Q&A: Driven Volleyball Director Amanda Serpa

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Amateur Athletic Union periodically spotlights clubs and their athletes with stories we feel hold valuable insights into what it means to go beyond AAU both on and off the court.

Located in Central Florida, Driven Volleyball is an AAU Volleyball program with a unique purpose: provide a fun, development-focused atmosphere.

The AAU caught up with Driven Volleyball Director Amanda Serpa for a Q & A on her program and what it means to play AAU Volleyball.

Q: How and why did Driven Volleyball get its start?

Amanda Serpa: We started Driven in 2017. We ran a high school program for 7 years, coached travel teams that competed at a high level, with Diego having coached a team that won numerous Qualifiers in the Open division, as well as the Open division at the AAU Junior Olympic Games. We realized that club volleyball was becoming a recruiting-focused event at a high cost to families, which we believe is unnecessary for the majority of the non-recruiting aged athletes.

Orlando is filled with elite level clubs that do a great job at winning, getting players recognized for colleges/recruiting, and have great top-level teams, but we noticed that there was a missing piece with younger ages. Families of young players were having to either sign their daughter up for recreational volleyball, where coaching is hit or miss and risk not gaining good habits and a solid foundation that could be detrimental to their transition to club volleyball, or paying an extremely high price tag and entering an environment that their daughter might not be mentally or emotionally ready for so that their daughter can receive good coaching from a competitive club.

We created Driven with the vision that it would be a bridge for families of young athletes, who want great coaching focused on the whole athletes for their kids, but without the high cost, travel expenses, and environment that is primarily focused on winning (we don't believe there is anything wrong with this type of environment! We just believe it isn't for everyone and shouldn't be the only option, especially at a young age).

Q: What is unique about Driven Volleyball?

Sepra: Think of the best clubs and brands in Central Florida. Everyone wants to beat them or be like them. We don't. We want to win, of course-- we were all competitive athletes in the past, but that is not our mission. We have zero desire to be another club looking to climb to the top nationally with wins and recruitment, as we believe there are already so many doing this really well and have done it well for decades.

We believe there is nothing like Driven being offered in the state of Florida, and possibly around the nation. We have great, high level coaches, who are focused and believe in the mission of the development of the young athletes in a commitment-based, competitive, but also fun environment. Driven is focused on ages 7-15 years old, with curriculum thought out and designed for ages as young as 3 years old.

Young athletes shouldn't be thought of as simply a funnel for their older teams or an afterthought with programming/coaching staff. They deserve, and we would argue, need the best coaches so that they have the greatest foundation for their future time in the sport, as well as a positive experience so that they desire to continue in the sport.

It takes a great and patient coach to develop an athlete from scratch. Driven gives the youngest athletes the best foundation, not just of volleyball skills, but of life and person skills on how to build resiliency, how to think outside of yourself as a teammate, how to fail and keep working, etc.; ultimately, to Be Driven and See Beyond Volleyball.

When players are ready to join a travel team or are looking to be recruited, we are happy to have an honest conversation with their parents and can/will recommend clubs in the area that would be the best fit for their daughter based on what we know from coaching their daughter for the past 3-4 years. We believe club volleyball should be a community of bridges for young athletes, and we believe that we are paving the way and shifting the culture of club volleyball by example.

Q: What do you want your athletes to walk away with? 

Serpa: Great question. We always go back to this question, as it drives and motivates us. We want athletes, no matter if they choose to keep playing volleyball, switch to another sport, or choose to not compete anymore, to Be Driven.

We desire to teach athletes that they can always become a little bit better every day and that failure and learning resiliency are parts of the journey to life and becoming the best version of yourself.

We also desire to teach players through the sport how to be disciplined and respectful, even through disagreements or with someone who thinks, acts, and lives differently than you. 

Q: Why do you compete in AAU Volleyball?

Serpa: We love AAU volleyball! AAU volleyball is very inclusive, and we have never had a staff member that we have spoken to over the phone, via email, or in person be rude-- they have all been very patient and ready to help.

For Driven, AAU volleyball provides a way for our players to gain match experience in a fun and positive tournament atmosphere with like-level teams/athletes. Our teams' favorite tournament every year is always the Disney Classic! We also love how many AAU tournaments are offered in Central Florida.

Do you and your AAU Club have an interesting story to tell? Have you beaten the odds , set yourself apart or stood out while playing AAU? If so, we want to know! Share your story with us for a chance to be featured on the AAU website, contact Austin Facer at austin@aausports.org.