Bring It Live

BEST OF BIP

Welcome to Bring It USA Live - your guide to international volleyball events and travel opportunities.

Here you'll find stories highlighting the best of BIP tours and events around the world. From coverage of our annual Global Challenge in Pula, Croatia to the College National Team (CNT) experience at the World University Games and more. Each year BIP is taking more college and club volleyball teams to new destinations than every before.

Take a look at some of the best tours and international volleyball stories BIP has to over.

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Let the Games Begin

Global Challenge 2018 Opening Ceremonies

As nationals are winding down and summer is heating up, volleyball teams from all over the world are making their way to Pula, Croatia for the start of BIP’s 14th annual Global Challenge. The United States will be represented by U17 and U23 select teams from all over the country including the USA College National Team and the Mountain West Conference All-Star Team. International competition will include Junior National and club teams from 9 different countries: Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, England, China, Sweden and Finland. [Read more…] about Let the Games Begin

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Costa Rica Volleyball Tours

As the eco-tourism and adventure capital of Central America, Costa Rica is not typically thought of as a big volleyball destination.  All of that is changing.  In 2016 Karen Cope and Natalia Alfaro were the first duo to ever represent Costa Rica at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero. In June, 2018 FECOVOL, the Federation of Costa Rica Volleyball, hosted the NORCECA U-19 boys Continental Championship at Costa Rica’s national sports complex in La Sabana.

In addition to the Costa Rica women’s and mens national teams, the capital city of San Jose is also home to top club teams eager and ready to play competitive volleyball matches for visiting DI, DII and DIII level college teams.  However beyond the volleyball, there’s several other compelling reasons teams are traveling to Costa Rica on their foreign tours. [Read more…] about Costa Rica Volleyball Tours

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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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BIP USA Team Competes in Vietnam

Earlier this spring BIP was invited to enter a team into the 12th annual Binh Dien Tournament in Vietnam in May. The level is quite high, loaded with some top clubs from around Asia; China, Kazakhstan, Thailand, and Vietnam for this year. No American team had even been involved. As with many things in Asia, this was a last-minute effort, and we were lucky to find 11 athletes able and willing to participate, most committing and booking tickets just weeks prior to the event. The trip had everyone meeting in Saigon (formerly Ho Chi Minh City) and then flying to Da Nang together after a day or two of getting used to the new time zone. The following is a journal from Anna Church, a seasoned BIP-All-Star who just wrapped up a season playing professionally in Germany. [Read more…] about BIP USA Team Competes in Vietnam

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Deitre Collins-Parker Explains the Value of International Experience

The Mountain West Conference All-Star team finished runner up to the US College National Team at the 13th Global Challenge in Pula, Croatia July of 2017. To advance to the finals, the Mountain West All-Stars beat out top teams from Croatia, Slovenia and Italy. The squad was lead by head coach Deitre Collins-Parker,.

Deitre is no stranger to international play. In fact, it would be difficult to find a more qualified coach for the occasion. As a member of the 1988 Olympic team and an alternate for the 1992 Olympic team, she’s played in over 130 international volleyball matches.

During her college career in the United States, she was awarded two-time national collegiate player of the year.  She’s an AVCA Hall of Fame member and the head coach of San Diego State University Lady Aztecs.

Before the U23 finals of her second Global Challenge appearance, Deitre Collins-Parker explained why playing internationally can teach players how to improve their all around game. Watch the full interview below and read more interviews and reflections from the Global Challenge. [Read more…] about Deitre Collins-Parker Explains the Value of International Experience

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2017 Global Challenge

It’s our favorite time of year… the 13th annual European Global Challenge will return to Pula, Croatia on July 11th – 14th, 2017 to host u17 and u22 divisions from around the world.

We’ve got 10 teams from the US currently on pre-tours in Europe. The USA Volleyball College National Team is warming up for the tournament at the Dras Center in Maribor, Slovenia with matches against federation teams from Slovenia and the Czech Republic. Meanwhile the Mountain West Conference All Star team is in Budapest, Hungary preparing for the Global Challenge with friendly matches against the Hungary Junior National Team and Senior National Teams.

On July 10th the tournament will kick off with an opening ceremony for all international teams at Pula’s town center near the edge of the Adriatic Sea. Competition starts July 11th. You’ll find complete team rosters and schedule updates on the tournament website here.  And if you’re tuning in from afar, you’ll be able to live stream matches here.