August 10-19, 2016 – Maribor, Slovenia

This year’s Women’s Firesale will again use Maribor’s DRAS Center in Slovenia as a base. This place is amazing, with luxurious rooms, a wonderful restaurant and bar, and a volleyball gym in the building; all right on a ski mountain with gorgeous views. This tour is more of camp, but everyone will love it. The goal of this trip is simply to find jobs for players directly from the tour, and the timing is arranged to coincide with the when the bulk of the season’s signings take place. Players attending this tour should be ready for the rigors of a 7-8 month European season starting immediately from the tour and running to sometime in the Spring of 2017. All players need to understand that current market conditions make it harder than ever to place liberos, so any current libero (or DS) should come prepared to play outside hitter or setter if at all possible. Jobs in general are harder to find in the current economy, and salaries are also lower than in past years. As always, players on the Firesale should want to live in Europe for the year as much (or more) as they want to play volleyball. Remember, this is about finding a life experience more than becoming a “professional athlete” for most players on this tour. Note: There is no refund for players that leave the tour to either sign a contract, go on a tryout, or simple leave early for “personal reasons”. Any time you’re offered a job or tryout this will be explained to you in detail, but we want it clear from the beginning

Tentative Schedule:

  • August 10: Players arrive to the DRAS Center on their own. Training 8-10pm It is strongly suggested that you arrive to LJU, GRZ, or VIE (in that order) It is VERY difficult to get from Venice, Italy to Maribor, Slovenia. Note: There is a shuttle company that seems to be doing a good job from Venice to Maribor. Check it out if you find best fares to VCE: http://goopti.com/index.php
  •  August 10-19: Training Camp with double days and matches; numerous visiting coaches and teams. Possible trips to Croatia, Austria or Bled, but no travel is guaranteed.
  •  August 19: Depart from DRAS Center on your own (Note: We will provide rides to Maribor Train Station if needed)
Cost of the tour is $1650 + airfare and includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily (starting with dinner on August 10 and ending with breakfast on August 19) all hotels, ground transportation, and volleyball activities. Players only need spending money for their ground transportation to Maribor on arrival and departure day, phone calls, souvenirs, and “going out” if they so choose. A $250 non-refundable deposit is due to reserve a spot for this tour. There is no deadline for this deposit, but the tour will fill up and we’ll take the first players to submit their deposit.
All players on tour will have to sign a Player Representation Agreement (PRA) prior to training the first night. By being on tour, you are a client of BIP.
 Interested players should contact Tim Kelly at: bringitusa@aol.com
Payments can be made by check or money order in USD$ to “Bring It Promotions” and mailed by regular mail (please, no FedEx, UPS, or DHL) to:

Bring It Promotions

7055 Scripps Crescent St
Goleta, CA 93117
Please be SURE that your name and “August Firesale 2016” appear on the check.

Interested players need to read the journals of past years tours:

2014

42 players arrived in Maribor, Slovenia looking for professional teams in Europe. After a very successful 9 day training camp in Maribor, Slovenia, 20 players signed contracts to play the 2014-15 season and one player was offered a contract but decided to return home to the USA. It should also be noted that players either signed or were offered contracts in 10 different countries in Europe. So once again, we consider the August Firesale tour a success as 47% of the players coming on the tour were offered contracts to stay in Europe for the season. Below is a list of placements and contracts offered, and the entire tour roster.

Signed Contracts:
  1. Loren Thomas Gera, Germany
  2. Zoe Adom Gera, Germany
  3. Jenn Keddy Rovaneimi, Finland
  4. Sarah Clement Békéscsaba, Hungary
  5. Kelli Donat Geneva, Switzerland
  6. Sara Sage Klagenfurt, Austria
  7. Natalie Buck Offenburg, Germany
  8. Sacha Byous Alcobendas, Spain
  9. Kristina Lavrisha Alcobendas, Spain
  10. Andrea McQuaid Innsbruck, Austria
  11. Kayla Berringer Innsbruck, Austria
  12. Alyssa Dibbern Straubing, Germany
  13. Darcy Dorton Linz, Austria
  14. Macy Ubben Murcia, Spain
  15. Angelica Crump Bratislava, Slovakia
  16. Elysse Richardson Olomouc, Czech Republic
  17. Emily Alexis Ioupli, Greece
  18. Shelby Kinitzel Haro, Spain
  19. Amanda Nickel Saint Cyr sur Loire, France
  20. Kaitlynn Skinner Haro, Spain

Tryouts:

  1. Catherine Carmichael Bratislava, Slovakia
  2. Desiree Waller Gera, Germany
  3. Althea Derrough Friktal, Switzerland

Player Roster:

Alyce Peters 4,2 178cm 21.jún.88 Nicholls State ’06
Samantha Hertaus L/S/4 171 cm 31.dec.89 University of Minnesota Duluth ’12
Hillary Isleifson 4,2 180cm 25.jan.91 MSU-N ’12
Alexa Micek L, 4, 2, S, 172 cm 28.okt.91 North Carolina State University ’12
Kelli Donat 4,2 185 cm 03.aug.90 University of Arkansas ’12
Alicia Shaffer 4, L 180 cm 02.ápr.90 University of Texas at Arlington ’12
Jamie Grauvogel 4,3 185 cm 27.okt.88 College of Mount St. Joseph
Kaylie Prince L, 4, 2 171 cm 01.febr.92 Knox College
Jourdan Lemons Setter 178cm 03.júl.91 Morgan State ’13
Sara Sage 3, 4 188cm 15.máj.90 UCLA ’12
Loren Thomas 3 190.5cm 21.máj.91 Liberty University ’13
Shelby Kintzel 3, 2 191 cm 01.aug.91 University of Northern Iowa ’13
Elysse Richardson S, L 160cm 06.okt.91 University of Colorado Boulder ’14
Kathleen O’Connor 4, 2, L 182cm 16.ápr.92 Cornell College ’14
Desire Waller 4, 2, L 180cm 07.okt.92 South Carolina State ’14
Alyse Lewis 3 180cm 25.dec.91 South Carolina State ’14
Amanda Nickel 2 182 cm 26.febr.92 Brown University ’14
Natalie Buck 4, 2 182 cm 18.dec.91 Georgian College ’14
Sacha Byous 3, 2 185 cm 15.márc.92 Marshall University ’13
Althea Derrough 4, 2 183 cm 31.márc.92 Brown University ’14
Denise Atualevao L/S 165 cm 28.máj.92 Graceland University ’14
Megan Sharpe 3, 4 180cm 1991 Truman St. ’12
Ysabel Zulueta 4 172 cm 21.nov.89 California State EastBay ’13
Jennifer Keddy 3, 4, 2 193 cm 28.okt.91 Cal Poly SLO ’14
Kaprina Goodwin 2, 4 183cm 1989 Gonzaga University, ’08
Charlie French 4, L, 2 173 cm 07.nov.91 Florida Institute of Technology ’14
Andrea McQuaid S, 2 178cm 22.okt.91 Alabama ’14
Emily Alexis 4 178cm 1992 Colorado ’14
Catherine Carmichael 4, 2 187cm 1991 Kansas ’14
Kaitlyn Skinner 3 188 cm 28.máj.92 Bowling Green State University ’14
Kristina Lavrisha 4,L 179 cm 02.márc.92 Gonzaga University ’14
Alyssa Dibbern 2,4 185 cm 23.okt.90 Baylor University ’12
Darcy Dorton 4 188 cm 1990 College of Charleston ’14
Tori Mellinger L, 4 178cm 1991 Emmlicheim, Germany
Macy Ubben 2,4 188cm 1992 Northern Iowa ’13
Kayla Berringer 4,2 183cm 21.aug.92 University of North Carolina
Zoe Adom 4,2 183cm 03.febr.91 Baylor University ’13
Angelica Crump 4, 2 187cm 13.jún.05 Central Florida ’14

Check out this video from last year also!

2013

27 players arrived in Maribor, Slovenia looking for professional teams in Europe. After a very successful 9 day training camp in Maribor, Slovenia, 15 players signed contracts to play the 2013-14 season and two other players were offered contracts but decided to return home to the USA. It should also be noted that players either signed or were offered contracts in 8 different countries in Europe. So once again, we consider the August Firesale tour a success as 62% of the players coming on the tour were offered contracts to stay in Europe for the season. Below is a list of placements and contracts offered, and the entire tour roster.

Signed Contracts:

  1. Rachel Olinyk Straubing, Germany
  2. Olivia Mohler Senica, Slovakia
  3. Meliame White Straubing, Germany
  4. Lisa Doremus VST Lions, Belgium
  5. Shannon Thompson Innsbruck, Austria
  6. Molly Brewster Offenburg, Germany
  7. Lindsay Brown Innsbruck, Austria
  8. Kendall Cleveland Straubing, Germany
  9. Becca Lamb Kuusamo, Finland
  10. Liz Serra-Hsu VST Lions, Belgium
  11. Tanya Schmidt Offenburg, Germany
  12. Alexa Rand Engelholm, Sweden
  13. Jordanne Scott Aachen, Germany
  14. Iva Partaleva (BUL) Lyon, France
  15. Alex Woolsey Fortuna-Odense, Denmark

 

Tryouts:

Anna Drewry LP Kangasala, Finland and Kamnik, Slovenia
Stephanie Jones Kuusamo, Finland

Player Roster:

Marquita Perkins 1984 OH/RS ECSU ’05 175cm
Rachel Olinyk 1989 MB/OH MSSU’11 180cm
Olivia Mohler 1991 MB USA ’12 188cm
Meliame White 1991 RS/OH/L Xavier Univ ’13 175cm
Lisa Doremus 1987 OH/RS SBU 2011 180cm
Shannon Thompson 1991 Universal UMass Boston ’13 186cm
Molly Brewster 1991 OH MNU 2012 178cm
Lindsay Brown 1988 S NCVA ’12 (Sonoma State ’10) 180cm
Katie Wilson 1991 RS/MB ECSU ’13 188cm
Kelsey Johnson 1989 RS/MB/OH Dartmouth ’11 183cm
Lyndi Johnson 1990 L/OH University of Denver ’13 173cm
Sabrina Hoeks 1989 OH/DS University of Maryland BC ’11 177cm
Kendall Cleveland 1991 OH Sam Houston State University ’12 183cm
Melissa Cheviron 1988 OH University of London Union ’12 178cm
Amy Moor 1983 OH Mills College 05′ 178cm
Becca Lamb 1989 RS/OH NawaRo Straubing, Germany ’13 183cm
Lindsey Otsuki 1987 L/OH East Bay Juniors ’06 173cm
Liz Serra-Hsu 1989 OH/OPP Colordao School of Mines, ’10 180cm
Anna Drewry 1991 MB Purdue, ’12 190cm
Tanya Schmidt 1991 MB Farciennes, Belgium, ’13 187cm
Stephanie Jones 1990 MB Westminister, NAIA 183cm
Alexa Rand 1991 MB Clemson, ’12 190cm
Morgan O’Niell 1991 OH/L Virginia Tech, ’12 176cm
Jordanne Scott 1990 OH/OPP Cincinatti, ’12 187cm
Iva Partaleva (BUL) 1990 OH Binghampton, ’12 181cm
Alex Woosley 1991 S Angelo St., ’12 178cm
Valissia Braithwaite 1989 OH/OPP U.S.V.I. National Team ’13 178cm

Past Years:

Click here to read Alexa Rand’s experience in Europe

Flight Info for August Women’s Tour ’16

You are buying your own tickets to Europe, and as long as you’re at the DRAS Center in Maribor, Slovenia on August 10th, and ready for practice that night at 8:00pm, it doesn’t matter what time you arrive or depart. As stated above, you want to arrive to LJU (Ljubljana, Slovenia; a ~2 hour train ride from Maribor), GRZ (Graz, Austria; a < 1 hour train ride but with less connections) or VIE (Vienna, Austria; a 3+ hour train ride). Venice is a nightmare to connect on public transportation, so while you may want to visit Italy pre or post-tour, be very careful if you choose to do this (again, Go Opti is a new shuttle company that seems to be doing a good job; find them online). Usually a round trip ticket to Europe is the same price (or cheaper) than a one-way, and due to visa restrictions and immigration issues in Europe, it often causes problems to try and come with a one-way ticket (or a ticket that has a return for more than 90 after arrival). Suggestion: Either come on a mileage ticket (if you have a parent or friend with tons of airline miles) because its free to change and usable for a full year, or come on the cheapest possible round trip with your return August 19 (or later) as planned, knowing that you might “eat” the return if you’re coming to “stay and play” and find a team. Of course in this case the team will have to fly you home on a new ticket at the end of the season, but having a “mileage ticket” (if possible) makes everything easiest. If you want to come to Maribor early, its $50/night (breakfast included) and should be pre-paid and reserved directly with us when you pay for your tour.