Truth About Sublimated Volleyball Jerseys

Posted on April 11, 2012 by admin

The Raw Truth of Your Sublimation Volleyball Jersey:

It’s the hottest thing on the court. Most manufactures are making them and some of the hottest teams are wearing them; giving indoor volleyball not only a new look but a whole new personality. So let’s find out what sublimation really is.

Sublimation is a simple process of three things; water based ink, heat and pressure. Unlike other volleyball jerseys that use heat transfers or screen-printing, this process actually dyes the ink into the fabric leaving you with a smooth surface that will not crack or wash out. Before your volleyball jersey is made it starts our as a digital image that is printed on paper using a sublimation machine. Then the paper is removed and sent through a heat-press machine along with the fabric that is mostly comprised of polyester. This process is a slow process that takes place under intense 400-degree heat. During this time the dye sub inks, water based inks, are lifted from the sheet and dyed into the fabric. After this process is finished the fabrics are sewed together to create your unique customized volleyball jersey.

Sublimated volleyball jerseys are the new way to make your own unique statement on the court. This new process gives you the chance to choose any color or image to personalize your team’s volleyball jerseys. With less cons and more pros, its leaves you with not only the best looking uniform on the court, but the smartest. Sublimation is giving your game and volleyball jersey no Limits! Tell us at 1^st Place Volleyball your thoughts on sublimated volleyball jerseys.

PROS: Never washes out, never cracks, any color or image, long lasting, no limits

CONS: May cause envy amongst opponents, random people may want pictures with you and you might catch yourself dancing in the mirror in your jersey

We carry Rox, Mizuno and Nike sublimated volleyball jerseys. Shop online or call us at 1.877.878.8327 for more information.

Sales, Sun and Sand for Account Executive Melissa Moore

Posted on April 9, 2012 by admin

If you’ve done business with us before, you know Sales Executive, Mel Moore. She’s a workhorse both on and off the court. She is our Face of 1st Place featured employee this month. Here are a few fun and true facts:

Off the Court:

1. She is the volleyball guru; knowing anything and everything from indoor and outdoor. Chances are you have seen her at a tournament or two.

2. Mel has a fun spirit and is most often in the best mood. This opens a lot of doors for the office staff. Mel has been known to endure a few pranks and in return isn’t shy of mastering a few of her own.

3. She has worked for 1st Place Volleyball in Sales for 3 years. Putting together a team package with custom volleyball jerseys, shoes, spandex, you name it-she can do it, all while finding you the best price.

On the Court:

1. Her passion lives on the sand and she can be seen on weekends playing in beach volleyball tournaments around Florida. She’s known for quickness, a nasty jump serve and court awareness that picks off her opponents offense.

2. She may be scary to block or hit against and will most likely not appear friendly but her spirit carries on while she’s playing. She’s as friendly and goofy as a new kid in school. Give her a high five and try throwing some chinese her way; she’s been pursuing learning a new language.

Sales Executive, Melissa Moore, at the 2012 AVCA Final Four Convention

Ankle Strengthening for Volleyball Players

Posted on April 9, 2012 by admin

We’ve been here before. Our coaches and athletic trainers told us, but you thought it wouldn’t happen to you. You just rolled your ankle and now you’re wondering do I have to wear ankle braces for life when I play volleyball? Yes and no.

Ankle braces are a wonderful way to protect yourself from this horrible injury. If you talk to your coach, doctor or athletic trainer, they will recommend ankle braces when practicing and playing on the court. Active Ankle and Mizuno Ankle Braces are the top-rated and most commonly used braces around. You can find great deals on both here. However, there are several simple exercises that you can do additionally to strengthen and prevent. Thanks to Active.com, we have listed a few. Perform these after your warm-up and stretching routine to gain the most benefit.

Balance Training:

Standing on one leg: Hold for 30 seconds, working up to one minute per leg.

Balance and catch: Standing on one leg, catch and throw a ball with a partner. Make certain to throw the ball right, left, high, low. Perform three sets of 30.

One leg mini squats: On one leg do a half squat with the opposite leg out front for 10 reps, out to the side for 10 reps and behind for 10 reps. Repeat three times.

Strengthening: The ankle can be strengthened in several ways. The first exercise uses thera-band for resisted range of motion. Thera-band can be purchased at a medical supply store. When performing the following exercises, place the band around the top of the foot and curl the toes at the end of the movement to work the internal muscles of the foot. Perform three sets of 20 in each direction.

Calf Raises: Calf raises should be done both seated and standing to strengthen both calf muscles and the Achilles tendon. Perform 3 sets of 20.

Scissor hops: Begin in a lunge position. Jump and switch feet in mid-air landing with the opposite foot forward.

Standing squat jumps: Begin in a quarter squat position. Jump from that position and land softly.

Bounding: On the toes, take large bounding steps in at about 50 percent of running maximum speed. One repetition should be about 50 feet.

Orlando Volleyball Academy 17 Asics Start Strong, Finishing Strong

Posted on April 9, 2012 by admin

The Orlando Volleyball Academy 17 Asics are off to a fantastic start to the 2012 season. In January, the 17 Asics captured the OVA MLK Tournament 18 Open Division crown by beating Boomers 18s, nationally-ranked A5-18s, and the #1 Ranked 18s team in the nation, Tampa Bay Juniors 18 Black. In February, the 17 Asics traveled to Las Vegas to for the SCVA Las Vegas Classic. With over 100 teams entered in the 17 Open division, it was a challenging tournament. OVA rose to the occasion, beating top teams from California and Texas. In the semi-finals, OVA fought and lost to the eventual champion Texas Advantage Volleyball 17 Black finishing 3^rd. In March, OVA 17 Asics won the 18 Open Division of the Orlando Volleyball Academy Asics Invitational. Last weekend, the team traveled to the Mideast Qualifier in Indianapolis, Indiana. With over 40 teams entered in the 17 Open Division, the OVA 17 Asics defeated teams from CA, IL, IN and OH to win the tournament and secure their bid to the USAV Junior National Tournament held in July in Columbus, OH. This past weekend, the team clenched the 17 Open Title at the Big South Volleyball Tournament in Atlanta, Georgia. The girls are now prepping for two tournaments before Nationals, the Show Me Qualifier in April and the National Junior Classic over Memorial Day.

The Orlando Volleyball Academy 17 Asics are led by outside hitter Lindsey Owens and setter/right side Hailey Luke. Both girls have been on the same team since they were 12s and have been a consistent force for this team. They have led this team to 2 AAU National Championships and 3 Top 3 Finishes at USAV Nationals. In 2011, both players were named to the All Tournament team at USA Nationals behind their 3^rd place finish in the 16 Open division. Lindsey is a junior at Bishop Moore High School and led the Hornets to the State Finals this season. She is an outstanding 6-rotation player who can pass and hit with precision. Lindsey has committed to Virginia Tech in the Class of 2013. Hailey is a junior at Lake Brantley High School. Hailey’s hard work and dedication to the sport of volleyball has paid dividends. Hailey sets and hits right side for the 17 Asics. She has great vision of the court and has a high volleyball IQ. She is also an outstanding beach volleyball player. Hailey has committed to play volleyball for Florida State University in the Class of 2013. This team’s success stems from the consistency and mental toughness that this group has shown over the years. They always fight back and even when they are down, never count them out.

Capitol Hill Classic Volleyball 2012 Tournament Wrap Up

Posted on February 23, 2012 by admin

Two full trucks of ROX, Asics, Nfinity, Mizuno, Nike and Under Armour gear plus 800 volleyball teams in the nation’s capital is sure to be a good time. The 1st Place Volleyball cheered, sold, snapped photos, shot videos, peppered and hung out with our favorite peeps while sneaking some time away for food and sleep in this crazy fun President’s holiday weekend. Thanks for all the teams, parents, directors and coaches for stopping by the booth! We had a blast being a part of the dance offs! We couldn’t be happier about the success of this event. Take a look at this year’s photos. We will be loading the video’s soon so stay tuned! Next up…Colorado Crossroads!

2012 Capitol Hill Classic-1st Place Volleyball

1st Place Volleyball's photos from the 2012 Capitol Hill Classic in Washington, DC

Asics Gel Flashpoint Women’s Volleyball Shoe Available to Pre-Order

Posted on February 23, 2012 by admin

That’s right; the long awaited, most talked about volleyball shoe is ready for pre-order! 1st Place Volleyball has opened the Asics Gel Flashpoint volleyball shoe for internet orders for a June 1 ship date at the cheapest price on the internet.

THE BOTTOM LINE: This shoe is for players who want to standout on the court-with the game to back it up! The Asics Gel Flashpoint offers a unique look that will for sure get you noticed.

Rearfoot and Forefoot Gel Cushioning Systems
Solyte Midsole Material
NC Rubber Outsole
Lightweight, weighing at 8.6 ounces

Be the first on the court with the Asics Gel Flashpoint volleyball shoe. It also comes in a Orange Flame/Neon Blue/Hot Pink.

Asics Gel Flashpoint Volleyball Shoe in Black/Neon Yellow/ Hot Pink

Mizuno Wave Lightning RX – Lowest price and free shipping at 1st Place Volleyball

Posted on February 15, 2012 by admin

The Mizuno Wave Lightning is this season’s hottest volleyball shoe and 1st Place Volleyball has re-stocked the warehouse! Get this incredible shoe at the lowest price $99.95 and also receive free shipping when you purchase online!

FEATURES:

Mizuno Wave Lightning RX is packed with features and different technologies. Everything from Mizuno’s Intercool to its amazing Dynamotion Groove is in this shoe to make you look and feel better on the court.

This shoe ships free on 2/21. Click here to purchase:

Women’s Mizuno Wave Lightning RX in black

Men’s Mizuno Wave Lightning RX in black

Also available in the following colors:

White/black

Black/silver

Navy/silver

Tandem Volleyball Pal Review

Posted on February 7, 2012 by admin

1st Place Volleyball reviews the Volleyball Pal by Tandem.

The Tandem Volleyball Pal is a useful volleyball equipment device that allows for hours of practice without the need of another person.

One Person practice
Velcro strap that secures the ball to you
Made to help serving toss and passing consistency
Imported

The bottom line:

The Tandem Volleyball Pal is a useful device that allows for hours of practice without the need of another person. It consists of a Velcro strap that secures around the waist, a neoprene pouch that holds the Volleyball, and an elastic cord connecting the waist strap to the ball pouch. The smooth action of the elastic cord guides the ball back to the player every time. Use the Volleyball Pal to practice serving tosses or arm swing technique without ever having to chase a ball! 1st Place Volleyball suggests this product for anyone who loves to practice for hours without needing another person and without having the inconventence of chancing shanked balls!

Reviews: 4.0 out of 5

1 Review | 100% of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Tandem Volleyball Pal Review by 1st Place Volleyball

PROS

Easy Assembly
Good Quality Construction
Lightweight

CONS

None posted

“This product was a great help for my daughter in improving her serve. She was struggling to get her serves over and this helped develop strength and improve her form to get them over. I recommend it to anyone who need this kind of help.”

Little Rock Juniors Plays with Discipline and Heart-1st Place Volleyball Blog

Posted on January 31, 2012 by admin

Little Rock Juniors 17 National Team Plays with Discipline and Heart. Coach Todd Bourdo compliments his team on their 8-3 record so far, shares team goals and attributes the success to their hard work.

“The 17-National team is made up of 15-17 year old young ladies. In my 20 plus years of coaching Junior Olympic volleyball teams this team is the hardest working team I have coached.They have a lot of self discipline and play with so much heart. They play every ball like it is match point. I have had numerous college coaches and parents from other teams compliment our team on their work ethic and how confident they look while on the court. I occasionally ask my team what is the thing I look for in players and its always “DETAILS COACH”and this remains a goal of our team since we started practicing. We are totally driven on peaking at the end of the season just before Nationals, where our ultimate goal is to win the AAU Nationals. We have a saying that if practices are harder than the actual game we will be prepared when we meet the tougher competition. Our team has a record of 8-3 and we are continuing to grow each and every tournament. We are developing plays for our offense that will make us tougher to defend so we spend a lot of time getting the timing down between our hitters and setters. We are also studying action shots of game pictures to see where we can use some improvement on defense. I am very happy at this point of the season and look forward to each and every practice because these young ladies are like sponges; they want all the information they can get to make their team better. Being a College Coach from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, I just have to say I am very proud of them.”

Thanks Coach Bourdo! We are very proud of them so far as well. Stay in touch with this amazing team by following their page on Facebook.

PLAYER PROFILE: Markie Shaedig

ACADEMICS

High School: Little Rock Christian Academy

Graduation Date: Spring 2013

GPA: 3.9

ACT Score: 23

ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS

High School: 9^th Grd Yr – Varsity VB Team, 5A SW All Conf. Player, 5A All State Player, 5A State All-Tournament Team, 5A SW Conference Champions, Spring 2010 – Top 25 Camp, Selected 1 of top 25 VB Players in Arkansas, Varsity BB Team – State Runner-up, Varsity Soccer Team – 5A State Champions,10^th Grd Yr – Varsity VB Team – Team Captain, 5A Central All Conference Player, 5A All State Player, 5A All-Tournament Team, 5A Central Conference Champions, Henderson State Inv. Trmt. 1^st Place – MVP of the TournamentVarsity BB Team – State Quarter Finals, Varsity Soccer Team-State Runner-up, 11^th Grd Yr – Varisty VB Team-Team Captain, 5A Central All Conference Player, 5A All State Player, 5A State All-Tournament Team, Undefeated Conference Champions, 5A State Runner-Up, Henderson State Invitational Tournament, 1^st Place – MVP of the Tournament

Club: Little Rock Jrs – At 13 she was selected to play on the 17-1’s Team as Guest Player. At 14 she was invited to play on the 16-1 Team and attended AAU Natl’s in FL. At age 15, Coach Todd Bourdo,University of Arkansas Assistant Volleyball Coach, selected her to play on his 16-1’s team and again attended AAU Natl’s in FL. In 2011 Season, at age 16, Coach Bourdo again selected her to play for his 18’1s team. 2012 Markie is on Coach Bourdo’s 17 National Team and was selected All-Tournament Team at Battle at the Fort 2/29/12. Position Libero.

PERSONAL DATA:

Position Played: – Libero, Hitter, DS & Setter, Dominate Hand: – Right, Standing Reach: – 6’11”, Block Jump: – 8’3”, Approach Jump: – 8’10”

REFERENCES

High School Coach: Karen M. Schaedig | 501.425.8744 Karen.schaedig@littlerockchristian.com

Club Coach: Todd Bourdo | 501.425.9176 | tmbourdo@ualr.edu

1st Place Volleyball Blog: Warm it Up with Professional Trainer, Barry Lovelace

Posted on January 31, 2012 by admin

1st Place Volleyball brings you the best way to WARM IT UP with Sports Specific Trainer, Barry Lovelace, in this week’s Drills and Skills.

Pre-game is an exciting time for athletes and coaches alike. It’s the time when we finalize mental preparations, team build and prepare our bodies for the physical demands to come. Before your team hits the court it’s important to warm up our muscles. We spoke with sports performance specialist, Barry Lovelace with Athlete Training Academy, and asked his take on this subject. This is what he had to say:

Warming up is very important. Often coaches and players alike don’t like to take the time to warm up and I can’t stress enough how much I disagree with that. Entering a volleyball game with warm, flexible muscles is not only important for injury prevention but it’s also a way of alerting our bodies that there is work ahead.

The following is a simple and highly effective way to warm up your team that is also very time efficient. Go from one exercise to the next with no break in between.

1) Jog – Start out with a nice, easy jog. Keep with this for about 2 minutes.

2) High Knee Skip- Skip forward and as you do, drive your knee upward toward your chest with each skip. Use a full-range, exaggerated arm action; the opposite arm comes forward and up with each skip. Keep with this for a minute or two.

3) Butt Kick – Run forward and attempt to touch your butt with your heels. Thighs should be perpendicular to the floor. Lean your upper body slightly forward.

4) Lateral Shuffle – Move laterally (sideways) to the right by stepping out to the side with your right foot and then bringing your left foot to meet your right foot without crossing your feet. Keep your body square and do not twist. Upper body should lean slightly forward. Move to the right for ten shuffles and then to the left for 10 shuffles. Repeat 4-5 times.

5) Lateral Lunge – Take a big step out to the right side, lowering your hips and bending your right knee until the thigh is near parallel to the floor. Keep the left leg as straight as possible. Step your left leg in to meet your right leg. That is 1 lateral lunge. Do 10 to the right and 10 to the left.

6) Shoulders Front Raise – Stand with feet hip distance apart holding volleyball in both hands, arms straight down, ball against thighs. Use your shoulders to raise the ball to just above forehead height keeping the arms straight the entire time. Lower back down to starting position. Do 20 repetitions.

7) Raise and Slam – Perform shoulder raise as above. Begin to move arms back down and when arms are just past hip height release ball to the ground. Do 12 at half speed (simply releasing the ball down to the ground) and 12 at full speed (slamming the ball to the ground).

There you have it. A complete and total body warm-up that will prepare your volleyball player for the game ahead.

For more information on Barry Lovelace and Sport Specific Training, email him directly at Barry@Training4YourSport.com