With Much Support, Ali Troese-Burns Finds (Carves Out) Her Niche With PennWest-Clarion Women’s Club Volleyball

Photos submitted

Ali Troese-Burns, a Clarion Area High School graduate, has been very busy creating and maintaining the thriving Club Women’s Volleyball Team at PennWest University-Clarion.

Ali shared, “I graduated from Clarion Area High School in 2019, where I played volleyball and basketball and ran track. After graduation, I attended Slippery Rock University and joined the women’s club volleyball team. Playing club volleyball quickly became my favorite part of freshman year.

“It was such a great experience to continue competing in a sport I love, surrounded by incredible teammates.

“When I transferred to PennWest Clarion during the COVID pandemic, that experience stuck with me and inspired me to start a club team here.”

A long time friend of Ali’s was a great help in getting things rolling.

“The Clarion Women’s Club Volleyball Team was officially created in Fall 2022. Starting from the ground up came with a learning curve and plenty of challenges, but I was fortunate to have amazing support. My good friend and former high school teammate, Kaylie Lutz, helped me get the team started and played a key role serving as Vice President.”

With the endeavour came major responsibility.

“Starting the club team was one of the most rewarding experiences of my time at Clarion, but it also came with its challenges, especially balancing leadership, playing and my school work.

“Creating the club and serving as president, I was responsible for organizing practices, coordinating with other schools, managing schedules, handling league registrations, finances and travel. At the same time, I was also a player and a student.”

“All of the girls on the team were new to club sports and I only had very little experience so there was definitely some trial and error figuring everything out.

“I took on the responsibility of leading the team as President, but I didn’t want the role of ‘coach’ or decision maker to fall on me or any one person.”

The Leadership Team caught on to the vision.

“My goal was for leadership to be a collaborative effort with all the elected officers, making the club about the team rather than a single individual. Together, we made final decisions, created drills and practice schedules, planned tournaments, and organized team bonding activities.

“The club includes two full teams, a Blue and a Gold team.”

Much help came from Hayden Thorpe, director of the Clarion Recreation Center along with the entire Rec Center team.

“(They) were incredibly supportive. They allowed us to use the Rec Center for practices and provided access to equipment like nets and volleyballs we otherwise wouldn’t have had. Hayden also stepped in as our club advisor, offering guidance that helped us grow and succeed.”

Another entity assists with the financial aspect.

“The club also owes a thank you to Clarion Student Association (CSA) for managing our finances, helping with budgeting, and providing funding.”

The PennWest-Clarion coaches have been very generous in their support.

“Our very first year, we were only given a $500 budget which didn’t go far when it came to jerseys, equipment, tournament entrance fees and travel.. Thanks to the generosity of the varsity volleyball coaches Jen Herron and Jonathan Strub, who gave us jerseys, we were able to stretch our budget farther.”

Nothing like making you feel at home.

“Their support really made us feel like a part of the larger volleyball community on campus.”

Turning big dreams to into reality sometimes requiring you to step out of your comfort zone.

“To raise additional funds, we organized apparel sales, a university-sanctioned donation page, and even hosted our own tournament.”

But great rewards can follow.

“I was nervous to run a tournament our first year, but it was a huge success and has become a highlight of our season.

‘We now host a home tournament each semester, bringing in teams from Slippery Rock, IUP, PennWest California, Duquesne, Youngstown State, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, WVU and others. It’s been exciting not only to compete against other teams but also to build a sense of community among club programs in the area.

“In addition to hosting, we’ve also traveled to tournaments at Penn State, Pitt, IUP, Slippery Rock, and more.”

There is a major difference between club sports and intramurals.

“I also think it’s important to distinguish club sports from intramurals. Club teams compete against other schools in tournaments, with structured practices and a high level of play. Our team practices twice a week and usually attends 4–5 tournaments each semester.

“We are part of the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation (NCVF), a nonprofit that promotes health, education, and leadership through organized collegiate club volleyball for both men and women. The NCVF oversees league play, regional tournaments, and the annual NCVF National Championship, which brings together teams from across the U.S. to compete for national titles in multiple divisions.” (https://ncvf.org/about-us)

“Unlike varsity athletics, our team is entirely student-run and operates as a student organization rather than a sports program (run by the university. Intramurals, on the other hand, are recreational and remain within the university.”

Jennifer Herron, Head Varsity volleyball Coach at PennWest Clarion is pleased with Ali’s hard wok in the Women’s Club Volleyball Team’s success.

“Ali should be commended on the work she has done for the growth of the Women’s Club Volleyball Team at Pennsylvania Western University Clarion. Under the Advisement of Hayden Thorpe, The Assistant Director of Campus Recreation at PW-Clarion, Ali has promoted the program and helped to provide opportunities for students looking to continue competing beyond high school.

“As one of the fastest growing sports in the United States, these young women now have the opportunity to compete in a sport they love and stay connected to the campus.”

Coach Herron continued, “We were happy to provide them with uniforms their first year to help alleviate the budget constraints that come along with running a team. We’ve also been trying to share correspondence from prospective students who may not fit the needs of our program but plan to attend Clarion and still want to be a member of a team and fuel their competitive drive.

“Ali and the rest of the girls that participate should be proud of what they have grown in only a few years. I would highly suggest that students with a background in volleyball looking to continue competing while attending Clarion consider this opportunity.”

A look at Ali’s full plate, in her studies shines some light on her “burning the candle at both ends” to make her vision a reality,

“In terms of my academic journey, I earned my bachelor’s degree in marketing with minors in data analytics and studio art from PennWest-Clarion. I then went on to complete my M.B.A. with a concentration in finance, also from Clarion.”

And there are so many to thank for this heartfelt work in growing Women’s Club Volleyball and beyond

“None of this would have been possible without the incredible people who supported me and the club every step of the way.

To my husband, family, friends, and in-laws, thank you for your encouragement and for always cheering me on.

To Kaylie and all the fellow officers, your leadership, ideas, and teamwork helped turn this vision into reality. To Hayden Thorpe, the Rec Center staff, CSA, and everyone who donated or supported the team, your generosity gave us the resources and foundation we needed to succeed. Most of all, to the athletes who joined the club, thank you for your hard work and for making the team what it is today.”

Joining a club team in college gave me the opportunity to develop as both an athlete and a person. I wanted to be able to give other students that same opportunity and a chance to keep playing the game they love. It has been so rewarding to watch the team come to life not just in how we’ve competed, but in the friendships that have formed and the way my teammates have grown. I’m especially excited about the club’s future.

“Meah Ielase is running the club as President and has been for the past year. Meah and all the fellow officers are doing a terrific job carrying the program forward with energy, passion and dedication.

“I’m so proud of what we’ve built and excited to see how it grows in the years to come!”

(Congratulations to Ali and everyone involved!!!! You should be very, very proud!!!! Thanks to Serrena Conklin for her photos!!)