Catholic volley tournament doubles field to 16

Photo by Ron Brocato | CLARION HERALD
Katie Kampen, right, of Mount Carmel reaches high to block the attempted kill by St. Amant’s Stephanie Dusan in the third game of the schools’ season-opening match on Sept. 4. The Cubs, who will defend their championship in this week’s Girls’ Catholic League Volleyball Tournament, defeated St. Amant, 25-18, 28-26, 25-23.

    J.J. Juan is as much a high school football fan as he is a prep volleyball coach.
    When his schedule permits, Juan attends Catholic school football games.
    “I’ve always been a big Catholic football league person,” he admits.
    Juan is also an innovator. Drawing an idea from the large crowds schools such as Archbishop Rummel, Jesuit, Brother Martin and St. Augustine attract, he created a unique volleyball tournament last year.
    If the Catholic football league could harbor such great interest, perhaps a volleyball tournament would evoke similar interest, he thought.     
    So he invited the state’s top prep volleyball teams to his 2011 tournament. More wanted to compete, but had prior commitments.
    With the success of the first matches, Juan began early to work the phones and the schools’ websites. By mid-summer, Juan received commitments from 16 top Catholic schools from New Orleans to Lake Charles to compete in this week’s second Catholic Girls’ League Tournament.
    They include three state champions, four runners-up and nine more who were playoff contenders in 2011.
    The tournament will take place at Ursuline and the Academy of the Sacred Heart’s gyms on Sept. 14-15. with the first matches at 4 p.m.
    The tournament contenders have a combined 28 state championships. Sacred Heart has 14, and defending tournament champion Mount Carmel has seven.
    A stellar field indeed!
An accommodating coach
    To attract such a field, Juan  realized he would need to accommodate schools from Houma, Pointe Coupee, Lafayette, Crowley and Lake Charles, which would require overnight accommodations.
    So Juan arranged with the downtown Hampton Inn and Suites to provide attractive rates for 80 rooms.
    He also had to set up pools so that all the schools would compete against opponents of similar playing levels. It was the kind of creative scheduling that is required to have a quality tournament.
    Juan had a few other issues to resolve.
    “For example, I have Mount Carmel playing three straight matches early on Friday because the school has its ring dance later, “ he said.
    Juan began his quest in January by sending invitations and tournament sweatshirts to Catholic high school coaches. The replies were favorable.
    Playing at Ursuline on one of two courts will be Notre Dame, St. Thomas Aquinas, Catholic of Pointe Coupee, Dominican, Vandebilt Catholic, Teurlings Catholic, Central Catholic of Morgan City and the host school.
    On separate courts at Sacred Heart are De La Salle, St. Scholastica, St. Louis, Archbishop Hannan, Mount Carmel, St. Thomas More, E.D. White and the host, Sacred Heart.
    Match times run hourly from 4-9 p.m.
    The finals and consolation matches will be played at Ursuline at 3 p.m. on Sept. 15.
    Ron Brocato can be reached at [email protected].

Catholic League Tournament field
    2011 State champions: Notre Dame, Div. II; Ursuline Academy, Div. III; Central Catholic-Morgan City, Div. V.
    2011 State runners-up: Mount Carmel, Div. I; St. Thomas More, Div. II; St. Louis Catholic, Div. III; De La Salle, Div. IV.
    2011 semifinalists: Dominican, Div. I; Teurlings Catholic, Div. III.
    2011 quarterfinalists: St. Scholastica, Div. II; E.D. White, Div. III; Vandebilt Catholic, Div. III; St. Thomas Aquinas, Div. IV; Archbishop Hannan, Div. V.
    2011 regional qualifiers: Academy of the Sacred Heart, Div. IV; Catholic of Pointe Coupee, Div. V.