All-Islands Club Volleyball team launches in San Juan Islands
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, February 25, 2026
By Declan O’Malley
Sounder contributor
The San Juan Islands now have an option for players who want to compete at the club volleyball level, thanks to the vision of a Lopez Island family and the determination of Ruby Sausman, who said, “I want to start an all-islands club team.”
Sausman came to that realization after a grueling schedule of travel and frequent overnight stays off-island to compete with Skagit Island Volleyball Academy, known as SIVA.
SIVA, based in Burlington and north Bellingham, is family-owned and directed by Zach Calles. The club has been established for more than two decades and is well known within the regional volleyball community.
“Many girls that have played for SIVA have gone on to play for college teams. My daughter Ruby played for the SIVA national travel team. But with the practice schedule and all the travel, we ended up living in our RV half the week off-island. We loved the club, we love volleyball, but all of the travel and staying off-island was hard on my daughter with school,” said Ruby’s mother, Keri Sausman.
With that in mind, Sausman got to work.
“We knew a few girls from Friday Harbor also played for SIVA, having to do the same thing we were doing,” she said.
The group then conducted a coaching search. Sausman reached out to Calles to see if he would help start a team on the islands.
“He was more than happy to help. First we had to find a coach, and that was very easy. Marina Mejaender, who used to coach volleyball for Lopez Island High School, said it would be a dream come true. Then we found Nadine Varsovia, who used to coach volleyball for Friday Harbor High School. She joined us as the assistant coach. Together they are the dream team,” Sausman said.
The group held tryouts in November, and more than 40 girls from all three islands signed up, including players from Anacortes.
“It really showed us that we were doing the right thing by creating this opportunity for girls who would like to play volleyball outside of school sports. So we are the first all-islands SIVA team, SIVA SJ, and the first club volleyball team ever on the islands. It makes me think of that quote, ‘Build it and they will come,’” Sausman said.
The club has also achieved its mission of camaraderie.
“One of the best things about playing club volleyball, besides growing as an athlete, is building friendships and community and having belonging. Now girls who would not normally get to play together have an opportunity to build friendships outside of their regular island community, bringing all three islands together,” Sausman said.
Thirteen girls were selected for the team, more than the typical 10-player club roster, because coaches could not narrow the group down further. Players pay a fee that covers training and tournament costs.
The team practices twice a week at the Lopez Island School gym and is scheduled to compete in eight tournaments from January through May. Tournament locations include Auburn, Seattle, Ridgefield and Burlington, with the season finale in Las Vegas.
The roster features players from Orcas, San Juan and Lopez islands, as well as nearby Anacortes.
For more information, visit skagitislandvolleyball.com.
