KIM MACHNIC
DIRECTOR - LAVA VENTURA

The Director for LAVA Ventura is long-time Ventura County volleyball coaching fixture Kim Machnic. Kim has coached multiple levels of youth and juniors club and high school volleyball, and was prior to joining LAVA the Founding Director of Blue Crush Volleyball Club. She took the reins as the official Director of LAVA Ventura in June of 2021, bringing renowned administrative skills to go along with an excellent intrinsic knowledge of girls youth and juniors volleyball, and the Ventura County volleyball community as a whole.

Kim’s full bio is forthcoming. For now please feel free to contact Kim with any questions or to speak to her directly about her passion for coaching – and her vision for what a great club volleyball program can and should be. Kim can be reached at 805-701-9792 or via email at kimmachnic.lava@gmail.com. She looks forward to speaking with you!

Kim Machnic - Director, LAVA Ventura
(email) kimmachnic.lava@gmail.com
(cell) 805-701-9792

LAVA Ventura houses a number of programs and program types under its banner, in addition to our club travel teams. Here is a list of all programs offered at LAVA Ventura (click here to visit our Tryouts page):

# - National and Regional Travel Teams . . . We offer girls club volleyball travel teams for 5th-12th grade girls that compete both regionally in Southern California and nationally at competitive events across the country, or both. Tryouts are in fall and the season traditionally runs Nov-June.
     >> Click Here to Learn More About National Travel Teams

# - Youth Lite Program . . . The Youth Lite Program at LAVA Ventura is an immensely popular offering for 3rd-5th grade girls to learn the sport of volleyball in a fun, friendly, instructive manner. Sessions are seasonal and run for multiple weeks at a time.
     >> Click Here to Learn More About the Youth Lite Program

# - Juniors Non-Travel Program . . . The Juniors Program at LAVA Ventura is an excellent option for 6th-8th graders who are not ready for a full commitment to club volleyball, but who want to keep their skills up for school volleyball or out of love for the game, or both! It is a non-travel program, sessions are seasonal and run for multiple weeks at a time.
     >> Click Here to Learn More About the Juniors Program

# - Summer Programs . . . LAVA Ventura offers many summer program offerings, including clinics, workshops, private lessons, and training pods. You can sign up for as much as you want and we want to see you in the gym!
     >> Click Here to Learn More and Register for Summer Programs @ LAVA Ventura

YOUTH LITE PROGRAM @ LAVA VENTURA
FOR 3rd-5th GRADE GIRLS

The Youth Lite Program at LAVA Ventura has been popular and successful for several years. The program is seasonal -- Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall -- with each session running for multiple weeks, with one practice per week. The cost per player for each session depends upon the length of the session (customarily ranges from $80-$160 per player).

The Lite Program is the official youth training and development program of LAVA Ventura, designed to give young athletes a taste of volleyball in a encouraging environment that mixes quality skills training with lots of fun games to build a passion for this wonderful sport. The program is coached by professional, paid coaches; it is not volunteer-based and, as such, the training value and player growth is significant.

The Lite Program is primarily for 3rd-5th graders, although 2nd graders or 6th graders can participate with Director approval on a case-by-case basis depending on available space and the time of year. 

>> Want More Info? Click Here to Visit the Home Page of the Lite Program @ Lava Ventura

JUNIORS NON-TRAVEL PROGRAM @ LAVA VENTURA
FOR 6th-8th GRADE GIRLS

The Juniors Program at LAVA Ventura has been a strong training program for middle school athletes for several years. The program is seasonal -- Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall -- with each session running for multiple weeks, with one practice per week. The cost per player for each session depends upon the length of the session (customarily ranges from $80-$160 per player).

The Juniors Program is the official middle school non-travel training program of LAVA Ventura, designed to provide quality technical training with focus on individual development (skills training and having fun). The program is for girls who are not looking to play on a travel club volleyball team, but who wish to keep their skills up either out of love for the game or a desire to play in high school, or both! It limits both the cost and time commitment required to participate, but still provides excellent training at the hands of professional, paid coaches; it is not volunteer-based and, as such, the training value and player growth is significant.

The Juniors Program is primarily for 6th-8th graders, although 9th graders can participate with Director approval on a case-by-case basis depending on available space and the time of year. 6th graders are encouraged to participate in Juniors instead of the Lite during winter or spring sessions, and the Lite in summer or fall. 

>> Want More Info? Click Here to Visit the Home Page of the Juniors Program @ Lava Ventura

LAVA BIDS A FOND FAREWELL TO ONE OF THE GREATS, STEVE "YOSH" YOSHIMOTO!

October 2020 - It was a bittersweet moment when the Los Angeles Volleyball Academy (LAVA) was sad, but proud to announce that Steve “Yosh” Yoshimoto was retiring as Director of LAVA VC and SMBC VC, based in Ventura County (Camarillo).

Yosh put together an exceptional career and dramatically impacted the boys and girls volleyball communities of Ventura County in recent years. Spanning decades, his coaching career took him from indoor to beach and back again, with significant high school experience – stints for both Boys and Girls at Camarillo High School, Head Varsity Girls at La Reina High School, and Head Varsity Girls at Buena High School – and club coaching experience.

In 2013, Yosh founded the Ventura County Volleyball Club (VCVC), the precursor to SMBC VC and LAVA VC, with its own two-court facility -- out of which VC still practices -- and both a boys and girls program, which were both highly respected in the club community and found instant success.

All three of Yosh's sons played for him, proving the bedrock upon which the exemplary SMBC VC program now stands: Evan Yoshimoto, Berkeley graduate, SBCC Men's Volleyball Team, USA HP Beach A1 Player, AAA Beach Rated; Owen Yoshimoto, Pepperdine Men's Volleyball Team, USA HP Beach A1 Player, AAA Beach Rated; and Matt Yoshimoto, Lewis Men's Volleyball Team, USA National Team Member, International Pro (Switzerland), USA HP Beach A1 Player, AAA Beach Rated. Matt and Owen have both coached for VC with Owen still significantly involved in the program, with plans to coach this coming season, while Matt will assuredly coach whenever he is not overseas playing professionally.

In 2018, Yosh spearheaded the merger of VCVC with the Los Angeles Volleyball Academy (LAVA), coupling the VCVC girls program with LAVA and the VCVC boys program with LAVA’s flagship boys program, the nationally known and highly regarded SMBC Boys Volleyball Club.

Based in Camarillo, LAVA VC Volleyball Club for Girls and SMBC VC Volleyball Club for Boys have been growing the game of volleyball in the area and offering exceptional travel team and non-travel programs to help serve the needs of the Camarillo and greater Ventura County volleyball community. The VC program operates out of the Bowman Center, its own exclusive, spacious two-court facility in the heart of the Camarillo outlets, located at 161 Plaza La Vista, Camarillo. The program fields eight to twelve boys and girls teams annually across the range of age divisions, as well as offers exciting and expanding youth and juniors non-travel training programs.

Yosh was succeeded by current Director of VC, Brad Lyans. Brad is a long-time LAVA coach and the current Head Coach of the Ventura College Women’s Indoor and Sand Volleyball Teams – and as such has extensive connections to the Ventura County volleyball community, not to mention an excellent coaching background both for club and college.

We want to take one more moment to thank Yosh for his exceptional service to LAVA, SMBC, and the Ventura County volleyball community as a whole. We wish him all the best in his retirement and hope he will continue to stay in touch with our coaches, our athletes, and our program. You’re the best, Yosh!