and suggested we do something about it.

The thought stayed with me but I put it in the back of my mind. Frank continued to talk about club that summer. I continued to hope he would forget about it. That didn’t happen, and we met. He wanted something different. He wanted to help kids. He wanted his daughter to play on that team and I wanted my daughter to be coached by him.

I wish I could tell you it was an easy decision for me to take on this new kind of volleyball club. One that would help kids in-need play volleyball. Good coaching, opportunity, diversity and discipline at a fraction of what most clubs cost. I am no visionary. Riding on Frank’s coat tales was going to have to work for now.

Frank got busy talking to his huge network of friends and colleagues. I got busy following suit, without the network. My network was my neighborhood. The schools where I coached within the city, and people like me from my side of the tracks.

Enter David Hallman of Denver Parks and Recreation, the person with a true passion for inner-city kids. He saw the value of what we were doing and brought a van-load of kids to our first try-outs. Have you seen the athletes playing basketball at the rec centers? They saw potential volleyball players in that first group of kids. I saw paperwork.

Our first year we teamed up with Starlings; a non-profit club doing exactly what we had in mind. Their mission was perfect and the people associated with Starlings were extraordinary. Their bylaws are simple; a percentage of kids must be in-need. We can do this. More coat-tales for me to ride on.

We formed two teams. I begged for gym time at the Catholic schools and gym time at Regis. We bought left over uniforms from a warehouse and sold butter braids to pay for shoes, kneepads and socks. The uniforms were important to me in that I wanted the kids to look good. We picked our colors based on what was left at the warehouse and it all worked out great. We posted information on a blog so that we didn’t have to pay for a host site.

We walked in to gyms looking like everyone else. Almost. We had diversity, kids of color, including my own. Frank’s daughter was the minority. It was interesting, the comments I heard from the sideline, some good, some bad, and well, some funny. I heard one little girl ask if we were all Mexican. I answered no, we’re all American. It was an innocent question.

The best part was coming in and beating those teams. Not because of the comments but because of what coaches had done for these kids. Skills, heart and discipline. They created winners out of these kids from the other side of the tracks. No miracles took place and we didn’t do anything unusual. Starling’s Clubs deal with these kinds of kids everyday, we only dealt with a fraction.

So three years later and David Hallman’s vision here we are, Denver Parks and Recreation Volleyball Club.

A curious mother has asked for our business template. I wanted to laugh out loud. I wanted to tell her to go out and find a volunteer coach with skills and the background like Frank Lavrisha. Discover someone who possesses a passion for inner-city kids like David Hallman, the catalyst for Denver Parks and Recreation Volleyball Club. Operate with absolutely no funds; don’t be afraid to ask for help from anyone and everyone you think might have some money to spare. Put your pride aside and beg for everything, from equipment donations to discounts. Cut corners every step of the way. Think about that athlete that is more motivated to get better grades so she might play volleyball. Watch their joy during hard fought victories. See their grace after a loss. Dream about that little girl that might get a collage scholarship because of her exposure to club volleyball.

Perfection? Not quite. We have our growing pains and we deal with the same issues all clubs do. I learn on the fly, and pray that we’ll have enough money and get all the paperwork straight.

I am so fortunate that people like Frank and Dave are on my side. I am also inspired by the private mentoring from John Kessel (USA Volleyball director of membership development and disabled programs). Dave always brings me back to reality, his diplomacy, patience and vision keep me grounded. Our parents are tremendous, willing and supportive. We have so many good people that volunteer their time helping the coaches and teams. People hear our story and will hand over a check just in time to pay a bill that I’ve been worried about.

Our kids are from all over Denver Metro. We take in those that love the idea of diversity. We do scout at the rec centers and DPS schools. We hold open gyms and try-outs. Finding the right mix is important. We’ve come to the conclusion that no matter your background a true athlete sees only a team member, not a poor kid or minority, just an outside or setter. So our club is open to everyone, but I have watched parents drive into our neighborhoods for try-outs and turn around and drive away. These urban areas may be scary to some.

Once you walk into the gyms you understand how great it is. These recreation center gyms are perfect for practice. Walls, floor, nets, what more do you need? We do utilize the weight rooms and other equipment but the basics are perfect for our use.

The future looks good for our little club. I like the stability and support that Denver Parks and Recreation offers. We now have five teams; two with more than 80 percent recreation Center kids. I adore our coaches and their passion for volleyball and kids. We want to grow at a smart pace.

Looking across the gyms at Crossroads recently I noticed that we didn’t look so different. I liked seeing the many faces. I wondered about their story. Do they have a Frank and a Dave? Do they have a few single moms that work extra hours to pay club fees? Do they take a bus or walk through their mean neighborhoods to get to practice? Did they work a summer job so they might get to a volleyball camp?

I walk into our rec centers and look at those little people hanging around. I see them watch our kids practice. I watch them put down the basketball and pick up a volleyball and mimic our players. So I show them how to hold their hands and pass a ball to their little partner. It’s a beginning, it’s our future.

NOTE: Frank Lavrisha is head volleyball coach at Regis University in Denver. David Hallman is the supervisor at Hiawatha Davis Recreation Center in Denver. John Kessel is USA Volleyball Director. I am Trish Sanchez-Romansky, high school volleyball coach and director of Denver Parks and Recreation Volleyball Club.