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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Joe Trinsey Named Women’s Coach for World University Games

Joe Trinsley

Joe Trinsey, also known as the “Moneyball Man” for the U.S. women’s national team was recently  named the head coach of the American Women’s Team attending the 2017 World University Games in Taipei, Taiwan. Trinsey shared his thoughts on the World University Games with BIP while attending the US National Team tryouts in Colorado Springs.

Trinsey reflects, “Last year (2016) in the Rio Olympics I got the chance to represent USA as part of the coaching staff with the women’s (USA) Olympic team and I’m really fired up because I get another opportunity to represent USA as coach of the team for the World University Games later on this summer in Taiwan. The World University Games its kind of like an Olympics for university students… It’s a multi-sport event, teams from all over the world get to compete in it, there’s an athlete village just like the Olympics…”

Watch the full interview below. [Read more…] about Joe Trinsey Named Women’s Coach for World University Games

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Florida Legend Mary Wise Reflects on the World University Games

Mary WiseIn March 2017 at the US National Team tryouts in Colorado Springs, we had the opportunity to sit down with Mary Wise, the Head Women’s Volleyball Coach at the University of Florida. She shared with us her thoughts about coaching the US College National Team (CNT) at the World University Games in previous years.

Coach Wise reflects, “For the coaches and the players it really is one of the highlights of our volleyball careers…”it’s the closest thing to the Olympics – with the opening ceremonies, athletes village, medal ceremony and playing against teams from all around the world.”

Watch the full interview from Coach Wise below. [Read more…] about Florida Legend Mary Wise Reflects on the World University Games

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Cali Girl Overseas

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Guest post by Naya Crittenden, University of Illinois Class of 2016

I do not know the exact percentage of women playing professional volleyball right now, but I can tell you that the number is very small. I am one of the few post-collegiate American women, that is lucky enough to be able to play this game at the next level.

My story is not unlike many other women who have been able to experience the professional volleyball life, but everyone’s story is unique.

The beginning of my journey happened very fast and it felt like a dream. After the end of my 2016 senior season as an Illini, I was looking ahead to becoming a regular student (for the first time in my life) and being able to put my full focus in to broadcast journalism for the spring semester. I had a great internship lined up at one of the main news stations near my campus and I was planning on being a part of the social media team for our University’s newspaper. I was also going to be able to cheer on my boyfriend (who’s also an athlete at Illinois) during his 2017 Track and Field season. It seemed nothing could get more perfect. Until it did. [Read more…] about Cali Girl Overseas

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BIP’s Ultimate Packing List for Europe

europe-packing-listIf your volleyball team is planning a tour to Europe, then this packing list is for you. First, things first. You’ll need to check the weather in the countries that you’ll be visiting. Summer in Europe is typically warm and Winter is seasonally cold, but temperatures can vary drastically so make sure you’re prepared for changing weather patterns as you travel.

We’ve created the Ultimate Packing List for Europe specifically for volleyball teams. You can print it out and check-it off, save it as a pdf on your computer or e-mail it to your team. [Read more…] about BIP’s Ultimate Packing List for Europe

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Around the World in a Week

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Guest post by Victoria Dennis, UC Irvine Class of 2016

As Fall Quarter came to an end with my collegiate athletic career at UC Irvine, I was looking for the next step in my life. Professional volleyball was most definitely an option I considered, and I am happy that I did. My personal story happened very fast. Within a week of engaging Bring It Promotions (BIP), I was on a 3-day journey around the world from California to Surabaya, Indonesia.   [Read more…] about Around the World in a Week

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We’ve got a lot of love for Maribor, Slovenia

IMG_0013What is it about Maribor, Slovenia that keeps teams coming back year after year?  

The rolling green hills dotted with vineyards and sunflower farms greet you upon crossing the border. As the second largest city in Slovenia, Maribor is mostly known for being the heart of the Slovenian wine growing region. Its rich wine tradition is marked by the existence of the oldest vine in the world. 

At base of the famed Pohorje mountain you’ll also find an array of adrenaline options accessible by gondola.  From skiing and sledding in the winter to hiking and a mountain top obstacle course in the summer, this city has no shortage of team building activities to offer visitors. However the city’s history, tells a different type of tale. 

Maribor

Cross the Drava River into ‘old town’ and you’ll land at the City Hall which Hitler spoke from in 1941 during his attempt to convert Slovenia into a “German State”.  By the end of World War II, the tiny town of less than 100,000 people experienced more bombing by the Allies than any other major city in communist Yugoslavia. When Tito (Josip Broz) united the six Yugoslav republics to form the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the landscape of Maribor was a battleground for freedom. 

Although Tito’s death in 1980 brought about more political tension and economic crisis, Slovenia had already re-positioned itself as one of the most economically advanced former Yugoslav republics. A 10-day war in 1991 gave birth to the modern day nation of Slovenia. Since Slovenia’s succession from Yugoslavia, Maribor has been slowly transitioning into the popular destination for adventure travelers, foodies and wine lovers that we experience today.

But there’s something else happening in Maribor, that’s sparking the interest of volleyball coaches and fans worldwide.  Top US college volleyball teams like Penn State and the University of Texas are putting Maribor, Slovenia on their itinerary for their foreign volleyball tours to gain access to top level international competition, extra pre-season training and a unique cultural exchange among athletes from diverse backgrounds. 

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photo credit // Hotel Draš Maribor Flickr

Maribor is home to a dedicated international volleyball hub, also known as the Dras Center.  The sport complex offers optimal training conditions for visiting teams with multiple volleyball courts, an in-house gym, a wellness spa and delicious dining options where spectators can enjoy homemade delicacies while watching volleyball. 

Volleyball teams from Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, England, Iran, Brazil, China, and Israel, as well as the Junior National Teams from China, Russia, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and all over Europe are coming to Maribor to gain access to elite international players and coaches.

After almost two decades of hosting volleyball tours in Europe, it’s become evident to us that Maribor is one of those magical places that always tops the list of best travel experiences for teams.  We certainly have a lot of love for it.