How SYVV Started (And What We’re Actually Trying to Build)
It all started on March 25, 2023, with about 10-15 kids in a gym.
It was originally founded by Travis Lishman and Taulbee McGinnis, with the help of Eric Klinedinst who are both still involved as coaches today. At the time, it was simple—just getting players in the gym, working on fundamentals, and trying to help them improve.
The Transition
About two years in, things shifted.
Travis and Taulbee both got busier, and the program was handed over to me.
At the time, I was 16 years old, playing high school and club volleyball.
Not exactly the typical person running a training program—but I saw the opportunity and decided to take it seriously.
One of the first things I did was build out a website and start organizing things in a more structured way.
The goal was simple:
Grow the program and build something that actually helps the volleyball community in the valley.
Early Growth
Early Summer 2025 Clinic Group
That summer things started to move.
The program grew quickly and began averaging around 30–35 athletes per week.
More players. More consistency. Better energy in the gym.
And more importantly, we started to see real improvement in the athletes who were showing up consistently.
First Competitive Step
2025 VC Pirate Classic Champions
Not long after that, we decided to take a step further.
We put together a higher-level team and competed in the Ventura College Pirate Classic for the second year in a row.
We ended up winning the tournament.
That was a big moment—not just because of the result, but because it showed what was possible when players trained consistently in the right environment.
Building Momentum
2026 Blenders Tournament Team @Page Youth Center
Going into Winter–Spring 2025, the clinics took off.
We had strong turnout, a solid group of athletes, and a lot of support from the community.
From there, we added a Blenders team, competing in tournaments run through the Santa Barbara Volleyball Club.
That gave players more opportunities to compete, not just train.
Where We Are Now
Now heading into Summer 2026, things have expanded quite a bit.
We’ve:
launched a boys program
continued building out structured clinics
The goal is still the same.
What This Is Really About
At the end of the day, this isn’t about running the biggest program.
It’s about:
growing the volleyball community in the valley
giving players a place to improve consistently
helping prepare athletes for high school and club volleyball
That’s it.
Looking Forward
We’re still building.
Still refining. Still improving.
But everything we’re doing is pointed in the same direction:
Create a better training environment for players who actually want to get better.
If You Want to Be Part of It
If you’re looking for a more structured way to train or just want to get more consistent reps in, you can check out our programs here:
