GRETNA, Neb. (KMTV) — A joint training facility years in the making has opened, giving young volleyball players in the Omaha metro a chance to see their future in the sport.
WATCH THE STORY:
"It happened so quickly but it was almost a pinch me moment," said Shannon Smolinski, club director at Premier Nebraska.
The facility provides young players with what Smolinski calls a reachable dream.
"That they not only can see through the lens of a TV but they can see it right in front of them whether they're coming or going from practices," Smolinski said.
The opening comes as previous discussions about bringing USA Volleyball's training facility to Gretna's Good Life District have stalled. In 2024, there were talks about the move, with John Cook even speaking to the legislature about the proposal. However, those conversations have since fizzled.
I reached out to Rod Yates, who spearheaded the campaign, and USA Volleyball to see if the facility is still being considered. Neither responded before deadline.
Kirsten Bernthal Booth, LOVB Nebraska's President of Business Operations, believes the Omaha metro still has significant potential as a volleyball destination.
"Not only events from the United States but worldwide events," she said. "We have established ourselves, not just in Omaha, the state of Nebraska as the place for volleyball. Think of the Husker game at the stadium. Things like that... it starts to raise some flags like it's pretty special around here.
The facility officially opened Nov. 1, and Premier Nebraska hopes to host tournaments that will bring more volleyball players and fans to the area.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Download our apps today for all of our latest coverage.
Get the latest news and weather delivered straight to your inbox.
