Certifications
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Director and Coach Joel RivasCoach Joel Rivas has been involved in the sport of volleyball for over 25 years as a player and/or coach. He played club volleyball at Purdue University as a middle hitter. Following graduation, he moved to Cincinnati and has continued to play sand and hardcourt here locally. He has coached competitive and recreational teams both in volleyball as well as soccer for many years. From 2013 - 2018, Joel volunteered his time at St. Veronica coaching a number of teams and winning several league championships along the way.
Joel joined Cincy Crush as a coach in the 2017 season and had an immediate impact. Over the years, Joel has lead his teams to record finishes for the club and can constantly be found at the gym helping players from all teams and ages. Joel's philosophies on coaching and running a club are tightly aligned with our values. Because of this and all the countless other things Joel does for the club, we promoted Joel to Director in July 2018. Besides coaching and playing volleyball, he and his wife Mary have their hands full raising three girls. All three girls share Joel and Mary’s passion for volleyball as they are all involved in the sport including playing at the collegiate level. Cincy Crush Coaching Highlights 2017: 12 Orange Coach (Regional) - 4 regular season tournament wins - 5th out of 170 teams in OVR Regional Finals 2018: 13 Orange Coach (American) - 3 regular season tournament wins - Spikefest Champion (14 Regional division) - 2nd out of 61 teams in OVR American Finals 2019: 14 Orange Coach (American) - 7 regular season tournament wins (club record) - President's Cup Gold Champion (American) - Bluegrass Gold Champion (Club) - Spikefest Champion (15 Regional division) - Won OVR American Play-In for National Bid (finished top half against OVR National teams) - 1st out of 93 teams 2019 OVR Season - 3rd out of 90+ teams in OVR American Finals - Finished season 108th out of 4,571 teams in the Nation in AES (98th percentile). 13 Orange Coach (American) - 5th out of 70+ teams in OVR American Finals 2020: 15 Orange Coach (National) - Covid Shortened Season - Team finished GOLD every tournament besides the fact not one tournament did they play with the entire squad due to injury/sickness. 2021: 16 Orange Coach (National) - Three top 5 finishes in GOLD top National tournaments. 2022: 17 Orange Coach (National) - Four top 5 finishes in GOLD top National tournaments. 2023: 16 Orange Coach (National) - Two top 10 finishes in GOLD top National tournaments. 2024: 17 Orange Coach (National) - Three top 10 finishes in GOLD top National tournaments. 2025: 12 Orange Coach (National) - 3rd in GOLD Central Zone Invitational (Indianapolis) - Steel City Freeze Gold Champions (Pittsburgh, PA) - Adidas Bluegrass Gold Champions (Louisville, KY) - AAU Cincinnati Grand Prix Gold Champions - Mava Fireworks Gold Champions (Louisville, KY) - The Nike Open Gold Champions (Cleveland, OH) |