Congratulations to The Cooler's A5 Mizuno Volleyball Club  Junior Olympic Team for claiming the first USA Volleyball National Championship ever earned by a Georgia team at the National division!   A5's U18 Bob team won the 48-team tournament in Dallas on June 29^th.  A5 18-Bob beat Amarillo Elite 22-25; 25-20; 15-12 in the final match, culminating a grueling, 4-day, 11-match tournament against top teams from California, Washington, Arizona, Texas, Utah, Missouri and Ohio. 

All 11 members of the A5 18-Bob team were Georgia All-State honorees in 2007, and all will be playing at the Division I level in college. 

 
Congratulations to the coaches and players above, starting from the top left and going clockwise: 

Assistant Coach Kendall Reid-Webster

Lexie Woodson         Woodward HS                       Indiana University

Jessica McAlvany     Blessed Trinity HS                Davidson University

Grace Hoyt                 South Forsyth HS                  Mississippi State University

Courtney Fletcher     Northview HS                         University of Michigan

Head Coach Bob       Westbrook

Betsy Smith                 Wesleyan HS                       University of Florida

Mary Chaudoin          Starr’s Mill HS                       University of Indiana

Allie Schleisman       Northview HS                        Jacksonville State University

Kari Bardis                Northview HS                          University of Arizona

Olympia Haney          Sandy Creek HS                    Auburn University

Lisa Carlson              Marist                                       Georgia Tech University

Monique Mead          Landmark Christian HS        Georgia Tech University

Bob Westbrook, Founding Director of A5 Mizuno Volleyball Club and head coach of A5 18-Bob, had this to say about his team’s performance: 

“This team made history by becoming the first 18’s team from the South to win a national championship tournament.  The players’ passion for the game and their pursuit of excellence were surpassed only by the bonds they formed with each other, the individual sacrifices they made for the team and the character they exhibited in pursuit of the common goal.  I am honored to have been their coach.” 

Marist’s Lisa Carlson and Northview’s Allie Schleisman were named to the All-tournament Team, with Northview’s Courtney Fletcher earning Tournament MVP honors. 

A5 Mizuno qualified 8 teams to play in the Junior Olympic National Championships in 2008.  For more information about this article or A5 volleyball club, contact Bob Westbrook at 706-244-9373 or visit A5’s website, www.a5vball.com.