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CEVA Announces Partnership With Starlings Volleyball, USA

By CEVA, 07/20/20, 9:30AM PDT

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The Columbia Empire Volleyball Association (CEVA) is pleased to announced the formation of a partnership with Starlings Volleyball, USA.  It is the first partnership of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. 

CC Fusion Volleyball Club of Vancouver, WA has committed to becoming the first ever Starlings Sister Club in the CEVA Region.  Their support of this program has been essential in helping to launch this partnership. 

Founded in 1996 by USA Men’s Volleyball Team Member Byron Shewman and Olympian Kim Oden, Starlings Volleyball, USA works to positively impact the lives of at-risk girls through the sport of volleyball.  Starting with a single inner-city club, Starlings now has teams in more than 60 cities and Native American reservations throughout the US, and serves approximately 3,500 players from lower socioeconomic groups. 

"Starlings is thrilled to be partnering with Columbia Empire Volleyball,” Starlings Executive Director Lucy Jones said.  “We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to reach more at-risk girls through our Sister Clubs and Players Fund which directly offsets players fees and assists Starlings club directors.  We are looking forward to reaching disadvantaged youth in the region through your support. 

“Starlings helps thousands of youth who, due to the inability to meet the costs of competitive volleyball, would not otherwise be able to participate in the life-building sport of volleyball.   Starlings, along with our directors, coaches and players, thanks CEVA for helping our kids play, grow and thrive through opportunities provided by Starlings Volleyball, USA”

The long-term goal of this partnership is to develop more “Sister Club” relationships for clubs in our region, as well as exploring opportunities for existing clubs to add Starlings teams in their current structure.  Through the Sister Club program, current clubs can support clubs in need through financial donations, gym time donations, and coach/director mentorship.  Donations are tax deductible.  Some of the nation’s largest and most successful clubs, such as TAV (Texas), Club Cactus (Arizona), and Vision (California) all are Starlings Sister Club program participants.

Clubs who add Starlings teams within their existing structure may be eligible for discounted event registration and other incentives to remove barriers to entry for players from lower socioeconomic groups. 

Starlings has existing partnerships with USA Volleyball, adidas, the AVCA, the Art of Coaching Volleyball, all of which are also CEVA partners. 

Clubs who are interested in participating in the Sister Club program, or who have interest in adding Starlings teams to their existing structure, should e-mail Alix Montoya

To learn more about Starlings, visit their website at www.starlings.org


From CEVA Executive Director Cody March

"This partnership is the culmination of many phone calls, e-mails, and discussions between our office, clubs, and Starlings.  We are very thankful to Lucy Jones for her drive to help us get this partnership off the ground and for her tireless energy.  I'm grateful to CC Fusion Volleyball Club for seeing the value in this program and joining in, and I'm hopeful they'll be the first of many clubs to take part in this movement.  I'm also thankful to Alix Montoya for taking the lead on this partnership and getting us to where we're at today."