Nearly 600 Youth Volleyball Teams Compete at Mandalay Bay Convention Center for SoCal Cup’s ‘Winter Formal’ Tournament

New Champions Crowned after Three Days of Competition

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The nation’s leading tournament series for boys volleyball, SoCal Cup, staged its massive ‘Winter Formal’ tournament at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas this past weekend, featuring head-to-head action with teams from all of the US and beyond. The event marked the first SoCal Cup event to take place beyond Southern California.

Owned and operated by AIM Sports Group, the three day event drew about 600 boys club volleyball teams of various age groups (12U through 18U).

Each year, SoCal Cup hosts three tournaments: the SoCal Cup Winter Formal event; the SoCal Cup Open Championship in January; and the SoCal Cup Showcase event in June. AIM Sports Group plans to bring its popular SoCal Cup format to additional cities around the country moving forward. SoCal Cup also operates in-season league matches and development programs.

The Winter Formal, which packed the Mandalay Bay Convention Center floor with volleyball courts, drew a crowd of more than 17,000 daily attendees across the three day event, made up of a diverse audience of athletes, families, and spectators.

“It was rewarding to see such a huge turnout for our first tournament in Las Vegas,” said AIM Sports Group Founder John Gallegos. “The SoCal Cup continues to expand exponentially with each tournament, while leading the growth of boys volleyball as a sport. By combining high-level competition; innovative technology and game management; incredible venues and venue management; and a genuinely entertaining spectator experience, we’ve found the sweet spot to take the sport to the next level.”

Boys volleyball clubs that achieved bragging rights this year by winning their divisions at the Winter Formal included:

18 Open: Winter Park Volleyball Club Boys 18 Armour Black
18 Club: OMNI 18-1 National
17 Open: 949 B17 Black
17 Club: AZ Fear 17 EC
16 Open: Aspire 16 Spider-Man
16 Club: Team Rockstar 16 Gold
15 Open: Team Rockstar 15 Rockstar
15 Club: Team Rockstar 15 Gold
14 Open: Team Rockstar 14 Rockstar
14 Club: OMNI 14-1 National
13 Open: Bay to Bay 13-1
12 Open: MB Surf 12's ASICS

Founded to provide elite competitive and developmental playing opportunities and training for young athletes, the AIM Sports Group’s SoCal Cup has grown exponentially over the last five years and is now one of the largest and best-attended youth volleyball tournaments in the country. Learn more at aimsportsgroup.com.