What’s the Minimum Criteria to Receive the Prestigious USA Volleyball All-Time Great Player Award?

As the volleyball world focuses on strength development and functional movements during the off-season, USA Volleyball is setting its eyes on celebrating an ecstatic movement. The USA’s volleyball association recently announced that it will honor some of the greatest coaches, athletes, leaders, and officials at its 2024 Hall of Fame annual banquet. USA Volleyball has already announced that Dain Blanton and Karoyln Kirby, two of the greatest athletes of beach volleyball, will receive the All-Time Great Player Award at the event.

The ceremony will be held on May 22 at Hilton Polaris, Columbus, that too one day before the 2024 USA Volleyball Open National Championships. But what makes one eligible for this prestigious award?

Road to the USA Volleyball’s All-time Great Player Award

The All-time Great Player Award recognizes the athletes under two subcategories: “Flo” Hyman All-Time Great Women’s Player Award and Thomas Haine All-Time Great Men’s Player Award. These go to Kirby and Blanton, respectively, for this year. According to USA Volleyball, to become eligible for the All-Time Great Player Award, athletes must first complete a minimum of five years as a member of the USA National team. They are also required to appear in at least five top-level international volleyball competitions, such as the Olympic Games, FIVB World Championships, NORCECA, or World Cups. A combination of the five events qualifies a player, e.g. two Olympic Games, two World Cup teams, and one NORCECA team. Apart from this, a range of other factors are also considered.

One of the important parameters of eligibility is the dominance factor of the concerned player. It judges how a player fared in comparison to other players during his/her time. According to USA Volleyball, it is “demonstrated by being a frequent starter or key player off of the bench.” Accomplishments of the players in terms of awards and recognitions are also taken into account.

The recognitions include medals earned by the player, and Olympics qualified for among others. Awards earned and statistics put up in the qualifying events, as mentioned before, are considered for evaluation. “Statistics will be weighted according to the strength of the opponent and the importance of the competition,” stated USA Volleyball. Both Blanton and Kirby stand out on these counts.

The legacy that gets the ultimate seal of honor

Dain Blanton is the first two-time male beach volleyball athlete to compete in the Olympic games in 2000 and 2004. Partnering with Eric Fonoimoana, Blanton clinched gold in Sydney in 2oo4. He also became the first African-American to win the 1997 AVP Hermosa Grand Slam. Apart from that, he also earned a bronze medal at the 1997 Beach Volleyball World Championships. Karolyn Kirby also has an equally dazzling resume.

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Kirby has been an athlete playing for 16 seasons. During this tenure, she stood atop the podium in 6 international and 61 domestic events with multiple partners. Along with her partner Nancy Reno, she emerged victorious at the Olympic Test event held in 1992 in Spain and played a major role in including beach volleyball in the Olympic Games. Apart from these two, USA Volleyball will announce more award winners for this year in the coming days. The funds generated from the ceremony will be used by the USA Volleyball Foundation to support the dreams of athletes. 

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