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WEST VALLEY VIEW NEWS | MARCH 2, 2022
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New volleyball club finds early success BY BRENDAN MAU
West Valley View Staff Writer
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rizona Outlaws Volleyball Club is an upstart program created by coaches Steven Ortiz and Kris Smith aimed at creating an affordable and great experience for young women in the West Valley. “We decided to actually start this out here in the West Valley,” Ortiz said. “We just didn’t think there were enough clubs that were affordable here in the West Valley. A lot of the West Valley talent goes out east.” The Outlaws have five teams (three regional and two national) with girls ages 13 to 16. This is the club’s first year, and in its debut, the 14s national team won first
place in the MLK Fiesta Classic USA Volleyball Tournament, which features the best teams in Arizona and the United States. “It felt really good,” said Addyson Fullerton, a right-side hitter on the 14s national team. “It was hard, but we had to push through,” added Reina Smith, a teammate and setter. “And we knew we wanted it more, so we had to show that we wanted more. It wasn’t fighting for yourself; it was fighting for others as well. It was fighting as a team — with our five the team,” said outside hitter Alyssa Ortiz, the coach’s daughter. Coach Ortiz said the club has been successful thanks to hard work and
dedication. “We just don’t work out, we just don’t practice during the week — we also have a strength and conditioning that we go to twice a week,” Ortiz said. “So, keeping the girls in shape, but then also practicing, I think, gives us a benefit over a lot of clubs that don’t do that.” Ortiz said he is strategic about costs to keep Arizona Outlaws are, from left, back row, coaches Steven Ortiz and Brenda Pargas; players Essence Gilmer, Bessie Kaiuway, membership fees low. “We do a lot of things Addison Krajicek, Alyssa Ortiz, Peyton Murray and Kylee DeJein-house. We do all of our sus; and coaches Tiffany Liddile and Kris Smith. Front row, from left, are Alyssa Munoz, Mackenzie Rubel, Brooke Davis, Reina own apparel, in-house Smith and Addyson Fullerton. (Photo courtesy of Arizona Outlaws) jerseys. We have parents to do professional phomatic, everybody’s welcoming. You’re tography,” Smith added. invited to everything. And everybody’s “On top of that, we do a lot of vol- always with each other.” unteering within the club. We source Alyssa Ortiz added, “I feel like we different schools that we can go and all are comfortable with each other. We practice in and basically try to keep all can talk to each other about anyour fees right at or barely above what thing. We all text in the group chat; we it costs us.” send each other TikToks. We’re friends A majority of the coaches are volun- on and off the court.” teers, Smith said. Ortiz is a veteran coach who has “They’re here for the girls,” Smith helmed teams for about 20 years and added. “They want to do what’s best volleyball for two years. He overfor the girls and help them in their ad- sees recruiting at Desert Edge High venture. We feel that when you’re in School. it not for the money and when you’re “One of my missions here at this club coaching to be all about the girls that is to work on recruiting for these girls you’re more passionate about it.” in the volleyball scene,” he said about Additionally, the girls volunteer in Arizona Outlaws. the community as a team-building ex“I spend a lot of time contacting ercise. coaches, speaking to coaches. RecruitBy creating this bond, the girls feel ing in volleyball starts as early as sophtight. omore year in high school. (We have) “Everybody knows each other,” Ful- Hudl for the recruiting part, not just to lerton said. break down film but be able to show “And if you’re new to it, it is some- film to college coaches. That’s something that’s definitely welcoming, thing that we’ve worked on and we’ve which you don’t see a lot when you accomplished. go to a club. It’s often like everybody “I’m just excited to see three, four knows each other, and you’re never years from now where these girls able to get in. But here’s, like, auto- land.”
