Last update: February 20, 2021
EXECUTIVE STAFF
Jeremy Swann
Leslie Ray
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JEREMY SWANN - OWNER
Jeremy is owner of the Xceleration Volleyball Club. He is in his 13th season at Xceleration (including coaching 18Blue with Andy Schroeder for 10 years) and in his 17th season of coaching junior girls’ volleyball. Before joining Xceleration, Jeremy was the Head Coach at Monte Vista HS in Danville for two seasons and led his teams to North Coast Section (NCS) appearances each season. Jeremy played volleyball at St. Mary's College in Moraga, CA and soccer at Cal State East Bay in Hayward, CA. LESLIE RAY - CLUB DIRECTOR Leslie returns for her 4th year as Club Director for the 2020-2021 season. Leslie is responsible for all operational activities and needs of the club, including management of the support and coaching staff, finance, and detailed tournament, practice, and travel planning. |
ADVISORY STAFF
Jim Ross
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JIM ROSS - CONSULTANT / COLLEGE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Jim is in his 12th year with Xceleration. He began his involvement with Xceleration as a volleyball parent during his daughters’ participation in club volleyball. His initial role was the establishment of the club’s College Development Program that helps athletes navigate through the often-daunting world of college athletic recruiting. That program currently has over 500 coaches and programs in its database and is nationally recognized for its role. He picked up the additional role of Xceleration’s Club Director in 2009 through 2016 to handle the day-to-day operations of the club that included planning, administration, and managing the teams and coaching staff. During that time Xceleration has doubled in size from 6 to 12 teams. |
COACHING STAFF
Much of what makes up our club is the result of our tremendous coaching staff. They are skilled volleyball players and coaches who are trained by the Xceleration staff in the methods that we want them to develop in our players. In addition, we make sure to only employ coaches that are being good role models on and off the court. We have very high standards for our staff that ensures that your daughters are being taught good life lessons both in and out of competition.
There is more to being a good coach than just an extensive knowledge of the game – you also have to be able to teach the girls how to effectively identify and work towards goals. We make sure to have coaches that not only preach it, they live their own lives by it.
There is more to being a good coach than just an extensive knowledge of the game – you also have to be able to teach the girls how to effectively identify and work towards goals. We make sure to have coaches that not only preach it, they live their own lives by it.
Andy Schroeder
Brett Leggitt
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ANDY SCHROEDER - HEAD COACH 18BLUE
Andy is entering his 13th year with Xceleration and 16th year as a club volleyball Head Coach. Prior to joining Xceleration, Andy spent four seasons coaching at Odyssey VBC and NorCal VBC. As a player, Andy played D-1 volleyball for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He was an AA-ranked beach volleyball player and, in 2007 was voted into the Seaside Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame. In 2015, Andy was named a finalist for the PrepVolleyball.com National Club Coach of the Year. In the last 11 years, Andy has coached Xceleration’s 18Blue teams that have consistently qualified for the USA Volleyball (USAV) Junior National Championships, with three teams finishing in the Top 5 in 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2017. During his coaching career at Xceleration, more than 160 of his former players have gone on to play in college. BRETT LEGGITT - ASSOCIATE COACH 18BLUE Vacaville native Brett Leggitt is in his 4th year coaching with Xceleration and his 3rd with the 18Blue. Growing up he played basketball and ran track at Canyon HS in New Braunfels, TX. He then attended Southwest Texas State University, now known as Texas State. After studying Agriculture Business, Brett later joined the U.S. Air Force and spent four years on active duty, and another six years as an active member of the Reserves. He fell in love with the sport and learned to play while serving in the Air Force. He played Middle Blocker for his squadron’s team. Brett joins the Xceleration staff with more than 10 years of coaching experience. He also served as the Head Coach of the freshman team at Vanden HS in Fairfield, CA for the 2012 season. He has coached all levels of club from 13U through 18U. Brett has been volunteering for the USA Volleyball High Performance National Team Tryouts for the past six years. Brett has been invited to work USAV High Performance Training Camps the past two summers as an assistant coach. Brett loves coaching as it allows him to be a part of the lives of so many amazing young people. He enjoys seeing athletes succeed both on the court and off as they move on through the different phases of their lives which he finds rewarding. |
Jeremy Swann
Allan Alberto
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JEREMY SWANN – HEAD COACH 17WHITE
Jeremy is owner of the Xceleration Volleyball Club. He is in his 13th season at Xceleration (including coaching 18Blue with Andy Schroeder for 10 years) and in his 17th season of coaching junior girls’ volleyball. Before joining Xceleration, Jeremy was the Head Coach at Monte Vista HS in Danville for two seasons and led his teams to North Coast Section (NCS) appearances each season. Jeremy played volleyball at St. Mary's College in Moraga, CA and soccer at Cal State East Bay in Hayward, CA. Haley is currently the head coach of the Acalanes HS women’s volleyball team in Lafayette, CA. ALLAN ALBERTO – ASSOCIATE COACH 17WHITE Allan's 29 years of volleyball experience began in his hometown in the Philippines. Allan started his collegiate volleyball career at National University in the Philippines, playing the middle and right position. He was a member of the Philippine National Team in 2002, 2004, and 2005 and competed internationally in Fukuoka, Japan, in 2002. Allan also became a member of the Philippine Air Force Volleyball Team and was the Philippines' National Open champions from 2005 to 2007. Allan started his volleyball coaching experience as the Head Coach of Asian College of Science and Technology in the Philippines from 2004 to 2006. He was the Assistant Coach for the Philippine Air Force from 2004 to 2006 and National University in the Philippines from 2006 to 2008. When Allan arrived in California, he joined Club Solano and was one of the Head Coaches, coaching the Girls 15's, 16's, and 17's age group from 2017 to 2020. Now, Allan is excited to be one of the most recent additions to Xceleration. Allan loves and is very passionate about Volleyball. He enjoys teaching players the fundamentals of the sport and fostering the importance of hard work, determination, and team work. His goal is to share his talent and experience with younger players to inspire them to develop their skills and passion for Volleyball. |
Leslie Ray
Lindsey Ray
Deo Boongaling
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LESLIE RAY – HEAD COACH 17BLUE
Leslie returns to Xceleration for her 8th season with the Club. She is also in her 8th season as an assistant coach at Cal State East Bay (CSUEB) in Hayward, CA. Leslie was a starting Libero at CSUEB for two seasons before graduating with a degree in Child Development. Prior to CSUEB, Leslie attended Golden West JC and prepped at Long Beach Poly HS, where she was a high school All-American. Leslie played six seasons of club volleyball with the prestigious Mizuno Long Beach VBC. A fierce competitor on the court, Leslie brings a love of the game to her coaching. She is an excellent student of the game and is able to convey both the skill and passion to her players. Leslie is currently the head coach of the Miramonte HS women’s JV volleyball team in Orinda, CA. LINDSEY RAY – ASSOCIATE COACH 17BLUE Lindsey is back for her 8th season with Xceleration. Lindsey completed her collegiate volleyball career at the Cal State East Bay volleyball team after finishing a celebrated high school career in Southern California at volleyball powerhouse Long Beach Poly. She capped her 2012 prep season by being named “Long Beach Century Club Player of the Year” and “Long Beach Press Telegram All-Area Player of the Year” after leading Poly into the 3rd Round of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Championships. An exceptional talent, Lindsey is looking forward to teaching volleyball and working with Xceleration’s players in a sport she loves and is passionate about. Lindsey is currently the head coach of the Miramonte HS women’s Varsity volleyball team in Orinda, CA. DEO BOONGALING – ASSOCIATE COACH 17BLUE Deo is entering his first year as a coach for Xceleration. Prior to coaching here, he was an undergraduate assistant coach for the Cal State East Bay women’s volleyball team. Deo grew up 20 minutes away from Martinez, in Vallejo, California and graduated from St-Patrick’s - St Vincent’s High School where he played 3 years of varsity volleyball before moving on to play at at San Diego City College. During high school, Deo also played 2 years of competitive club volleyball for Diablo Valley VBC. Deo currently attends Cal State East Bay as a Kinesiology major and plans on graduating in December in 2021. Deo also serves as an Associate Coach for 13Blue. |
Ruth Lawanson
Todd Ajari
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RUTH LAWANSON – HEAD COACH 16BLUE
Ruth Lawanson has been involved with volleyball for over 35 years as a player, coach, and clinician. She has coached at the University of Nevada, U.S. Air Force Academy, Fresno State, Angelo State, and Purdue University. In her career, she has helped coached 25 all-conference players, one all-region selection, and an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) honorable-mention All-American. She has also helped mentor 90 academic all-conference student-athletes. A setter and hitter during her career she was a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic team that won the bronze medal in Barcelona, Spain. She spent four seasons with the U.S. National Team, playing on the 1991 World Cup squad that earned a bronze medal in Japan and the 1990 World Championships team that won a bronze medal in China. She was also honored with the national team's 1991 Judy Bellomo Players Award and won a gold medal with the 1992 U.S. Olympic Festival West Region team. Read more. TODD AJARI – ASSOCIATE COACH 16BLUE Todd enters his 3rd season with Xceleration after coaching 16White last season and 14Blue the season prior. Originally from Hawaii, Todd is now a Benicia, CA resident where he has coached at the club, and high school JV and Varsity teams at Benicia HS. As an assistant coach, Todd has taken two of his club teams to Junior Nationals in Minneapolis in 2017 and Detroit in 2018. Todd has also coached fast-pitch softball, baseball, and wrestling. Todd has overcome many challenges, including struggling academically and being a late starter in the game of volleyball. With determination, focus, hard work and extra effort, he raised his bar hitting the books and sharpened his skills at College Park HS in Pleasant Hill, CA. He also played for Golden Bear VBC his senior year and in high school made the Diablo Valley Athletic League (DVAL) All-League Team as a Setter. After high school, Todd played men's club volleyball and coached at Sport Health for one season before enlisting in and playing for U.S. Air Force team where he also made the All-Armed Forces Team in his last year in the military. Todd then continued to play men’s club teams until 2007 when he focused on coaching his kids in sports. Todd said, “I enjoy coaching sports in general because I like the challenge of finding ways to communicate with individual players and teams, so they are able to understand and perform better. I put a lot of effort into volleyball as a player and I like to share my experience to help other players improve and develop passion as an athlete and for volleyball.” His favorite athletes are Brandon, Amanda, and Dayna Ajari. |
Jennifer Uresti
Anthony Alberto
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JENNIFER URESTI – HEAD COACH 16WHITE
Jennifer is in her 2nd season at Xceleration. She has coached all levels of high school volleyball and club with over 15 years experience. Jennifer’s volleyball success started early on. She was a CIF Div. III State Champion her senior year of high school, and a First Team Jr. College All-American at Kings River Community College where they also finished 4th in State. Jennifer attended Fresno State University on full scholarship and was an All-WAC selection as a middle blocker during her Senior year. Jennifer still holds the record for the most blocks in a single game. She started her coaching career while playing college volleyball, coaching in the club scene for Sierra Pacific Volleyball Club and Central Cal Volleyball Club. Jennifer secured her first high school varsity head coaching job her first year out of college. Jennifer stepped away from the game as she started her family and has been back in the gym for the past six years here in the Bay Area. Jennifer has enjoyed picking up coaching again with her two children who are actively thriving in the sport. Currently, Jennifer is coaching the JV Boys and Frosh-Soph Girls teams at Berean Christian HS in Walnut Creek. She has also been an assistant coach for Girls 14’s and Boys 17’s age group at BAVC. Jennifer’s excited that she is back in the gym and can share her love of the game with all of the players she comes in contact with. She has a passion for teaching younger players that strong fundamentals and a good work ethic can carry them through their years of playing and beyond. ANTHONY ALBERTO – ASSOCIATE COACH 16WHITE Anthony joins Xceleration in his 1st year as an Associate Coach for 16White. His volleyball journey began in high school in the Philippines. Anthony continued to play right side/setter on a full scholarship for National University, Philippines, where the men’s team placed 2nd in the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Volleyball Tournament in 2000. Anthony earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2004. Anthony’s coaching experience started at the Asian College of Science and Technology (ACSAT) as an Assistant Coach of the women’s volleyball team from 2004 to 2006. This was followed by a head coaching position for the school’s Mass Communication women’s volleyball team, which played in the Sports Festival at St. Paul University, Philippines from 2006 to 2008. Anthony stepped away from coaching to pursue a career as a Construction and Mechanical Engineer for a construction contractor in the Philippines until he relocated to Riverside, CA in 2017. From there, Anthony moved to his current residence in American Canyon, CA in 2020 with his brother. There, he served as an Associate Coach for Club Solano’s 17s team. Anthony is excited to join Xceleration and be back on the court to share his passion and love of the game. He is eager to teach players to develop their skills by building a solid foundation, sound fundamentals, and a strong work ethic. |
Jeremy Swann
Taylor Dixon
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JEREMY SWANN – HEAD COACH 15BLUE
Jeremy is owner of the Xceleration Volleyball Club. He is in his 13th season at Xceleration (including coaching 18Blue with Andy Schroeder for 10 years) and in his 17th season of coaching junior girls’ volleyball. Before joining Xceleration, Jeremy was the Head Coach at Monte Vista HS in Danville for two seasons and led his teams to North Coast Section (NCS) appearances each season. Jeremy played volleyball at St. Mary's College in Moraga, CA and soccer at Cal State East Bay in Hayward, CA. TAYLOR DIXON – ASSOCIATE COACH 15BLUE Xceleration alumnus Taylor has played volleyball for 10 years, including 2 years with Xcel. Taylor earned a scholarship to play at Cal State San Marcos as an outside hitter for the Cougars. There she earned her degree in Liberal Arts, with an emphasis in Sociology. Taylor is working towards her teaching credential so that she can be an elementary teacher. Taylor prepped at Liberty High School in Brentwood, CA through 2016, where she was on varsity volleyball all 4 years and earned First Team All-East Bay for 2 years in a row. Taylor said, "I look forward to coaching and being a part of the Xcel family once again!" |
Dana Pineda
Andrew Randolph
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DANA PINEDA – CO-HEAD COACH 15WHITE
Dana is an Xceleration alum and in her 2nd year coaching with the club. She started playing volleyball at the age of 10 and immediately fell in love with the sport. She played varsity at St. Joseph Notre Dame (SJND) HS in Alameda, CA for three years as a starting setter and was co-captain her senior year. During her high school career, Dana led the team and ranked first in the Tri-County Athletic League in assists her junior and senior years. She also received an All-League Honorable Mention and was named the All-League Second Team her junior and senior years, respectively. During her time at SJND, she helped lead the team to two North Coast Section finals and one Northern California final appearance. Dana played six seasons at Xceleration where she was the starting setter and captain of her 16’s and 17’s teams. In 2015, her 18’s team won the SoCal National Qualifier in Anaheim and went on to compete in Junior Nationals in New Orleans. Last club season, Dana was the assistant coach for the La Jolla Volleyball Club 14-Barb team down in San Diego. Now back home after graduating from San Diego State university last season, she is excited to return to Xceleration as a coach. ANDREW RANDOLPH – CO-HEAD COACH 15WHITE Andrew is now in his fourth year of coaching, and has done so for multiple high school and club teams. He began coaching in 2017 for Belltown VBC in Riverside, CA for their 12's, 13's, 14's, and 16's teams. Shortly after, he moved on to coach the Girls' Frosh, JV, and Varsity teams for the 2019 season at Southlands Christian Schools in Rowland Heights, CA. During his time at Southlands, he also spent time as the Assistant Girls' Varsity Basketball Coach and as one of Southlands' long-term substitute teachers, instructing in Weights & Conditioning and Psychology. The following Spring semester, he had started to work as the JV coach for the Martin Luther King Jr. High School Boys' Volleyball Team. Sadly, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, his first season with them was cut short. Andrew has moved on from both of these institutions and has found himself back in Northern California. Andrew recently just started in his first season coaching the Girls' Frosh team at Will C. Wood High School in Vacaville, CA, and is also joining the Xcel team for his first season here. Andrew played High School Volleyball for Berean Christian High School in Walnut Creek, CA from 2010-2014 as the team's starting Libero, and was captain his senior year. He also played three years as an Outside Hitter and Libero for Diablo Valley VBC, where he was co-captain his second year. During his Senior year at Berean, Andrew helped lead the team to the school's historically best 30-10 season. Over the course of his four years at Berean, Andrew earned Diablo Valley Athletic League (DVAL) Honors all four years, including Honorable Mention his Freshman year, 2nd Team All-League Sophomore and Junior years, and 1st Team All-League Senior year. He still has the Single-Season Dig record at 662, as well as the Career Dig Record at 1,031 for Berean. From 2014-2017, Andrew attended California Baptist University (CBU) in Riverside, CA and graduated with his Bachelor's in Psychology, with a Minor in Coaching. He then remained at CBU for the 2018-2019 school year and earned his Master's degree in Sports and Performance Psychology. He has worked with a multitude of high school and college sports teams including Cheer, Golf, Basketball, Volleyball, and Soccer as a Mental Performance Coach. He has also recently taken his exam to become a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) and hopes to add that to his resume in the coming months. Andrew's goal is to gain as much experience as he can working among high school student- athletes, and desires to be one of the first to work solely with high school athletes in the mental game capacity. Helping athletes learn to set goals for themselves and work diligently to find success is what Andrew is most passionate about, and will continue to work towards as he builds his career surrounding athletics. |
Patrick Samples
Allora Somontan
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PATRICK SAMPLES – HEAD COACH 14BLUE
Patrick is in his 3rd season with the club after coaching 15White and 14White the past two seasons. A former Setter and Outside Hitter, Patrick has over eight years of coaching experience at the club and high school levels for both girls and boys. Patrick attended Vacaville HS and later earned an Associate Degree in Medical Assisting. He enjoys teaching and watching players progress. Patrick’s favorite athlete is tennis great Roger Federer. ALLORA SOMONTAN – ASSOCIATE COACH 14BLUE This is Allora’s first season with Xceleration. She has coached volleyball since 2017, starting with Club Solano Volleyball and then with Vacaville Extreme. Allora graduated from Vacaville HS. She did not play in high school but has only played club volleyball and has enjoyed every minute of it. Allora played collegiate volleyball for two years at Solano Community College as an Outside/DS to a Setter/DS, and this year committed to play at the University of Maine at Fort Kent as a Setter/DS. She has her Associates degree in Communications and is getting her Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science, while minoring in Biology. |
Leslie Ray
Asha Johnson
Lindsey McLaughlin
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LESLIE RAY – HEAD COACH 14WHITE
Leslie returns to Xceleration for her 8th season with the Club. She is also in her 8th season as an assistant coach at Cal State East Bay (CSUEB) in Hayward, CA. Leslie was a starting Libero at CSUEB for two seasons before graduating with a degree in Child Development. Prior to CSUEB, Leslie attended Golden West JC and prepped at Long Beach Poly HS, where she was a high school All-American. Leslie played six seasons of club volleyball with the prestigious Mizuno Long Beach VBC. A fierce competitor on the court, Leslie brings a love of the game to her coaching. She is an excellent student of the game and is able to convey both the skill and passion to her players. Leslie is currently the head coach of the Miramonte HS women’s JV volleyball team in Orinda, CA. ASHA JOHNSON – ASSOCIATE COACH 14WHITE After playing four seasons of club volleyball for Xceleration, Asha is excited to join the coaching staff. Asha prepped at Head-Royce in Oakland, CA where she was a standout student-athlete on the Varsity Volleyball, Basketball, and Swimming teams for the Jayhawks. Throughout her four years as an all-around starting middle for Varsity Volleyball, the team went undefeated in league play, winning four League Championships, one North Coast Section Championship, and one CA State Championship. Asha was named League MVP twice and graduated 2019 as Scholar Athlete of the Year. Asha was recruited as an Outside Hitter to play D1 volleyball for Howard University and awarded the Presidential Scholarship. Her freshman year, the team won their fifth Conference Championship and made an appearance in the NCAA D1 tournament. Asha was named to the Conference Commissioner’s All-Academic Team and recognized for Highest GPA. Next fall, she’ll be attending Stanford University where she intends to pursue a B.S. in Computer Science & Cognitive Science, while co-terming to also graduate with a Master’s in Computer Science. LINDSEY MCLAUGHLIN – ASSOCIATE COACH 14WHITE Lindsey is a Class of 2019 Xceleration alumni and is now starting her second year of coaching. Lindsey has been playing volleyball since she was 12-years-old and has loved it ever since. At Rodriguez High School in Fairfield, CA, Lindsey was a four-year player, captain, 3x Monticello Empire League (MEL) All-League selection, Female Athlete of the Year, and brought home two MEL League championships. Playing high school and club volleyball are some of her most cherished memories. Now at Solano Community College, she continues her student-athlete career. At Solano, she has one of the top GPAs on her team and is part of the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) scholar-athlete team. After completing her prerequisites in Sports Medicine, Lindsey plans to transfer to a four-year college and continue playing volleyball. |
Lindsey Ray
Deo Boongaling
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LINDSEY RAY – HEAD COACH 13BLUE
Lindsey is back for her 8th season with Xceleration. Lindsey completed her collegiate volleyball career at the Cal State East Bay volleyball team after finishing a celebrated high school career in Southern California at volleyball powerhouse Long Beach Poly. She capped her 2012 prep season by being named “Long Beach Century Club Player of the Year” and “Long Beach Press Telegram All-Area Player of the Year” after leading Poly into the 3rd Round of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Championships. An exceptional talent, Lindsey is looking forward to teaching volleyball and working with Xceleration’s players in a sport she loves and is passionate about. Lindsey is currently the head coach of the Miramonte HS women’s Varsity volleyball team in Orinda, CA. DEO BOONGALING – ASSOCIATE COACH 13BLUE Deo is entering his first year as a coach for Xceleration. Prior to coaching here, he was an undergraduate assistant coach for the Cal State East Bay women’s volleyball team. Deo grew up 20 minutes away from Martinez, in Vallejo, California and graduated from St-Patrick’s - St Vincent’s High School where he played 3 years of varsity volleyball before moving on to play at at San Diego City College. During high school, Deo also played 2 years of competitive club volleyball for Diablo Valley VBC. Deo currently attends Cal State East Bay as a Kinesiology major and plans on graduating in December in 2021. Deo also serves as an Associate Coach for 17Blue. |
Ari Cruz
Molly Duane
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ARI CRUZ – HEAD COACH 12BLUE
Arianna Cruz played for Xceleration from 2008-2012. She then went on to play at San Francisco State University (SFSU) as a Libero/ Defensive Specialist. Prior to joining SFSU, Arianna graduated in 2012 from Moreau Catholic High School where she earned All-Hayward Area Athletic League (HAAL) honors on three occasions. Arianna led the conference with an average of 5.1 digs/set as a senior, helping the Mariners to the HAAL championship match and a berth in the quarterfinals of the CIF North Coast Section tournament. MOLLY DUANE – ASSOCIATE COACH 12BLUE Coming soon! |
SUPPORT STAFF
Normie Pineda
Tomas Pineda
John David
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NORMIE PINEDA – TRAVEL COORDINATOR
Normie makes team travel arrangements for Xceleration. She has been part of the Xceleration family since 2010 when her daughter Dana started her club volleyball career. You will often see Normie cheering for our teams at tournaments and will be keeping our teams organized with respect to tournament travel. TOMAS PINEDA – MEDIA & PHOTOGRAPHY Tomas came to Xceleration in the 2010 season when his daughter, Dana, began her club volleyball career. During the six seasons that Dana competed for Xceleration, Tomas shared his photography with the club, visiting court-side with teams during tournaments. After Dana graduated in 2015, Tomas stayed on to continue taking photographs for Xceleration. You will see him at tournaments capturing court action while cheering for our teams, documenting other club events, and collaborating with Xcel’s Media & Communications Director to produce visual and print media for the club. His digital images of teams and athletes are made available to Xceleration families free of charge. JOHN DAVID – MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS John has been affiliated with Xceleration since 2011 when his daughter Sam joined the club, and ever since the media team was created in 2013, he has become the club’s historian, archiving and reporting highlights and accomplishments of its current and former athletes. John also supports the club’s various online registration and communications needs, such as content development for and management of its website, presence in social media circles, creation of marketing and digital materials (e.g., Player Recruitment Profiles and Team Information sheets), and publication of the club’s monthly newsletter, XCELlent NEWS, which currently is in its 8th season. |
