On June 9-15, 2019, CJ Sherman and John Alipio led a mixed club team with players from JJVA (Jacksonville Juniors Volleyball Association), A5 and North Atlanta volleyball clubs to Puerto Rico on one of the most impactful trips we’ve experienced yet.
In preparation for the Puerto Rico volleyball tour, the team collected 192 new sports bras in partnership with a non-profit organization called the Sports Bra Project. The team delivered the sports bras to Puerto Rico in an effort to remove barriers to girls’ participation in sports.
The team aided in hurricane rehabilitation and clean up along side Programa de Educacion Comunal de Entrega y Servicio (P.E.C.E.S) in Southeastern Puerto Rico, one of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Maria. The team also volunteered at a kids camp in the Jardín Botánico de la UPR and distributed coloring books donated by USA volleyball.
The team also competed in a volleyball tournament against organized by Steven Fenosik at Club Coqui. JJVA had the opportunity to play against several local club teams from around the island.
Upon traveling home, coach CJ Sherman shared a reflection of her team’s experience in Puerto Rico, “This tour was like many others I have done – volleyball, new foods, language barrier, new experiences, going going all the time. However, after the devastation of Hurricane Maria and my past connections with Puerto Rico I truly feel blessed in more ways than one. Having John Alipio on tour, a long time friend and coach at JJVA who lived in PR in the 80’s was amazing. His contribution to the kids camp and encouraging the athletes during the clean up and coaching them up during the matches was above and beyond. One of my favorite BIP people Brooke Rundle was our guide and her compassion and heart for helping others is so evident and rubs off on all around her. She provided the living room painting volunteer opportunities that were the best and most amazing experiences for the girls and the Dublin painters from Ireland as well. Each girl gave of themselves and worked, laughed, played, and loved on the kids at the camp. The cleanup day was no joke- they worked. The volleyball was fun – good level of play strong serving teams and amazing defense too. Thank you to Steven Fenosik and Borenquin Coqui for the experience. Watching the teams sort through the sports bras was unbelievable and most humbling. This tour needs to remain a part of JJVA in the future and I am excited to continue to share this island paradise with more people. Thank you all for supporting the projects and sending your athlete with me. Se Levanta Puerto Rico. Que dios bendiga Puerto Rico!”
*Originally published on BIP Live https://bringitusa.com/live/.