U16 WHITE TEAM VISION
Vienna Elite will be fielding a team of (11 or 12)* skilled U16 players. Our program is expected to be one of the most rigorous training programs in the Region. The team is expected to be a competitive "CLUB" level team, which will compete in selected multi-day tournaments and local AAU and CHRVA tournaments (Refer to tentative schedule below).
The U16 team is expected to practice twice per week. Practices will be followed by 45 minute fitness/conditioning after practice on Wednesdays (starting 11/12 - ending 3/25). During the training months of November and December, as well as on non-tournament weekends from January through May, the Club may also hold "Academy," which will focus on specific skills (i.e., serving, passing, setting, team defense, etc). The academy will be run by special instructors or by Vienna Elite coaches.
Our club is working to create a competitive environment for players to learn and reach their maximum potential. When understanding our club fees, use these points to consider practice time, coaches, and the cost for tournaments.
* At the discretion of the club, 1 or 2 "practice players" will be considered depending on the circumstances of the team. Practice players will not participate in any matches or tournaments unless specifically called upon by the Head Coach.
COACHES
GISELLE DURAN - HEAD COACH
Giselle Duran (USAV IMPACT and Safesport Certified) was born and raised in the Northern Virginia area and started her volleyball career at age 14 playing for South Lakes High School. At Christopher Newport University, she played on a co-ed rec team before graduating in 2011 with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology.
Her volleyball career was placed on hold while teaching full-time special education students at the elementary level and attending graduate school at George Mason University (May 2018) and then Virginia Commonwealth University (Dec. 2021). She resumed her volleyball career by leading an after-school U10-U12 volleyball program with her husband to provide students with the opportunity to learn and play volleyball.
This past fall season, Giselle was the head coach for the SLHS freshman team. Giselle has been the Coach of Vienna Elite 15 Black in the 2022 - 24 and 16 White in the 2024-25 season. She is excited to return as 16 White again, where she can continue to share her passion for the sport! (Contact: giselle.duran@viennaelite.org)
Kat Fong - ASST COACH
Kat Fong (USAV IMPACT and SafeSport Certified) grew up in Northern Virginia and has played volleyball for 10+ years. She recently graduated from the University of Virginia where she led the women’s club volleyball program as captain for two years. Previous to this, she played for Vienna Elite’s U17-U18 Travel teams and coached their summer clinics. She is so excited to be returning to Vienna Elite as an assistant coach this season!
Kat aims to create a competitive and fun environment. She is looking forward to developing players’ technical volleyball skills, but also skills like court awareness, teamwork, and leadership! She has the most experience working with setters, but has played every position throughout her years of volleyball and believes that every player should build their versatility and well-roundedness.
SCHEDULES
U16 WHITE PRACTICE SCHEDULE (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
| Days | Location | Time | Event | Notes | Conflicts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mondays | The Nzone 14550 Lee Rd, Chantilly, VA 20151 | 5:30pm to 7:30pm | Team Practice | ||
| Wednesdays | The Nzone 14550 Lee Rd, Chantilly, VA 20151 | 5:30pm to 7:15pm | Team Practice | ||
| Wednesdays | The Nzone 14550 Lee Rd, Chantilly, VA 20151 | 7:15pm to 8pm | Fitness & Conditioning | Ends on 3/25 |
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
| DATE | TOURNAMENT | LOCATION | DIVISION | STATUS | NOTES/COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 17, 18, 19 | Volley by The James | Richmond, VA | Select | Accepted | |
| January 30, 31, February 1 | National Harbor Showdown | National Harbor, MD | Club | Accepted | |
| 8-Feb | Vienna Elite 16 Mixed | Manassas, VA | Mixed | Accepted | |
| "February 21, 22 | St. James ECPL AAU Grand Prix | Springfield, VA (The St. James | Club | Accepted | |
| "March 21, 22 | Shamrock Showdown | Springfield, VA (The St. James) | Club | Waitlisted | |
| 21-Mar | Vienna Elite 16 Club | Rockville, MD (Rockville Sports Ctr) | Club | Applied | |
| 12-Apr | MD JRS 16 Mixed | Jessup, MD (MD JRS Sports Ctr) | Mixed | Applied | |
| 26-Apr | MD JRS 16 Mixed | Jessup, MD (MD JRS Sports Ctr) | Mixed | Applied | |
| 9-May | MD JRS 16 Club | Jessup, MD (MD JRS Sports Ctr) | Club | Applied | |
| May 23, 24, 25 | East Coast Championships | Pittsburgh, PA (Convention Center) | Select | Accepted |