All-Star Opposite, Felix Chapman, has had quite the year in 20/21, leading his team to an NAIA Championship with Grandview University and having a breakout first season in the NVA. He has continued his good fortune as he heads to his first professional contract overseas, competing in the French A-League with Stade Poitevin Poitiers.
To have secured a spot in such a prestigious league in only his first year out of college is a huge undertaking! Most athletes to reach this level have taken years to accomplish after building their experience in lower European leagues. However, Felix has already shown his dominance at the collegiate level and internationally at a young age. Before he turned 18 and even began his collegiate career, Felix competed with the Cuban National team to win the 13/14 Pan American Cup. That same year went far into the 2014 FIVB World League (21st) and 2014 FIVB World Cup Championship (11th).
This season will be momentous for Felix’s blossoming professional career as he follows the path of many other greats who have come before him at Stade Poitevin Poitiers. The club located in Poitiers in western France has won multiple championships and is excellent at catapulting players into international stardom.
Felix will have some big shoes to fill following notable players from the club’s history, such as USA National Team Setter Micah Ma’a (UCLA) and Outside Hitter Paul Lottman (LBSU). Especially Dutch Opposite, Nimir Abdel-Aziz, who just this last year was named the top scorer in the Italian A league, Volley National League, European Championships, and the CEV Champions League.
This next chapter for Felix will also expose Felix to other countries playing styles, as Poitier will only have 4/13 players from France. With players from Cuba, Brazil, Egypt, Argentina, Iran, Spain, and Greece, Felix will indeed have an unforgettable international volleyball experience this season.
The Dallas Tornadoes want to wish Felix Chapman the best of luck, and we hope to have you again for the 2022 NVA Season! Be sure to follow Felix Chapman (@chapmanpineiro) and Stade Poitevin (@stadepoitevinvolleybeach) on Instagram to follow all the action during their 21/22 Season. Their first match will take place on October 9th against Tours Volley-Ball!
“Volley On With the NVA!”
– NVA Staff Writer
]]>Last month, the Dallas Tornadoes led by owners Jordan Dejesus and Andres Quinones hosted a 4’s sand volleyball exhibition match against the “Out of System” crew as part of their 2021 Nationwide Tour. The game took place at the DFW Sports Garden (@sportsgardendfw), with 24 sand volleyball courts, indoor & outdoor bars, darts, pool tables, and even ax throwing. It was the best place to showcase what the DFW Volleyball is all about before the guys went off to play in SpikeFest (@spikefest) tournament, which boasts the largest grass volleyball event in the world! Micah, Joe, and Gage had one of the most viral clips of the year as they made a perfect pancake pass to win on championship point.
Dallas Tornadoes vs Out of System (Instagram Post)
If you haven’t yet heard about ‘Out of System’ and what they’re about, you should check them out! They have become one of the most prominent volleyball broadcasting and media production companies in the United States! The organization is comprised of some of the hottest new additions to the U.S. national team and international talent, including;
They’ve also got University of Texas at Dallas alumni player, Fayna “Fay” Zeng, operating their marketing/social media and documenting all the action as their videographer.
Their mission is to emphasize the sport’s fun and free-flowing creative aspects, sharing an inside look at the journeys and unforgettable experiences that chasing volleyball can bring. They’ve done a lot connecting to the volleyball community using their podcast series (‘If You Can’t Handle the Heat’), vlogs, and social media. Their nationwide tour has also done significant outreach by showcasing headline outdoor events, top university programs, and junior clubs.
In just one summer, Out of System traveled from the east coast to the west stopping in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Wisconsin, Ohio, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and California. Sadly the 2021 Tour has come to a close as the team packs up their bags and ships off for their next seasons abroad. Gage and Rado will be heading into their first professional seasons after winning the NCAA Championship last year. But there is sure to be even greater content coming from Out of System after the raging success that they have had this year.
Check out their website to find links to all their work and read personal statements from all the team members. They’re on Instagram (@outofsystemofficial)), Facebook, Tik Tok, and YouTube, where you can find their latest farewell videos as the team played at the infamous Manhattan Beach 6-Man.
The Dallas Tornadoes and the NVA wish the best to Out of System and all their next ventures! We hope to do more work with you all in the future and maybe see you in our jerseys again in the future.
– NVA Staff Writer
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Huge announcement for all our Dallas Tornadoes fans! We are now offering a wide range of apparel and accessories to be purchased at our online store. The options to choose from are plentiful and great and will allow you to represent the great city of Dallas anywhere you go. The store offers apparel for both men and women, with things like shirts, long sleeves, sweatshirts, and tank tops. The store also offers lots of apparel such as backpacks, hats, and blankets. This is a limited time offer on all products and we will only be able to sell for a certain amount of time due to the high demand for gear to represent your home team. So click the link down below to choose something for you or a loved one today!
Click the link below to get your merch today!
https://linktr.ee/DallasTornadoes
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As many of us have probably experienced during this lockdown, there is only so much Netflix binging and deep YouTube rabbit-holes we can go down before we’ve seemingly watched everything worth watching. There is also the unfortunate lack of live sports to keep us entertained with old game reruns, only giving us some satisfaction of the real thing. With the NVA season on hold, Southern Exposure thought to put together a care package of volleyball movies and tv shows to help keep your spirits alive at this time.
Leap (October 1st, 2020) – With five consecutive championships since the 1980s, the Women’s National Volleyball Team of China had transcended the conventional definition of sports in the hearts of Chinese people. The Chinese team is now pitted against the US team led by Lang Ping, their very own 1984 MVP at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. How will the Chinese Women’s National team rebuild itself after such a monumental moment in their history?
Girls with Balls (2018) – After their van breaks down in the middle of nowhere, the women of a volleyball team must fight for their lives against a group of degenerate hunters.
The Miracle Season (2018) – Based on the inspiring true story of the West High School girl’s volleyball team. After the tragic loss of their star player, the remaining team players must band together under the guidance of their tough-love coach, in hopes of winning the state championship.
Miles (2017) – High school senior Miles Walton, whose mother is left broke after his father passes away, causes an uproar in his small Illinois town when he discovers an unusual college scholarship loophole that allows him to join the girls’ volleyball team
Optimisterne (2013) – A documentary about an unusual volleyball team in Hamar, Norway, with ladies aged from 66 to 98. Now they are up for their first match, after 30 years of training.
Green Flash (2008) – A California beauty inspires a former basketball star to pursue a career at beach volleyball.
Air Bud: Spikes Back (2003) – Buddy, a golden retriever with the uncanny ability to play volleyball, plays matches on the beach while helping to solve a series of crimes with his parrot friend.
The Iron Ladies (2000) – A triumph over adversity. Based on the true story of the 1996 Thailand National Champion Volleyball Team.
Side Out (1990) – A law student comes to California to work, but he spends most of his time at the beach, chasing waitresses. His luck changes for the better when he meets an ex-King of the Beach, leading him towards professional beach volleyball.
Spiker (1986) – Superstar college athletes train hard to be accepted onto the U.S. Men’s Olympic Volleyball team with the help of their ‘tough as nails’ coach.
Haikyu!! – Inspired after watching a volleyball ace nicknamed “Little Giant” in action, small-statured Shouyou Hinata revives the volleyball club at his middle school. An animated series filled with realistic and dramatized action scenes on and off the court.
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