Kavod Volleyball Club (KVC) was formed in 2023 with the vision of bringing a Christ-centered club program to Western North Carolina. Another local volleyball club was ending and I felt led to build upon the foundation they laid and make it our own. It was a huge decision that I wrestled with for a while. Feelings of doubt and inadequacy started to arise. Can I do this? Am I good enough? Am I equipped to handle everything that comes along with starting and running a volleyball club? I was afraid. Afraid of not knowing what to do. Afraid of letting people down if it didn’t go well. Afraid of failure.
I began to pray about it and ask God for wisdom and guidance. The decision to move forward felt right and I remember God telling me He will never leave my side and that with Him I can do anything. I put all my faith and trust in Him and started Kavod Volleyball. Our vision has been and always will be to bring Him honor and glory.
The past year and a half is so hard to put into words when I see all the good that God has done. We have reached countless lives by spreading the love of Jesus – and all while getting to coach and play volleyball. What a dream!
From the beginning we knew this was going to be more than just a volleyball club. We have the incredible opportunity to invest in young girls’ lives. It is an honor to teach them life lessons and important character traits such as perseverance, discipline, accountability, leadership, gratitude, and so much more that they will use far beyond volleyball. We tell them often that their identity and self-worth is not founded in their athletic performance. It is found in Jesus. Romans 8:39 reminds us that nothing will ever separate us from the love of God. So, no amount of wins or losses, successes or failures will ever change how much they are loved and valued.
In the fall of 2023, we started our first season with six incredible coaches. God intentionally brought each one of them to our program, and ultimately, our family. They were such a blessing to KVC and there was no denying that their hearts were in it for the girls. We formed three amazing teams and began our season. We practiced twice a week and played on the weekends. While winning tournaments was definitely a great feeling, all the laughs, team dinners, and fun bonding events were equally, if not more, valuable. Wins and losses come and go but the memories and friendships are what truly matter and last a lifetime.
Both years, around Christmas, we went to a local nursing home to sing carols and take gifts to the residents. We made ornaments the first year, and the second year we made Christmas cards to hand out. Seeing residents’ faces light up with joy and hearing their voices sing along with us is something we will always remember. It was an overwhelming feeling of God’s love and is the best gift we could ever give or receive. I know it meant just as much to our girls as it did to the people at the nursing home.
We are currently in our second season, with five teams and seven coaches. (Teams are for ages 12 years old and under, 14 and under, 16 and under, 17 and under, and 18 and under.) We had many girls from last season come back and we have a few new faces, too. Our 17s and 18s teams recently started off the season with first place finishes in the gold bracket at The Quest for Excellence Tournament in North Carolina. If you’re unfamiliar with club volleyball, that is the highest accomplishment you can achieve. It was an incredible moment of celebration together as one family after many hours of intentional practices and a hard-fought weekend.
The season will continue through March with teams traveling almost every weekend to various tournaments in Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. We can’t wait to see what God has in store for this program and everyone it will impact.
One of the 18s players, McKayla Sanders, shared one of her favorite memories over the years.
“My favorite thing about KVC is that it’s so much more than volleyball. I have built unforgettable friendships and made unforgettable memories.” She said, “My love for volleyball has grown tremendously and one of the main reasons for that is Coach Amy [Tippett – 18s head coach]. She asks us every day what was something good about our day, showing that she doesn’t just care about our athletic performance but she cares about us personally. Playing for KVC brings so much happiness into my life. I look forward to all of our practices and tournaments because it makes me so happy to play the sport I love and be around some of the best people ever.
“One of my favorite memories is winning the Peach Tree Classic. In the semi-final game we played a team to three sets and came back from an 8-13 score and won. The team we played had underestimated us because of our size and we ended up coming back and beating them. The drive and determination of our team makes it so incredibly special, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” she concluded.
One of our 14s players, Lexi Tallent, shared what she loves most about KVC and one of her favorite memories. She said, “I believe what I love most about KVC is what it is based around. I love how the center of it is based around God and not about winning or being the best. I love this sport so much that I want to be able to follow in what The Lord has me to do, and KVC makes that easy. The people around me make me so happy – like friends, coaches, and teammates. It brings me joy to see people shine God’s light and play the sport they love! I love getting to come to practice with my coaches and teammates. It brightens my day to see all of them and I love how patient they are. One of my favorite memories was when we won gold in one of our tournaments and I got to see my coaches and teammates filled with joy and excitement!”
This just scratches the surface of what God is doing through Kavod Volleyball Club. Thinking back to the beginning of all this, my feelings of doubt and insecurity started to diminish when I spent time with God and let Him take the lead. It isn’t always easy but it’s always worth it. It reminds me of the story of Moses in the book of Exodus. God was aware of Moses’ resistance and insecurities to bring His people out of Egypt and told him, “I will help you speak and will teach you what to say; I will be with you.” God wanted Moses to know that He would equip and empower him to do what needed to be done. He was not alone and the same is true for you and me. God is with us wherever we go and in whatever we do. He is a caring Father who loves His children and wants to walk alongside us. All He asks of us is to be open and willing to follow His lead. He wants us to stop resisting and start trusting. And when we do, our true life begins.