Event sponsored by:
American College Volleyball Showcase
Men's Volleyball
4TH EDITION MEN'S SHOWCASE
June 12-14, 2024
In 2021 we started the challenge with the first men’s Showcase and this year we are proud to announce the dates of the fourth edition of the only event in Italy dedicated to men’s volleyball. Also this summer, Italian and international volleyball players will be able to approach the world of colleges and show their skills.
The aim (as in the women’s category) is to ensure that each athlete can demonstrate their sporting, relational and cultural skills with the aim of being considered for a scholarship for sporting merit in the universities of the United States of America.
The Showcase will be led by coaches assisted by current student-athletes , i.e. university girls and boys who have already earned a scholarship for sports merit in American colleges and who will help in the intercultural and linguistic exchange between athletes, coaches and staff.
The program includes accommodation in the beautiful setting of the Castelli Romani on the outskirts of Rome, 3 indoor volleyball trainings, meetings between the consultants and the athletes in collective and individual form and direct contact with the American coaches both on and off the court. There will also be a simulation of the TOEFL test, managed by our partner Byron Tree School of English.
Location: Frascati (Rome), one of the most beautiful and characteristic towns of the Castelli Romani, on the outskirts of Rome.
Room and board: Domus Park Hotel, via Tuscolana 15 – Frascati (Rome).
Sports Field: Palazzetto dello Sport Frascati, viale Luigi Einaudi 7, 00044 – Frascati (Rome).
Transport: There is a permanent transport service between the accommodation and the sports field. The participation fee includes transport to/from the airport or railway station at the times and methods agreed with the organization.
Athletes: The Showcase includes a maximum of 30 athletes who will be able to carry out both differentiated training for groups and collectives based on the specific needs of technical training/play of each session. On the main parquet court, a single central court will be set up.
Staff: The staff will be made up of coordinators, coaches from American colleges, Italian coaches, student-athletes and assistants for material and transport. Other student-athletes, former professional volleyball players and Italian coaches are also expected to participate.
Provisional programme:
Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | |
Morning | Early arrival (not included) | Training | Check-out + Interviews Departure |
Afternoon | Check-in+ TOEFL Simulation Training |
Training | |
Evening | Presentation Sportlinx360 |
Leisure activities |
Coach Gary Lee Preston Jr
He has over 10 years of experience as a college volleyball coach in the United States at the Division I, II, and III levels. Most notably, in 2017, Gary helped lead Hunter College’s men’s volleyball program to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Division III National Championships. This was a historic season for Hunter College with the Conference victory, seventh place in the nation and a record of 27 wins and only 7 losses.
Gary then had the honour of coaching abroad while completing a Master’s degree in Sports and Exercise Psychology in 2018. During this time in the UK, she helped lead the London Orcas to the Women’s Super 8 Finals. After his experience in the UK, Gary became an assistant women’s volleyball coach at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. The team won the Heartland Conference, qualifying for the finals of the NCAA Tournament. The team finished the year in the top 30 in the U.S. with a 21-12 record. Gary later moved up to Division I at Bethune-Cookman University serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the women’s team during the 2019 season.
Being originally from the northeastern United States, Gary returned to New York where he coached at Mercy College, an NCAA Division II volleyball program, while also coaching full-time for the Brooklyn Elite Volleyball Club. In addition, Gary is also a traveling coach for Gold Medal Squared, a company that deals with volleyball courses and clinics for coaches, volleyball summer camps for athletes, and online training platforms, etc. Gary helps run clinics and courses for coaches in the U.S. on up-to-date volleyball skills, techniques, and tactics.
In addition to his coaching career, Gary had a successful playing career at New Jersey City University, where he was a starter for three years as a setter. He was the team’s captain in 2014 and was named Second Team All-Skyline Conference in 2014.
Gary is currently finishing a Master’s degree in Sports Management at the Rome City Institute.
Cost (Tuition): 350,00€ includes:
- Room and board at the beautiful Domus Park Hotel from Wednesday 12 after lunch to Friday 14 late morning;
- Staff with excellent command of the English language;
- Simulation of the TOEFL by certified teachers;
- Information and material on how to get a sports scholarship in colleges through specific presentations and activities of various kinds on the American academic, sports, and cultural systems;
- Clothing kits;
- All the activities of the provisional program, including any trips and evening in the center of Frascati;
- Staff available 24 hours a day;
- Personalized form and individual interview with each of the participants at the end of the event with a report of the evaluation by the American coaches.
Registration procedure:
- Confirm your registration by filling out the
participation form.
- After an evaluation of the profile by our staff, if suitable for participation, the athlete will receive an email confirming the registration with the next steps:
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- Bank details to make the payment of the deposit of € 100.00 to reserve the place*
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- Procedure for carrying out the online English assessment that will allow teachers to determine if the athlete has the necessary skills to take the TOEFL simulation.
- Attendees will then receive an email to make the balance payment, a list of things to bring to the Showcase and the final details.
Registrations are open subject to availability of places by role and level/year of maturity.
Presentation:
Registration is also officially open for the conference on Wednesday, June 12 at 9:30 p.m.: “
How to get a scholarship for sports merit in American colleges
.” The event is free, open – subject to mandatory registration – to athletes, parents and interested parties. Limited number of places. For registration:
CLICK HERE
N.B. Athletes participating in the Showcase are already automatically registered for the presentation as well. Presentation-only registration is for parents or outsiders who are not attending the Showcase.
* In case of cancellation or cancellation, the deposit will be refunded in full or in part in the following ways:
– Refund of 100% of the amount in case of cancellation of the event due to force majeure.
– 100% refund in case of cancellation by April 30, 2024.
– 50% refund of the amount in case of cancellation by 30 May 2024.
– No refund of the advance payment in case of cancellation after May 30, 2024, but the athlete will have the full credit for participation in a subsequent edition of the Showcase or discount on the consulting contract.
In previous editions...
Some athletes who have participated in previous editions:
- David Barcan took part in our Showcases in 2021 and 2022 to showcase his sporting skills. Since September 2022, he has officially become a student-athlete with a sports scholarship at
Life University
, just outside Atlanta, Georgia. - Michele Bascapè participated in the first men’s edition of the Showcase in 2021 and in January 2022 he flew overseas for the beginning of his adventure as a student-athlete. He is currently at Roosevelt University (Chicago) on a scholarship for sporting and academic merit.