Starlings Volleyball

What Starlings Volleyball does

Starlings Volleyball, USA is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit founded in 1996 by Byron Shewman and two-time U.S. Olympian Kim Oden, operating as the nation's largest junior volleyball club dedicated to at-risk and underserved girls ages 10-18. The organization delivers affordable club volleyball programs through a federated network of 75+ clubs spanning 27 states, 50+ cities and Native American reservations, serving more than 3,000 participants annually. Its program design intentionally keeps dues at a fraction of typical junior club costs to ensure no girl is turned away for inability to pay, and complements on-court play with character-development components such as the annual Art & Literary Contest and the National Championship Tournament.

The core offering consists of Starlings Club Volleyball Programs, supported by the annual National Championship Tournament and the Art & Literary Contest sub-product. The organization operates from a headquarters in Carlsbad, California, is governed by a board of directors chaired by Kim Oden, and has produced more than 300 alumni who went on to play college volleyball. The technology footprint is minimal and entirely third-party: Hudl for video and performance analysis, and SportsEngine's Sports Relationship Management platform for website and member management. There are no proprietary technology products, apps, or APIs.

Revenue is generated exclusively through a nonprofit model: tax-deductible donations and charitable contributions, modest membership dues, and corporate sponsorships from a broad partner stack that includes USA Volleyball, Adidas Volleyball, JVA, AVCA, Molten, AAU, Hudl, the Aspen Institute, JCE Foundation, the Art of Coaching Volleyball, and Sports Imports. No revenue figure is publicly disclosed. Headcount is reported at 11-50 employees, consistent with a lean central organization that relies on volunteer coaches and local club infrastructure rather than a large paid workforce.

Name

Starlings Volleyball

Legal name

Starlings Volleyball USA, Inc.

Website

https://starlings.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Starlings Volleyball, USA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1996 that runs the nation's largest junior volleyball club for at-risk girls, operating 75+ affordable clubs across 27 states and serving more than 3,000 participants annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Volleyball Programs

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKACAF

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Collegiate & Amateur Sports Organizations (NCAA, Federations, Clubs)

SECONDARYMPAKACAE

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Collegiate & Amateur Sports Organizations (NCAA, Federations, Clubs)

SECONDARYMPAGAMAF

Youth & Amateur Sports Tournaments

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Live Sports Events

SECONDARYEDALAIAB

Club Sports Programs

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Athletics, Recreation & Fitness

Keywords

• Youth volleyball programs
• Junior club volleyball
• Nonprofit sports organization
• Volleyball club registration
• At-risk youth athletics

Headquarters

HQ city

Carlsbad, California

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Starlings operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization relying on tax-deductible donations to support its volleyball programs. The organization states that all donations go to support Starlings volleyball programs.
2. Membership Dues: Starlings dues, if any, are a fraction of most junior club costs, with the goal that no girl is turned away because of inability to pay. This is a minimal revenue stream compared to typical club volleyball.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Starlings Volleyball, USA operates affordable junior club volleyball programs for at-risk and underserved girls ages 10-18, delivered through more than 75 local clubs across 27 states. Programs are supported by an annual National Championship Tournament and the Art & Literary Contest, with dues set at a fraction of typical club volleyball costs so no girl is turned away due to inability to pay.

Product overview

Starlings Volleyball, USA operates as a portfolio of nonprofit youth volleyball club programs. The core offering consists of club volleyball programs for girls ages 10-18, complemented by the annual National Championship Tournament and the Art & Literary Contest. Programs are designed to be affordable and accessible to girls of all socioeconomic backgrounds, with clubs distributed across over 50 cities and Native American reservations in 27 states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Starlings Club Volleyball Programs Junior club volleyball programs for girls ages 10-18, serving more than 3,000 participants across 75+ clubs in 27 states, 50+ cities, and Native American reservations, with dues set at a fraction of typical club costs.
• Starlings National Championship Tournament Annual national tournament that brings together Starlings clubs from across the country for competitive play and announces winners of the Art & Literary Contest.
• Starlings Art & Literary Contest Annual creative competition for Starlings athletes featuring essays, poetry, painting, drawing, sculpture, and photography submissions on themed topics, with winners honored at the National Championship.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• USA Volleyball (Team USA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSA Volleyball is listed as a partner sponsor, providing organizational legitimacy and connection to the national governing body for volleyball in the United States.
• Adidas VolleyballmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdidas Volleyball provides equipment and apparel sponsorship, supporting the organization's affordable volleyball mission with athletic gear.
• Junior Volleyball Association (JVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJVA is a partner organization supporting junior volleyball development and providing resources for club volleyball programs.
• American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAVCA supports coaching education and volleyball development, aligning with Starlings' mission to develop coaches and players.
• MoltenmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMolten, a volleyball equipment manufacturer, provides official game balls for competitions.
• HudlsupportingTechnology or IntegrationHudl provides video analysis and performance tracking software for volleyball teams.
• Amateur Athletic Union (AAU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAU provides additional competitive opportunities and national event sanctioning for youth volleyball.
• Aspen InstitutesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Aspen Institute supports youth sports development and healthy communities, aligning with Starlings' mission.
• The Art of Coaching VolleyballsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides coaching education resources and professional development for Starlings coaches.
• JCE FoundationsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerFoundation partner supporting youth volleyball programs and athletic development.
• Sports ImportssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerVolleyball equipment supplier supporting club programs with gear and supplies.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• Aspen Institute Project Play: Initiative of the Aspen Institute focused on youth sports access and healthy communities. A stated Starlings partner and a peer in the youth-sports-for-good funder/donor ecosystem.
• National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS): Industry association representing youth sports organizations and providers. Comparable at the industry/association layer; relevant for benchmarking Starlings against the broader amateur youth-sports category.

Direct peers

• Girls Inc. National nonprofit empowering girls through education and athletics. Shares Starlings' girls-focused, at-risk-youth mission and competes for similar philanthropic and corporate-sponsor dollars.
• Amateur Athletic Union (AAU): National nonprofit that sanctions amateur sports, including youth volleyball tournaments. AAU is a Starlings partner and shares the same model of delivering accessible youth sports programming to a broad base of athletes across the U.S.
• Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA): National nonprofit that provides coaching education and character-development resources for youth sports. Comparable to Starlings' holistic, life-skills overlay on athletics and targets many of the same families, coaches, and donors.
• Junior Volleyball Association (JVA): National trade association for junior volleyball club directors and coaches. JVA is a stated Starlings partner and is the most directly comparable organization: both operate in the U.S. junior volleyball ecosystem serving club programs, coaches, and tournament operators.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of the USA: National nonprofit operating youth sports, recreation, and club programs at a massive scale. Comparable on mission (youth development through sport, affordability, broad geographic reach) and on nonprofit operating model.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Large national nonprofit operating youth development programming, including athletics, for at-risk youth. Directly comparable mission, donor base, and youth-development-through-sport model, although broader than volleyball.
• National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS): Governing body for high school athletics, including volleyball. Comparable as a long-established national amateur sports organization operating across 50 states with a similar member/program structure.
• USA Volleyball: National governing body for volleyball in the United States and a Starlings partner. While much larger and focused on elite/national team pipelines, USAV provides the umbrella framework within which club programs like Starlings operate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/starlings-volleyball-club-usa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Starlings Volleyball