Tampa Bay Juniors U-15 Black team qualifies for Junior Olympics

The Tampa Bay Juniors Under-15 Black club volleyball team, a squad made up nearly entirely of Hillsborough County players, earned a bid to this year's Junior Olympic National Championships with its showing in a qualifier tournament this weekend in Minneapolis.

The team's fifth-place finish in the Northern Lights National Qualifier earned it one of the event's two bids to nationals, which will take place from June 30 to July 3 in Dallas. Just 28 teams in each age division qualify for nationals. It was the third qualfying tournament the team had played in -- the others were in Atlanta and Houston -- and both previous times, the team fell one spot short of qualifying for nationals.

"We finally got over the hump," said coach Randy Dagostino, who is also the volleyball coach at Berkeley Prep.

The Tampa Bay Juniors is the only club team in the state of Florida to have two teams compete in the open division and earn berths to nationals, Dagostino said. The Tampa Bay Juniors Under-16 Black has also qualified.

To see the team's roster, click here.

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Comments

[vb fanatic]

I really don't think the Berkeley coach is proud to see kids that he has developed and chosen to go to his school then decide to go to a school down the road. What a waste of time. Plant has won State championships the last couple of years only because of their transfers from other schools. Now they are getting the setter from Berkeley Prep. Hopefully the FHSAA will take a stand and make that kid sit out a year (to show what high school competition is really about).

[Sports Fan]

The Berkeley coach has a big business going with club VB so his job is to develop great players to compete at their highest level. I am sure he is proud of all of those girls and is happy to see them in 5A district play. I would think the fact the Plant coach does not discriminate against a transfer and lets the player's abilities dictate who is on the court shows good character and what high school competition should be about.

[John]

Other coaches do not "recruit" because it is illegal. Pretty common knowledge that the vb team does not respect their coach. Word is that area coaches are planning to report it to the FHSAA in the fall if the kid from BP transfers. Should be interesting.

[madeline]

BTW- You should probably check your facts. Christine Williams did not live in the Plant District. She got a "waiver". No hate here but I would think the Plant coach would want to win with her own kids and not get transfers year after year so she could say that she had something to do with it. She can't say that yet.

[Austin Clark]

Ms T is da bomb i kno her personally and I also had her as a teacher. Don't get mad just because your volleyball team gets dominated because they SUCK! If u think plant is "recruiting" why don't u do they same or as the other person said check and you will see they actually live in the district. Plant will go undefeated next year and win states AGAIN! SO sit down and shut ur mouth because uu have no clue wat u r talking about I bet ur daughter is riding the bench at some punk school and u r upset. Thats ok because she will play against plant and get the spalding on the ball implanted in her face by a maddie martin 100mph serve! GO PANTHERS!

[MarteeC]

The players mentioned live in Plant's district. Perhaps the choice to transfer was because of the excellent programs that Plant offers, academically and athletically. Have you priced tuition at private schools lately? These folks pay the taxes that support public schools, perhaps they decided to get their monies worth? Don't Hate-Celebrate!

[MarteeC]

The players mentioned live in Plant's district. Perhaps the choice to transfer was because of the excellent programs that Plant offers, academically and athletically. Have you priced tuition at private schools lately? These folks pay the taxes that support public schools, perhaps they decided to get their monies worth? Don't Hate-Celebrate!

[JD Parker]

What does the Plant Hs volleyball team need next year? Is it true that Berkeley Prep's starting setter will be transferring to Plant Hs in the fall? If this is actually true, it is getting ridiculous! Plant is winning because of these transfers over the years from private schools. Ex. Alison Sharp and Jordan Dickie- Berkeley Prep, Christine Williams- Bayshore Christian. (just to name a few) Coach Taylor will never get the respect from her colleagues until she starts developing and building her own program and stops taking from others. How about a little loyalty to Plant kids? When will the FHSAA put a stop to this?

[JD Parker]

What does the Plant Hs volleyball team need next year? Is it true that Berkeley Prep's starting setter will be transferring to Plant Hs in the fall? If this is actually true, it is getting ridiculous! Plant is winning because of these transfers over the years from private schools. Ex. Alison Sharp and Jordan Dickie- Berkeley Prep, Christine Williams- Bayshore Christian. (just to name a few) Coach Taylor will never get the respect from her colleagues until she starts developing and building her own program and stops taking drom others. How about a little loyalty to Plant kids? When will the FHSAA put a stop to this?