The year 2010 marked the 28th year anniversary of the NCVA servicing Northern California and Northern Nevada.
We are proud of our recent and ongoing accomplishments. In the 2007-2008 season the NCVA region grew to almost 1,200 teams in about 350 clubs. Our Power League - consisting of a two (2) day Qualifier held in a state of the art Convention Center, three (3) league tournament days and a two (2) day Region Championship also held in a Convention Center - produce some of the top teams at the USAV Junior National Championship level year after year. With the Area League schedule of a one (1) day Qualifier and four (4) League tournament days and a two (2) day Regional Championship combined with the Special Tournaments, Non-Leagues and National Level tournaments, our region is one of the busiest of the 40 USAV Regions and also the 4th largest in membership numbers.
While we offer numerous league and non league options, we are also proud to host one of only ten National Qualifiers held in the Nation right here in Reno, Nevada. The Far Western National Qualifier is held annually in April. On average we have over 750 teams in attendance. This tournament is held in the Reno-Sparks Convention Center over two weekends in order to accomodate all teams that would like to enter.
This brings with it some challenges that all clubs and regions nation-wide are having.
1.) Playing sites with the tightening budgets at the school level and the demand of other activities on the school facilities. They are for the most part the heart of our sport and if they are the heart then the Club Directors and Coaches are the arteries that feed the players the oxygen (knowledge) they need to become strong and able players, to coaches, to Club Directors in the future of our sport. Thank You!
2.) Coaches with the player numbers growing the coaching pools are being stretched thin. While a lot of our young players move on to other things a select few start to give back to their sport early on in their lives either by coaching or officiating (also needed). Other players move on with their lives with education and work then marriage and children. Once their kids are old enough to start sports they come back to the sport they love, Volleyball. Thank You!
In our continuing effort to provide the opportunity to play high level volleyball, we participate in the USA Volleyball High Performance Program. We put together regional teams to participate in the USAV High Performance Championship Tournament (held annually in a US city - tournament host cities vary by year) and in the European Global Challenge Tournament (held annually in a European city - tournament host cities vary by year), where they have the opportunity to play against many foreign teams. Both tournaments are held annually in the month of July.
As we continue striving to uphold our mission of supporting and developing NCVA programs, community volleyball programs and organizations, actively collecting and distributing volleyball-related information, providing educational opportunities for the regional volleyball community while working in conjunction with volleyball's national governing body, we look forward to reaching a membership base of 14,000 members for the 2010-2011 season.
Over the years the NCVA has been recognized for being on the forefront of new developments in the way that we organize tournaments, large venues on sport courts, Power League, Area League and Non-Leagues. We also offer more tournaments than any other region including President's Day, Far Westerns, Cal Kickoff, Spring Classic, etc. You may not be aware that our Handbook is recognized and copied throughout the USAV Regions. Every season each division's handbooks are updated with rule changes, dates and pertinent information for the upcoming year.
The NCVA is a Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization
The Northern California Volleyball Association (NCVA) fulfills all of the non-profit organization requirements set by the State of California including, but not limited to, the California State requirements to be audited yearly.
As to date, and with every audit, the NCVA’s financial processes has have received top grades from both a controls review and a full annual audit.
Audits are made to comply with California State requirements and to point out the transparency with which the NCVA conducts its finances. Even if this was not a requirement from California, the NCVA would still continue to do audits.
It makes sense to insure both our customers and our membership community an additional sense of comfort when dealing with the NCVA. By doing yearly audits you can clearly see that the NCVA engages in sound financial management with all proper procedures and policies in place.
The controls review affirmed that our organization maintains the right financial controls and follows them. Additionally, the organization already has implemented the minor suggestions regarding improved documentation and clarity of procedures in written manuals to move controls policy and implementation towards best practices. The auditing CPA firm reported that policies and procedures are appropriate for an organization the size of the NCVA . Systems were checked to be sure that reports were proper. The CPA firm also sampled NCVA’s accounts payable and vendor list, as well as procedures and actions, going into greater detail than the controls review. They also developed independent financial statements that agreed with what our organization with our internal Controller, Erik Jardstrom, CPA, had prepared. Importantly the auditors had very positive, complimentary things to say about the skill levels and hard work displayed by our finance and accounting staff. The NCVA will continue the yearly audits to ensure that the organization maintains its books, records, and financial reporting according to generally accepted accounting principles.
How the NCVA began
With-in the structure of USAV the NCVA has grown over the last 28 years from a small Mom and Pop region to the 4th largest of the 40 regions nation wide. In 1994, the NCVA Board of Directors chose to move in a new direction and hired a full-time Commissioner to run the region and move the region towards their dream region. That dream was to build a region that would support a large contingent of players with a league system that would challenge them to the top of the USAV Junior National Championship system, Power League.
Then they also wanted to make sure that the players that could not or did not want to put in the commitment of the Power League had a League that fit their needs, with the Area League we feel that this was accomplished. With the goal of lower cost and the playing site within 90 minutes of their club's home city, this has become a very popular building block for the coaches and players to learn the crazy ropes of the game we love, Volleyball.
But they weren't through there, they wanted another way to make volleyball available to the players and coaches that could not commit to a league situation, but wanted to play the game. This brought about the Non-Leagues. Last season the first non-league of the season had 190 teams playing and over 200 that wanted too, the only thing that limits the leagues is playing sites.
Which brings us back to problem one. As the leagues grow more sites are needed, but it takes contacts within the school systems that are committed to growing their programs and the game of volleyball by using their inside contacts to secure facilities and then it becomes the coaches and PLAYERS responsibility to take care of the facilities by not abusing them and cleaning up after yourselves. Sometimes it seems like the NCVA is always changing things on you, we work very hard to schedule the courts needed for every weekend as close to the areas you need them. Some of the problems we run into along the way are lack of facilities in high use areas such as, South bay and Stockton are a few of the sports along with yours that we need more courts in. Then there is the last minute change for some unknown reason, sometimes it is the site canceling (often) at the last minute with very short or no notice. It is something that we cannot do much about because if we attempt to penalize the facility we will lose the facility.
USA Volleyball
The national governing body for the sport of volleyball in the United States, became incorporated as a non-profit corporation called the Northern California Volleyball Association, NCVA, in 1982. The NCVA abides by the rules set forth by USA Volleyball; however, it operates as a completely separate business entity. The NCVA hosts and approves competition, fellowship play, clinics, leagues and tournaments. The NCVA also hosts one of the ten National Qualifiers for USA Volleyball. In addition, the NCVA aids in the development of players, coaches, referees and scorekeepers. The longevity of our service has enabled us to create strong ties to the volleyball community, which, in turn will help us to reach out to our members as well as other players, parents and coaches within the community.
NCVA Vision and Mission Statements
Vision Statement
Background: In developing this vision statement, an examination took place concerning the popularity of youth volleyball, the resources available to clubs in the Northern California Region, and the interpretation of the intent of junior volleyball participants. Directives from USA Volleyball were incorporated, with special attention given to the present qualification process for the Junior Olympic Championships. Due to the expanded opportunity that out of region competition offers to clubs, inter-regional communication was also included. A commitment to enhancing the development of all levels of play, while not abandoning the elite level of competitors, was reinforced.
The “Vision” is to promote participation in a quality program that provides a positive and safe athletic environment through a variety of developmental and competitive opportunities for junior players of all ages, skill levels, and diverse groups.
Mission Statement
Background: Paramount in the creation of this mission statement was a concern to accommodate the growth of volleyball in the Divisions and how it should offer updated and flexible competitive opportunities with varied formats, sites, and tournaments dates. Sensitivity was applied to elite and entry-level play and how tournaments could best serve these diverse participants. Furthermore, travel costs and the strain of extended travel were given special consideration. The NCVA’s future programs will reflect a commitment to varied and non-discriminatory opportunities with the entire geographical region hosting competitive sites each season in order not to isolate distant volleyball communities.
The Division will create a diverse and varied system of competition. It will develop education and training programs for all players and participants. The Division will create non-discriminatory entry-level playing opportunities. It will create reciprocal relationships for inter-regional, national, intra-regional, and international competition. The Division will establish partnerships with related groups to promote volleyball.
