A two-day free volleyball clinic was held last September 29-30 for students of Taguig National High School, Muntinlupa National High School, and Marillac Hills (National Training School for Girls). The two-day activity is part of the ongoing US (SportsUnited) Sports Envoy Program from September 26 to October 4, organized by the US Embassy Manila, Girls Got Game (GGG), and SportPhil’s Sport for Women Empowerment and Employment in the Philippines (SWEEP) initiative.
United States coaches for volleyball Eric Hodgson and Michelle Goodall spearheaded the training with students, conducting drills and games with the students of the three participating schools. Aside from Metro Manila, the seminar is also slated to take place in select Cebu schools.
Day 1, AM, at Taguig National High School
Day 1, PM, at Muntinlupa National High School
Day 2 at Marillac Hills (total of 185participants)
Day 3 at San Carlos University Cebu City (Other participants are from Basilan and Pagadian, Mindanao)
Last Day At University of Perpetual Binan Laguna (Hometown of SWEEP-ers)
(Photos courtesy of Jennifer Zamora)
About the Coaches
Eric Hodgson has coached volleyball for the last 18 years and been working with the Arizona Region for the last 13. He was named the Director of Outreach in 2012. Eric is also the Coaching Education Director for the Region and started and ran the Region’s High Performance Program from 2001-2011. He is a CAP Cadre for USA Volleyball and the Grassroots Chairman of USAV. From 1999-2004 he coached Club and High School volleyball and worked with Arizona State University. Eric works summers with Gold Medal Squared Volleyball clinics and has worked clinics in Canada, Sweden, and Germany the past two summers. He is currently a CAP III level instructor for USA Volleyball.
Michelle Goodall has more than 24 years of experience directing and coaching volleyball programs. Goodall has worked with the Iowa Region of USA Volleyball at various levels for the past eight years and currently serves as the Director of Membership Development, which includes: Education Director, Director of Communications, and the High Performance Coordinator. Michelle works closely with the other Iowa Region staff in running day-to-day operations to manage over 10,000 members. Goodall holds a strong passion for Coach Education — she is CAP Level 3 certified coach and is a Master Impact Instructor for USA Volleyball. Additionally, she is also a proud member of USA Volleyball’s Paralympic and Grassroots Commissions.
In 2011, Michelle was invited by USA Volleyball and the Promise of Good Sports organization to serve as presenter to the NORCECA coaches who attended training in conjunction with the Volleyball Festival. The event was a partnership with USAV, PGS, Volleyball Festival and the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs International Sports Programming and proved to be a wonderful experience and she still maintains contact with many of the attending coaches.
In addition to her work within USA Volleyball and specifically the Iowa Region, Goodall is an active high school Tcoach and since 1999, she has served as the head coach for Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, IA. She is also an active club coach and oversees her school’s feeder club program.
The US Sports Envoy Program would like to acknowledge its partners:
- Public Affairs Section, US Embassy Manila
- SportsUnited, Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs, State Department
- Sport for Women’s Empowerment and Employment Program (SWEEP)
- Girls Got Game (GGG)
- Taguig National High School
- American Corner, University of San Carlos