By Ken Catli
EBC Florida Bureau
SIESTA KEY, Florida (Eagle News Service) – Winners of the USA Volleyball Junior National Championships were announced recently as the tournament in Siesta Key drew to a close on July 24.
Below is a list of the National Championship winners in each category:
Boys 12 and Under – Maddox and Mason Snyder from Ohio.
Boys 14 and Under – Christopher Connelly and Nico Paula from Florida.
Boys 16 and Under – Caleb Kwekel and Jay Cravens from Florida.
Boys 18 and Under- Christian Phung from Virginia and Kaleb Jenness from South Carolina.
Girls 12 and Under – Kayleigh Schmehl and Myriah Massey from Ohio.
Girls 14 and Under – Rebecca Watkins and Skylar Martin from Georgia.
Girls 16 and Under – Chase Teal and Gabriella Bramante from North Carolina.
Girls 18 and Under – Lexy Denaburg and Rileigh Powers from Florida.
Paula, who was part of the team that won the Boys 14U category, said he drew inspiration to play the sport from his parents.
“Even my mom used to play in college, so she always told me it was an amazing sport that I had to try for myself. And it really is,” he said.
Player Abigail Carian agreed.
“My dad used to play volleyball so he kinda got me into it,” she said.
The tournament, which began on July 19, gathered more than 400 boys and girls from across the United States from the ages of 10 to 18 years old.
Participants in the 12U and 16U categories competed from July 19 to 21, while those from the 14U and 18U categories competed from July 22-24.
