Los Angeles Volleyball Academy (LAVA)
Steven Wise School, 15500 Stephen S Wise Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90077
About
Los Angeles Volleyball Academy (LAVA) offers youth and juniors club volleyball, including girls club volleyball, boys volleyball, and beach volleyball. The program includes elite club-level beach training, cross-training on the beach for indoor players, and youth and juniors development programs for beach volleyball. LAVA fields more than 100 girls teams annually across various age divisions and almost twenty boys teams annually across various age divisions.
• Ages: 8–18 years old
Los Angeles Volleyball Academy (LAVA) was established in 2010, and its official boys volleyball club, SMBC Boys Volleyball Club, was established in 1982. LAVA is described as one of the premier junior athletic organizations in Southern California and as one of the largest clubs in Southern California, combining for more than 1000 teams and 1000 athletes each year. LAVA teams can be found in each of the eight distinct age divisions in the SCVA region, and SMBC Boys is described as one of the oldest volleyball clubs for boys in the country and has earned more than 100 medals in national competitions across the country. The organization as a whole has earned scores of medals in national competitions across the country since its inception and features some of the best and brightest coaches and athletes in the region, with extensive girls club volleyball programs that include national travel teams, regional travel teams, non-travel development programs for middle school athletes, and youth training programs for elementary school athletes. LAVA has nine LAVA Girls affiliate locations and five SMBC Boys affiliate locations, and the official Beach Program of LAVA offers club-level options and training offerings to suit all ages and needs out of multiple locations.
The Beach Programs for LAVA and SMBC are overseen by Beach Director David Callis and former Olympian and AVP professional Casey Patterson. The leadership team includes Nabil Mardini (Director, Principal), Trevor Julian (Director, Principal and West Director), Sheldon Sheehy (Billing Manager), Candice Tunis (Registrations Manager/Travel Coordinator), Samantha Calisto (Recruiting Director), Sia Irilian (LAVA North Director), Josh Augur (LAVA South Director), Michelle Gansert (LAVA East Director), Kim Machnic (LAVA VC Club Director), Catrina Marbach (LAVA Shack Director), Ryan Van Loo (SMBC Shack Club Director), Rick Phillips (SMBC North Club Director), and Matt Diaz (SMBC West Club Director).
LAVA states that its primary goal is to develop youth and junior athletes and coaches with an athletic blend of talent, technical mastery, volleyball acumen, competitiveness, work ethic, and mental toughness, supported by a passion for the game. The mission statement also notes that the organization is built around notions of family, loyalty, dedication, and reliability, and that it strives to create an environment that players, parents, and coaches are proud of and feel comfortable with, with the pursuit of new friendships, exciting new experiences, and stoking volleyball passion among its objectives. The mission statement further explains that LAVA strives to develop not only quality female athletes, but also remarkable young women. A program quote used by LAVA states, “Passion is what separates the many who won't from the few who will. Play together, play for each other, come to play, and play to win, but above all, play with passion.”
Last updated March 31, 2026.
• Ages: 8–18 years old
Los Angeles Volleyball Academy (LAVA) was established in 2010, and its official boys volleyball club, SMBC Boys Volleyball Club, was established in 1982. LAVA is described as one of the premier junior athletic organizations in Southern California and as one of the largest clubs in Southern California, combining for more than 1000 teams and 1000 athletes each year. LAVA teams can be found in each of the eight distinct age divisions in the SCVA region, and SMBC Boys is described as one of the oldest volleyball clubs for boys in the country and has earned more than 100 medals in national competitions across the country. The organization as a whole has earned scores of medals in national competitions across the country since its inception and features some of the best and brightest coaches and athletes in the region, with extensive girls club volleyball programs that include national travel teams, regional travel teams, non-travel development programs for middle school athletes, and youth training programs for elementary school athletes. LAVA has nine LAVA Girls affiliate locations and five SMBC Boys affiliate locations, and the official Beach Program of LAVA offers club-level options and training offerings to suit all ages and needs out of multiple locations.
The Beach Programs for LAVA and SMBC are overseen by Beach Director David Callis and former Olympian and AVP professional Casey Patterson. The leadership team includes Nabil Mardini (Director, Principal), Trevor Julian (Director, Principal and West Director), Sheldon Sheehy (Billing Manager), Candice Tunis (Registrations Manager/Travel Coordinator), Samantha Calisto (Recruiting Director), Sia Irilian (LAVA North Director), Josh Augur (LAVA South Director), Michelle Gansert (LAVA East Director), Kim Machnic (LAVA VC Club Director), Catrina Marbach (LAVA Shack Director), Ryan Van Loo (SMBC Shack Club Director), Rick Phillips (SMBC North Club Director), and Matt Diaz (SMBC West Club Director).
LAVA states that its primary goal is to develop youth and junior athletes and coaches with an athletic blend of talent, technical mastery, volleyball acumen, competitiveness, work ethic, and mental toughness, supported by a passion for the game. The mission statement also notes that the organization is built around notions of family, loyalty, dedication, and reliability, and that it strives to create an environment that players, parents, and coaches are proud of and feel comfortable with, with the pursuit of new friendships, exciting new experiences, and stoking volleyball passion among its objectives. The mission statement further explains that LAVA strives to develop not only quality female athletes, but also remarkable young women. A program quote used by LAVA states, “Passion is what separates the many who won't from the few who will. Play together, play for each other, come to play, and play to win, but above all, play with passion.”
Last updated March 31, 2026.
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