About BVA - Lions
Welcome to the BVA Lions, a nonprofit organization promoting volleyball among children in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago.
Our unique methodology blends North American, South American, and European volleyball styles to provide a well-rounded skillset and a love for the game.
With limited spots available, we prioritize player improvement and offer a personalized experience to each athlete.
Our experienced coaches have professional backgrounds from Europe and provide personal attention to each player, helping them reach their full potential on and off the court.
Join our community and experience the benefits of a small club atmosphere where we prioritize collective spirit, discipline, and positive emotions.
Volleyball Programs
BVA Lions is a volleyball organization founded by Simeon Mladenov, Boyan Petev, and Stoyan Slavov, former professional players from Bulgaria who moved to the USA to expand their knowledge of the game.
We offer high-quality volleyball programs to athletes of all backgrounds and nationalities in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago.
At BVA Lions, we believe in fostering values such as sportsmanship, cooperation, leadership, encouragement, teamwork, and teaching volleyball skills.
Join our volleyball family today and experience the difference our knowledgeable and passionate coaches can make.
Our Mission
Our volleyball program combines the best methods used to train young athletes in Europe and the US.
The first and main goal is to develop and maintain the interest of adolescents in collective sports and the desire for improvement.
At the same time, we are working on building technical, tactical, and physical skills so that each competitor can maximize their potential.
BVA History
Season 22/23
This season, BVA Lions have continued to expand our volleyball program by welcoming players from different backgrounds and nationalities.
We have competed in some of the biggest tournaments in the state, and we are proud to say that our teams have shown remarkable progress and sportsmanship throughout the season.
With the addition of more experienced coaches to our team, we have continued to prioritize player development and improvement both on and off the court.
Our commitment to creating a competitive yet positive environment for our athletes remains strong, and we are excited to see what the future holds for BVA Lions.
Season 21/22
In our inaugural 2021-2022 competitive volleyball season, we registered four teams for both boys and girls in local tournaments.
It was an exciting season of growth and development for our young athletes as they competed against other teams in Illinois.
Despite the challenges of a first season, we are proud of our progress and look forward to building on this foundation in future seasons.
Summer 2021
Our Summer 2021 volleyball program was a huge success, providing a solid foundation for our first competitive season as a club and giving our players the boost they needed to excel.
Winter 2021…
Bulgarian Volleyball Academy was registered as a club with the Great Lakes Volleyball Region. That was a huge milestone for our Non – Profit Organization.
Our Boys & Girls teams can now participate in the official competitions, organized by USA Volleyball.
Fall 2020…
After the successful Summer program, we moved to indoor volleyball at the Little Bulgaria Center.
Summer 2020…
Our first summer program was a huge success with more than 55 participants.
The main goal was to improve the physical condition of all players and have lots of fun.
The Beginning…
The project started in September 2019 with two age groups:
- 8 – 10 years old (Boys & Girls)
- 10 – 12 years old (Boys & Girls)
By the end of 2019, more than 35 kids from the Bulgarian community in Chicago took part in the training process.
The most challenging year for athletes and sports organizations…
2020 was a real rollercoaster. We started our Winter program with more than 55 kids in 3 different age groups. Unfortunately, only a couple of months later, all sports programmers were put on hold due to the global pandemic of Covid – 19.