Aspiring Collegiate Athlete Volleyball Camp: Thurs.-Sun., July 9-12, 2020
Contacts:
Kurt Vlasich/Dianna Graves
909-607-3565
volleyballcamps@cms.claremont.edu
REGISTER ON-LINE NOW!
Fees:
Resident Camp July 9-12, 2020
$675 includes all court instruction, room/board, interview skills workshop, choice of ACT prep classes or college admission essay workshops, college counseling sessions, and a camp T-shirt.
Registration is currently open.
Details:
This resident camp is one of a kind. Limited to just 40 athletes, our program is a comprehensive college-prep volleyball camp. Participants will receive 5-6 hours of advanced court instruction each day. Students will participate in step by step instructional sessions in how to approach the college recruiting process, including putting together a player profile, Clearinghouse, how to communicate with and market to college coaches etc. Additionally, students will take part in their choice of either ACT testing prep classes or college admission essay writing workshops. Campers will also hear from members of the college’s admission office staff to learn more about the college search, and will have an opportunity to take part in a mock admission interview. Participation is limited to players entering their sophomore, junior and senior years of high school (younger students accepted on case by case basis) who have a significant interest in playing college volleyball. Students will be housed in the Claremont McKenna College dormitories.
Staff Bios:
Athletic Program Director: Kurt Vlasich
(BA, Biology Pepperdine University) Head Coach, CMS Volleyball (2011-present); Director of Club West Volleyball (2003-2011); Head Coach Club West 18 National; Coach and administrator for Forza 1 Volleyball Club (2011-current)
Kurt Vlasich led the CMS Volleyball program to its first National Championship title in 2017 with a 3-0 sweep of Wittenberg University. The team had excellent seasons in 2018 and 2019 with a final record in each season of 27-4 and NCAA berths in both years. Coach Vlasich’s commitment to the sport and to the city of Claremont date back many years. Born and raised in the heart of the inland empire, Kurt Vlasich attended Claremont High School where he was part of the charter program at CHS. Vlasich helped form a talented group of players at CHS, and started a men’s program with the Wolfpack in 1993. He played as a varsity middle blocker in 1993 and 1994 while helping the pack go into CIF both seasons. Vlasich went on to play for Pepperdine University from 1995-1998 under Marv Dunphy where he had successful seasons as both a training setter and a serving specialist during the 1997 season. He graduated from Pepperdine University in 1999 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology.
Vlasich began his coaching experience when he came back to Claremont High in 1995, 1996, and 1997 as a volunteer assistant coach and setting coach with Don Braunecker. He helped train and develop setters for Claremont High School and worked with other players on an individual basis. Vlasich became JV Head Coach and Varsity assistant in 2001 for the Claremont Men’s program at CHS where he helped win 2 JV tournaments, and lead CHS varsity into the CIF playoffs.
After the 2001 season, Vlasich began coaching in the club ranks and coached the Foothill Volleyball Club Men’s 18-1 team. In the summer of 2001, Vlasich brought a team with below .500 average to over .500 and a substantial improvement at JO’s leading the 18-1 program to flight brackets. The following summer, Vlasich coached the Foothill Boys 18-1 program into the Bronze bracket at Junior Olympics, where his team captured first place in the bronze bracket (12th overall). Since then, Vlasich has become one of the most prolific coaches of national youth volleyball and has led his girls’ club teams to numerous SCVA and national honors.
Vlasich began coaching at CMS Volleyball in 2002 under Coach Dianna Graves. He was a fixture as the head assistant coach for nearly a decade. Vlasich took over as the head volleyball coach for Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in 2011. In his 7 seasons as head coach, he has an overall record of 169-49. The team has won the last three SCIAC Championships (2015, 2016 and 2017). In 2017, the team captured the 2017 NCAA Division III National Championship in straight sets over Wittenberg University.
Coach Vlasich and his wife have two daughters and reside in Upland, CA.
Academic Program Director: Dianna Graves
(BA, Biology Claremont McKenna College; MA, Ph.D., Education, Claremont Graduate University) Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students, Claremont McKenna College; Former Head Coach, CMS Volleyball (1999-2010); College Recruiting Coordinator, Club West Volleyball (2000-2011)
Dianna Graves is Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students at Claremont McKenna College. A credentialed teacher and long-time coach, Dianna Graves is passionate about the development of young scholar athletes. In addition to her former position as head coach for Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges (12 years), she was a member of the Club West Volleyball staff from 2000-2011. Her team captured a Junior Olympic Invitational Championship title in 2005 and qualified for Junior Nationals in 2006. Coach Graves transitioned from her coaching role into that of recruiting coordinator in 2006. She has helped dozens of high school student-athletes secure positions in college programs across the country in NCAA Divisions I-III and NAIA. She holds a Ph.D. in higher education and is an academic advisor at Claremont McKenna College. Graves brings a special perspective to the college search as the current Assistant V.P. and Dean of Students. As a student-athlete, she earned a school record 11 varsity letters and is in the CMS Athletics Hall of Fame. She brings her experience to help students to make great decisions about college and life.
Additional Camp Staff Members:
The volleyball instructors at camp will include Coach Vlasich and current NCAA/NAIA collegiate players.
ACT prep classes and essay writing workshops will be taught by highly qualified professional staff.
College counseling sessions and other academic programming will be coordinated by Dianna Graves and fellow faculty/staff members of the Claremont Colleges.