Youth volleyball team headed to Reno

When the North Tampa Stars, a 14-and-under girls volleyball club, recently clinched a bid to this summer's USA Junior National Championships in Reno, Nev., some of the sport's well-established programs had questions.

Mostly, this one:

"Who are they?''

Answer: A great story.

"I guess you could say this has all been a bit improbable,'' Stars coach Bob Schaller said.

Slightly.

About four years ago, the Stars began as an after-school pastime for a collection of fourth-graders in the New Tampa/Temple Terrace area. When the level of play improved, the Stars graduated into a club-level program, but remained relatively modest, competing mostly in the Tampa Bay area.

Schaller, a former college football player with no formal volleyball coaching experience, studied the sport's techniques through books and videos. Had the story stopped there - simply providing the 10-player team with high-level competition and fun - it still would've been worthwhile.

But it accelerated - faster than anyone could've reasonably expected.

On the weekend of April 2-4, the Stars won the 104-team Big South National Qualifier Tournament, earning the trip to Reno, where the nationals are held June 24 through July 3. Facing a team from Charlotte, N.C., in the championship match - with a national-tournament bid already clinched - the Stars trailed 23-17 in the final game, but rallied to win, 27-25.

"I think they had the mindset, 'Hey, we're not coming this far to settle for second place,' '' Schaller said. "They had a mindset to win the whole thing, even though a lot of people might not even know who we are.''

So who are they?

A group of mostly eighth-graders from public, private and parochial schools that, according to Schaller, possesses a wonderful mix of athleticism, teamwork and attitude.

Who are they?

A versatile collection of mix-and-match volleyball players, all schooled at every position, all capable of passing, setting, serving and hitting when needed.

Who are they?

"I think they are one of the most unique teams I have ever seen in this sport,'' said Fiona Monday, who serves as Schaller's chief assistant coach.

Monday has seen a lot.

The former Fiona Bolten was an elite player at Berkeley Prep and Florida State University. She also served as an assistant at the University of Memphis and head coach at Lamar University before returning to the Tampa Bay area.

Last year, she was working as a personal trainer at Fit 4 Life Personal Training and Physical Therapy, a gym owned by her husband, Travis. One day, she was substituting for another trainer, when the client, Mary Vien, mentioned her young daughter was on a volleyball team. Vien knew about Monday's volleyball background.

"Would you like to help out?'' Vien asked hopefully.

Monday agreed, thinking it might be a session or two of rudimentary organizational instruction, just something to pitch in for an up-and-coming group.

After just a few minutes at the Temple Terrace Recreation Center, Monday was stunned.

"These kids were like sponges,'' Monday said. "I couldn't believe how good they already were, how motivated they were, how Bob Schaller was approaching it, even without the normal volleyball background.

"I thought, 'Wow, this is a great situation!' So instead of a small amount of volunteering, it became a full-time commitment.''

Monday said the Stars are "capable of beating any other 14s team anywhere.'' She remains flabbergasted at how quickly this group reached a nationally competitive level.

"I have just never heard of such a thing happening like this in volleyball,'' said Monday, who once played in the national tournament for Tampa Bay Juniors, the area's most established and dominant club volleyball program, established by Berkeley Prep coach Randy Dagostino. "I'm used to these big-time clubs that attract hundreds of kids, having tryouts and cuts, having four different levels of teams, maybe even having their own facility where they train.

"But these are local girls who have stayed together and improved to this level. I know I'm now personally involved, and maybe I'm biased toward what has happened, but I truly think it's remarkable.''

Vien said the parents often get more nervous during matches than the girls.

"I don't want to say the magnitude of these matches hasn't dawned on them, but they just go out there and play,'' Vien said. "We might be watching them, all tense. But afterward, their attitude is like, 'Hey, where are we all going to eat?' ''

And that's another change.

Monday's husband, Travis, an expert in conditioning and nutrition, has insisted on off-court training at a higher level.

"He has shown everyone that if you eat chicken strips and French fries between these matches, you're probably not going to last very long at these tournaments,'' Vien said. "So we are now concentrating on lean meats, fruits, the kind of foods that keep up their energy. It has all been very eye-opening.''

Monday, too, has received an education she didn't anticipate.

Schaller, an offensive lineman on King High School's 10-0 football team of 1981 who later played at Pittsburg (Kan.) State College, sometimes brings an unorthodox approach.

"I'm kind of routined and regimented in how to prepare a volleyball team,'' Monday said. "Bob might say, 'Hey, I once did this footwork drill in football. Can this work in volleyball?' And I'll say, 'You know, it can.' He has creative ideas like that.

"Before I came aboard, he also made sure that each of the girls learned how to play all the positions. That way, none of them got isolated at a young age. They all developed confidence with all the skills. That has served them very well.''

Schaller got involved when his daughter, Kelly, began playing at age 8. He wasn't sure where it would lead. He definitely didn't anticipate a national-tournament run.

"I've tried to educate myself and ask a lot of questions,'' said Schaller, who is also assisted by Allison Zak, a former King High player and current student at the University of South Florida. We train the girls pretty hard and we ask them to work out on their off-days. But they are a dedicated group and they set a goal to reach the national tournament. I knew it would be a tough chore, but, well, here we are.''

The North Tampa Stars include 5-foot-11 middle blocker Hannah Kaczmarek, 5-7 outside hitter Jennifer Aprile, 5-9 setter Kelly Schaller, 5-7 outside hitter Lizzy Zimroth, 5-0 libero Anna Costello, 5-9 right-side hitter Ashley Wilson, 5-8 middle blocker Kayla Ireland, 5-7 outside hitter Abby Zimroth, 5-8 middle blocker Sydney Blank and 5-7 outside hitter Laura Vien.

The Stars have begun fundraising efforts for their trip to Reno. Interested persons or companies can contact Mary Vien at (813) 631-0988 or mpvien@verizon.net.