No girl is turned away, because of her inability to pay--this is one of the major philosophies from which the Starlings Volleyball organization operates. Purposefully created by Byron Shewman and Kim Oden as a girls club volleyball experience that is markedly different from other junior volleyball clubs, Starlings VBC follows the guiding concept of providing girls aged 10 through 18 volleyball playing opportunities regardless of their socioeconomic background and as such the monthly and annual dues are lower than any other junior volleyball program in the nation.
There are four major parts to the club's primary philosophy which further explains why Starlings VBC supports girls participation in volleyball:
-Girls who participate in sports have a higher level of self esteem
-Girls are three-times more likely to graduate from high school if they participate in sports
-Girls are 80% less likely to get pregnant if they are student-athletes
-As student-athletes, girls are 92% less likely to get involved in drugs
Starlings Are Volleyball Players, Artists and Writers
In all 51 member clubs around the country, the Starlings organization promotes academics in conjunction with athletics. The annual Literary and Art contest has grown in popularity since its inception and has unveiled some amazing off-the-court artistic talent and this year's theme "What A Starling Can Do To Help Children In Haiti" should uncloak more of the Starling volleyball club player's ability to produce heartfelt, soul-searching art and literary work. In the literary category, submissions may be essays or poems and the entries in the artistic category can be paintings, drawings, sculptures, or photography.
Volleyball Scholarships
More than 150 Starlings have been proud recipients of volleyball scholarships to colleges and universities including Kansas State, Clark-Atlanta University, Virginia State University, Long Island University, Coppin State University, Morgan State University, Howard University, Jackson State, Florida A&M, Grambling State University, and Hampton University.
Financial donations, work opportunities for players and fundraising events and activities allow the organization to expand its program and to help players cover membership dues, expenses and to fund various club endeavors.
Starlings National Championships
The thirteenth (13th) edition of the Starlings National Championships will be held from June 18 to 20, in San Diego, California at the Balboa Park Activity Center and Alliant University.
Thursday night's Opening Ceremony will be held at Sweetwater High School and will start three days of competition which is expected to take the unique level of fun and friendship to an even higher level.
In 2009 over 148 teams with 1500 Starlings competed in the 12s, 14s, 16s and 18s categories and this year's championships is expected to be even larger.
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