What Makes Volleyball In Iowa Different (In A Great Way)?
Some of this is factual, another part may just be perception, but all in all I feel like this is what makes Iowa special with their high school sports, especially their volleyball. Growing up in North Iowa, it wasn’t necessarily a volleyball hot spot compared to Sioux County, Cedar Valley, or the Central Iowa Metro, but following high school sports of all kinds I never really knew any different of how things were. After following volleyball and working with programs across the Midwest from high school, club, and colleges through Prep Dig, I guess it just reassures some of my initial thoughts of why Iowa volleyball and high school sports are pretty special no matter what area you live in.
Iowa’s Season Is One Week Longer Than Minnesota and Two Weeks Longer Than Wisconsin
Iowa and Minnesota start the same time with practice, but Minnesota has their state tournament end a week earlier while Wisconsin starts practice a week later and their state tournament a week earlier. I know this might not seem like much, and it all depends on when the post season finishes, but for some athletes that’s ten extra practices, and hundreds of more touches out of the high school season. Coaches can work with athletes longer which allows those who don’t play club more chances to get really strong training.
No Friday Night Tournaments
I feel like I am pretty accustomed to Iowa schedules and tournaments, but rarely will I see an in state Friday night tournament. In Minnesota and Wisconsin, it is fairly common to have teams play pool play Friday night and bracket play on Saturday. There are definitely pros and cons to this. These tournaments are really strong in competition and teams will travel a greater distance to play. However, depending on these tournaments a lot of these athletes are missing the “Friday Night Lights” of high school football games and at times Homecoming. I guess I come from a time and a small school where there would be volleyball athletes who were involved in the marching band as well as cheerleaders and football players who were as well. With small schools, everyone seems to be involved somehow on a Friday night football game.
The entrance into the state tournament in Cedar Rapids.Regional Tournament Schedule and Structure
I’ve written about this before, but the IGHSAU will be incredibly efficient in getting teams who are really strong in different regionals if they are both in the top eight of their class. There are schools in Wisconsin and Minnesota that I would consider “stuck”. Same sectional every year with the same teams or they might have a tough sectional one particular year where you can have multiple teams that are state tournament worthy. There is one section in Wisconsin that will have four to five teams that will be in the top ten all battle it out to get to state. It would be a shame to have Western, Unity, and Sioux Center all in the same regional each year or a regional where Tripoli and Janesville play each other to go to state instead of at state. Even some of the best state championships have been with teams who are from the same area. This also is great for the state to get some strong fan bases to Cedar Rapids as well.
Iowa is the only state with two different association for boys and girls with the IHSAA and the IGHSAU. With that being said, the two organizations work extremely well together so there is no conflict between state football and state volleyball. They cut it close, but make it work. In Wisconsin, there have been many times where a team will make the state semifinals for volleyball, but have a very small fan section due to the home playoff football game compared to the night before it was full for the quarterfinals.
The Chance To Play College Volleyball At Multiple Levels
Some athletes in Wisconsin and Minnesota have no idea what NAIA is. Wisconsin has three NAIA schools while I don’t think Minnesota has any. The same goes for playing for an NJCAA program where athletes can receive athletic scholarships to play at the likes of Iowa Western, Iowa Central, Kirkwood, DMACC, and more with also earning their Associates Degree. For athletes in Minnesota, there is only one Division 1 school to play at the University of Minnesota. Many athletes from Minnesota will head to the Dakotas, Iowa, or coast to play their college volleyball if they are at the Division 1 level. Iowa has four strong Division 1 programs that gives athletes a chance to play at the highest level somewhat close to home. If athletes want to play college volleyball, there is a nice handful of schools within two hours to play.
What’s Next?
The Iowa Regional is doing some amazing things with boys volleyball at the club level. This past summer they were able to send two boys teams to high performance championships in Florida with their girls program. A huge victory for boys volleyball in Iowa, but how will this transition to the high school level? Minnesota has boys volleyball at the high school level, but is not sanctioned (YET) through their high school league. Will Iowa ever see boys volleyball at the high school level?