AVPNext Semi-pro Circuit Set for Kickoff
Courtesy of the AVP
2/10/2003
In just a matter of weeks the first recipients of automatic Main Draw berths into an AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour event will compete thanks to this season’s experimental AVPNext Semi-pro Circuit.  
The program offers elite up-and-coming competitors the opportunity to compare skill levels to other players across the nation and to compete against the world’s finest on the AVP.  
AVPNext, the developmental program of the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, is employing the use of its National Ranking System in 2003 to allow the nation’s top semi-pro beach volleyball contestants to gauge their play against others of similar caliber through direct and indirect competition.  
Regional associations committed to the program currently include the California Beach Volleyball Association, Colorado Professional Volleyball Association and East End Volleyball (eastern seaboard, Northeast and mid-Atlantic).  
The top ranked men’s and women’s team from each selected AVPNext Semi-Pro Circuit association meeting the necessary requirements, receive an automatic entry into the Main Draw of a predetermined AVP event during the 2003 season.  
“I became involved with AVPNext because it is a good idea to have a national body coordinating grassroots programs,” said Rich Heiles the tournament director of EEVB. “Having the body associated with the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour gives credibility to all grassroots programs associated with AVPNext which is doing the right thing to help the sport grow by starting a semi-pro circuit that supplies a direct avenue into the pro tour.”  

Heiles’ events kick off the program beginning March 1-2 (Miami Beach) for men and women as EEVB makes its swing through Florida. The remainder of the Florida events (March 4-5, Islamorada, men; March 8-9, Siesta Key, men and women; March 13, Clearwater, men; March 15, Clearwater, men and women; March 22-23, Delray Beach, men and women and March 29-30, Jacksonville Beach, men and women) determines which men’s and women’s team earn an automatic Main Draw berth into the April 4-6 AVP Paul Mitchell Fort Lauderdale Open. Additional information for the upcoming EEVB tournaments is available at 631-728-0397 or www.eevb.net .  
“It's a great opportunity for the top players in our region,” said CPVA president John Teska. “In the past, players interested in pursuing a professional volleyball career had to dish out hefty travel expenses and that kept quite a few local contenders away from the AVP circuit. With the new AVPNext Semi-pro Circuit, great players can build points and reputation without leaving their home turf — that's a great benefit.”  
Players are not committed to stay in their own region to earn points and are encouraged to compete in different regions. All points earned carry over toward a competitors total but only points earned in each individual region are used to determine automatic Main Draw berths.  
Seeding for each event is at the discretion of the local tournament director and should include AVP points, AVPNext points, FIVB points and the tournament director’s experience with the team.  
An individual’s four most recent AVPNext Semi-pro Circuit finishes are converted and added to any of a player’s overall AVP points for use in computations necessary for seed determination in AVP Qualifier Tournament events held before most AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour events. The Qualifier Tournaments of Heiles’ events kick off the program beginning March 1-2 (Miami Beach) for men and women as EEVB makes its swing through Florida. The remainder of the Florida events (March 4-5, Islamorada, men; March 8-9, Siesta Key, men and women; March 13, Clearwater, men; March 15, Clearwater, men and women; March 22-23, Delray Beach, men and women and March 29-30, Jacksonville Beach, men and women) determines which men’s and women’s team earn an automatic Main Draw berth into the April 4-6 AVP Paul Mitchell Fort Lauderdale Open. Additional information for the upcoming EEVB tournaments is available at 631-728-0397 or www.eevb.net .  
“It's a great opportunity for the top players in our region,” said CPVA president John Teska. “In the past, players interested in pursuing a professional volleyball career had to dish out hefty travel expenses and that kept quite a few local contenders away from the AVP circuit. With the new AVPNext Semi-pro Circuit, great players can build points and reputation without leaving their home turf — that's a great benefit.”  
Players are not committed to stay in their own region to earn points and are encouraged to compete in different regions. All points earned carry over toward a competitors total but only points earned in each individual region are used to determine automatic Main Draw berths.  
Seeding for each event is at the discretion of the local tournament director and should include AVP points, AVPNext points, FIVB points and the tournament director’s experience with the team.  
An individual’s four most recent AVPNext Semi-pro Circuit finishes are converted and added to any of a player’s overall AVP points for use in computations necessary for seed determination in AVP Qualifier Tournament events held before most AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour events. The Qualifier Tournaments offer berths into the Main Draw with finishes in the top eight of the one-day events held for both men and women.  
“This is a great template for tracking all the volleyball players in the nation,” Teska said. “Ultimately the goal of AVPNext and its directors is that AVPNext members will be able to see how they rank on a national level, just like in tennis. It's a lofty goal, but AVPNext is closer to achieving this than any other national outdoor volleyball organization.”  
Additionally, the top eight nationally ranked teams on the circuit are awarded a bye during the first round of the Sept. 12-14 AVPNext U.S. Amateur Championships in Santa Barbara, Calif. The champions of the event from the men’s and women’s semi-pro bracket receive automatic entry into the first four AVP Open tournaments for 2004.  
Only elite amateur players and AVP players ranked outside of the top 16 men's teams (32 players) and 12 women's teams (24 players) are eligible to earn AVPNext National Ranking System points, automatic entry into AVP Main Draws and entry into the AVPNext U.S. Amateur Championships.  
AVP players ranked within the top 10 are not allowed to compete at any AVPNext level. Eligibility is based on each participant’s current AVP ranking the week prior to each AVPNext tournament. Non-U.S. citizens and AVP players ranked 11-16 for men and 11-12 for women may compete in AVPNext events but are not eligible for automatic entries into AVP Main Draws or U.S. Amateur Championships’ berths.  
“The goal of AVPNext is to provide a structured pathway for outdoor players to either enjoy the sport and/or become pro beach stars,” said AVP Director of Grassroots Marketing Jeffrey R. David. “By educating, informing and exposing the volleyball enthusiast to the AVP through the AVPNext program, we can cultivate the beach volleyball fan base and increase participation in beach volleyball in the United States by providing the premiere destination for professional beach volleyball at its highest level.”