SoCal Cup Volleyball Brings Normalcy Back to Los Angeles, Raises Funds for American Red Cross
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The SoCal Cup, the nation’s leading boys’ volleyball tournament series, brought its ‘The Open Championship’ to the Los Angeles Convention Center this past Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend, featuring head-to-head action across the spectrum of boys’ volleyball.
Owned and operated by AIM Sports Group, the three-day event drew approximately 660 boys club volleyball teams across various age groups (12U through 18U) from all over the U.S. and beyond. The SoCal Cup hosts three annual tournaments: this past week’s SoCal Cup Open Championship; the SoCal Cup Showcase in June; and the SoCal Cup Winter Formal event in December. SoCal Cup also operates in-season league matches.
“After the wildfires devastated much of this beautiful region, it has been a privilege to bring a sense of normalcy and an opportunity to return to the excitement of competition for the many young athletes and their families in the area and welcome visitors from all over the country as a symbol of Los Angeles’ resilience,” said AIM Sports Group founder John Gallegos. “Safety was of the utmost importance so we talked to the authorities and the convention center first to make sure the athletes and their families would be safe. We also made sure that we were in no way impeding access for the first responders. We then asked the clubs and coaches to get the general sentiment on moving forward, and we received a unanimously enthusiastic response. They really wanted to get back to playing.”
This past weekend’s event, which filled the Los Angeles Convention Center, drew a massive crowd of about 60,000 across the three-day event, made up of a diverse audience of athletes, families and spectators.
A portion of the event’s proceeds were donated to the American Red Cross’ efforts supporting those affected by the wildfires.
“It was huge for our boys teams to be able to play this weekend, experience something positive and do something we love,” said Michael Boehle, owner and coach of MB Surf. “The SoCal Cup tournaments are always a fantastic way to focus on the sport and engage with the elite teams from all over the country. This tournament felt especially meaningful as we gathered to celebrate not just our sport but the resilience of Los Angeles, where many of our players and families have been affected by the fires. It was just what we all needed.”
“The goal of boys’ volleyball tournaments is to always come from a place of pure intention. As I see this being done across the country, the tourneys assist in growing interest and teaching a love for the sport of volleyball to the youth in our community,” said Nick MacRae, U.S.A. national team development program head coach, co-owner of Pinnacle Athletic Club, and associate head men’s volleyball coach for Long Beach State. “The experience on and off the court delivered opportunities for high-level competition, while also finding ways to unite our family members and bring an additional intentional focus directly towards bettering boys’ volleyball.”
“As a life-long supporter of volleyball and youth sports in general, it’s always refreshing to see teams get together to compete at major tournaments like this,” said Randy Totorp, who was recently named to AIM’s advisory board. “SoCal Cup is making major waves in the booming sport of boys’ volleyball and AIM’s commitment to doing things right for the athletes, coaches and families is a big part of what brought me to join their advisory board in the first place. This weekend was no exception, and I’m excited to work alongside the AIM team moving forward as we continue to innovate the youth sports movement and expand what is available to young athletes and their families.”
