What was once the ‘wild west’ in terms of men’s volleyball even fifteen years ago, Las Vegas has become a volleyball force to be reckoned with at the youth level, nation-wide. The city has been sending multiple players each year to the college level. A large part of this success and overall growth of boy’s volleyball in the city can be attributed to Vegas United Volleyball Club. This youth club, serving boys and girls, has helped take youth volleyball in the city to the next level, moving young players onto college at a rate previously unseen in Las Vegas. This was a catalyst in the decision for the expansion Vegas Ramblers to partner with the established club, and name Club owner/director Robert Rios as Head Coach of the Ramblers in their inaugural season. Rios began running the youth club roughly ten years ago, and he has helped grow it into one of the top youth clubs in the state with their own facility to tout. This is also where the Ramblers train under Rios’s guidance.
While one other half of the Ramblers train out of Southern California, the core group of Ramblers live and train in the Vegas valley. The team is comprised of veteran’s who have been able to witness the growth of boy’s volleyball in the city, as well as younger players who were a direct beneficiary of the structure and opportunity that Vegas United has been able to provide. One veteran Rambler is Mark Lane, who has witnessed the growth first-hand. “I was apart of the first-ever Vegas United volleyball team in the summer of 2007, and to see how much it has grown since then is astounding,” he went on to say, “There are so many more opportunities for exposure in order for these kids to play at the next level, coming out of Vegas. I’m still looking for mine over a decade later with the Ramblers,” Lane said smiling. One commonality these mix of players share is the desire to bring high-level men’s volleyball to that gave them volleyball roots and wings. Be sure to check the NVA website to keep up with your favorite players and follow the Ramblers social media as the team Rambles on.