Bring It Live

Brooke Rundle

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Sitting Volleyball : The Game Will Find a Way

IMG_0156“The game will find a way”, John Kessel assured me at the 2015 AVCA Convention during his presentation on growing the game internationally by sharing resources abroad.  Coach Kessel, USAV’s Director of Sport Development, taught a plethora of unconventional ways to play, teach and grow the sport in underprivileged countries without critical resources.  He shared stories about USA Volleyball’s “Leave a Ball Behind” program and illustrated how to hand-craft volleyball courts cheaply out of scrap wood and ribbon.

Among the many altruistic ideas that Kessel shared that day, it was those regarding sitting volleyball that resonated the deepest.  Having never witnessed a sitting volleyball game or practice, I felt a bit unqualified to introduce the sport in Nicaragua and yet I couldn’t quite let go of the belief that it absolutely must be done. [Read more…] about Sitting Volleyball : The Game Will Find a Way

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BIP’s Annual Global Challenge

photo credit // Wanderlust Travel Magazine

The 15th Annual Global Challenge will take place in Pula, Croatia on July 16 through July 19, 2019 for u18 and u23 teams from around the world. Pre tours will start July 10th.

The mission of the Global Challenge is to provide teams international playing experience and exposure. Past tournaments participants have included club and country federation teams from Slovenia, Russia, Romania, Germany, Bosnia, Montenegro, China, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Denmark and Puerto Rico, plus USA regional HP, youth national, junior national, and collegiate national teams.

Last year’s U17 division Global Challenge proved to be a volleyball showdown between Croatia’s Youth National Team and Slovenia’s Nova KBM Branik. In the U23 final match the USA College National Team toppled the Mountain West Conference All-Star Team.  To gain insights from players and coaches in attendance at last year’s tournament, be sure to watch these video interviews on our live blog.

In preparation for tournament play Pre-tours will take place throughout Europe between July 5th-8th. Opening ceremonies will take place on July 9th in  Pula, Croatia, a town marked by 3,000 year old Roman ruins including one of the last remaining fully intact Roman Colosseums in the world dating back to 68 AD. All teams, regardless of their nationality, stay in close quarters at the beach front Hotel Pula to encourage a cultural exchange between players and coaches.  The hotel is perfectly positioned within walking distance to both the competition arena and the crystal teal water of the Adriatic Sea.

Competitive international volleyball is what you get at the Global Challenge year after year.  If you’re a volleyball player, coach or fan who loves to travel, there’s no better place in the world to be in July than Pula, Croatia. For more tournament information and results, head over to the 2018 Global Challenge Tournament website here.

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Escuela Adelante: A New Kind of International School

Photo Credit // Jessica Gildersleeve

The Casa Llanta Fund pays for textbooks at Escuela Adelante in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.Escuela Adelante developed organically from free English classes based out of the local library. Co-founding director Carrie Valladares, an attorney for Microsoft in Seattle, envisioned bringing international education standards to San Juan del Sur in the form of a new type of international school. With program guidance from co-founding director Jamie Hunter, an American teacher and San Juan del Sur resident with a masters degree in education and child development, and the support of a dedicated teaching staff, the program has blossomed into the vibrant bilingual language learning center that it is today.

The program is a 2 year English language course taught in congruence with the ESL course at UPOLI (Universidad Politecnica de Nicaragua) with books sourced from the Oxford University Press.  The school is accessible and has a locally tailored fee structure to establish a sense of worth to the program but without prohibiting attendance from any eager local student. [Read more…] about Escuela Adelante: A New Kind of International School

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Costa Rica Packing List

photo credit: Milo Miloezger
photo credit // Milo Miloezger

If you’re traveling to Costa Rica and you’re trying to decide what to pack, this list has you covered.  Keep in mind that in Costa Rica you’re going to spend lots of time in the sunshine and rain, probably both in the same day, therefore clothing that is light weight and dries quickly is your best bet.

We’ve created a specific Costa Rica packing list for your team. You can print it out and check-it off or e-mail this webpage to your team. [Read more…] about Costa Rica Packing List

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Condimentos Carizal

In 2007 with the support and guidance of Rootham Gourmet Preserves out of Canada and the Rotary Club of Guelph South, the Casa Llanta Fund formed a sustainable women’s cooperative called Condimentos del Carizal which produces and sells homemade jams. Financial training and a micro loan were provided to the women in the community.  The members of the cooperative hand-make and distribute their products into local hotels and shops throughout Nicaragua. They also sell their products to visiting tourists and cruise ships.

With funds from the Rotary Club of Guelph South and proceeds from Pitaya Festival, the Casa Llanta Fund built a community kitchen for the women’s cooperative in 2013 on land donated by Tim Kelly.  

We are extremely proud to announce that the women’s cooperative have opened their own shared bank account for their savings and have been completely self-sufficient and sustainable since 2014.  The Casa Llanta Fund no longer provide financial aid to the women directly because their business is financially independent.

 

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Opening Ceremonies in Taipei

Nearly 8,000 athletes representing countries around the world marched in the opening ceremonies for the 2017  World University Games in Taipei, Taiwan.  The ceremonies were severely interrupted as a result of local protesters demonstrating against reforms in Taiwan’s pension system for government employees and teachers. However despite significant delays, Team USA did finally get to walk through the arena representing their country. [Read more…] about Opening Ceremonies in Taipei