SoCal Cup Volleyball Brings Normalcy and Excitement Back to Los Angeles

Tournament Brings More than 660 Youth Volleyball Teams to Los Angeles Convention Center for MLK Weekend; Tournament Champs Crowned

The SoCal Cup, the nation’s leading boys volleyball tournament series, brought its prestige ‘The Open Championship’ to the Los Angeles Convention Center this past Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend, featuring head-to-head action across the spectrum of boys volleyball.

Owned and operated by AIM Sports Group, the three day event drew approximately 660 boys club volleyball teams across various age groups (12U through 18U) from all over the US and beyond, driven to compete for what has become the ultimate bragging right in the sport. The SoCal Cup hosts three annual tournaments: this past week’s SoCal Cup Open Championship; the SoCal Cup Showcase in June; and the SoCal Cup Winter Formal event in December. SoCal Cup also operates in-season league matches.

“After the wildfires devastated much of this beautiful region, it has been a privilege to bring a sense of normalcy and an opportunity to return to the excitement of competition for the many young athletes and their families in the area, and welcome visitors from all over the country as a symbol of Los Angeles’ resilience,” said AIM Sports Group Founder John Gallegos. “Safety was of the utmost importance so we talked to the authorities and the convention center first to make sure the athletes and their families would be safe. We also made sure that we were in no way impeding access for the first responders. We then asked the clubs and coaches to get the general sentiment on moving forward and we received a unanimously enthusiastic response. They really wanted to get back to playing.”

This past weekend’s event, which filled the Los Angeles Convention Center, drew a massive crowd of about 60,000 across the three day event, made up of a diverse audience of athletes, families, and spectators.

“Sports are such an important part of our culture and boys volleyball is among the fastest growing sports in the world today,” added Gallegos. “Our SoCal Cup tournaments continue to grow in popularity year over year (more than five-fold growth since SoCal Cup launched), and we are already looking forward to what will be our biggest ever tournament, the SoCal Cup Showcase, which will take place this summer (June 13-15, 2025, also at the LA Convention Center).”

A portion of the event’s proceeds were donated to the American Red Cross’ efforts supporting those affected by the wildfires.

“It was huge for our boys teams to be able to play this weekend, experience something positive and do something we love,” said Michael Boehle, Owner and Coach of MB Surf. “The SoCal Cup tournaments are always a fantastic way to focus on the sport and engage with the elite teams from all over the country. This tournament felt especially meaningful as we gathered to celebrate not just our sport but the resilience of Los Angeles, where many of our players and families have been affected by the fires. It was just what we all needed.”

“The goal of boys volleyball tournaments is to always come from a place of pure intention. As I see this being done across the country, the tourneys assist in growing interest and teaching a love for the sport of volleyball to the youth in our community,” said Nick MacRae, USA National Team Development Program Head Coach, co-owner of Pinnacle Athletic Club, and Associate Head Men’s Volleyball Coach for Long Beach State. “It was particularly rewarding to see the athletes and families of our amazing volleyball community come together at SoCal Cup this weekend and provide access on a grand scale. The experience on and off the court delivered opportunities for high level competition, while also finding ways to unite our family members and bring an additional intentional focus directly towards bettering boys volleyball ”

“The SoCal Cup is a great tournament, providing an opportunity for clubs at all levels to come and experience a broad array of competition,” said Travis Turner, Boys Director of the Balboa Bay Volleyball Club and Head Coach of Men’s Volleyball at Orange Coach College. “The boys had a great experience, as always, competing and interacting with the broader volleyball community on a large scale.”

With a focus on continued growth, AIM launched its Advisory Board, with Randy Totorp as its first member late last year. Totorp brings to AIM his track record made up of extensive athletic facility planning, development, and implementation expertise. A former division-1 athlete himself, he has served as a state championship coach, owner of a leading Southern California boys volleyball club and as an academic dean.

“As a life-long supporter of volleyball and youth sports in general, it’s always refreshing to see teams get together to compete at major tournaments like this,” said Totorp. “SoCal Cup is making major waves in the booming sport of boys volleyball and AIM’s commitment to doing things right for the athletes, coaches and families is a big part of what brought me to join their Advisory Board in the first place. This weekend was no exception and I’m excited to work alongside the AIM team moving forward as we continue to innovate the youth sports movement and expand what is available to young athletes and their families.”

Boys volleyball clubs that achieved bragging rights this year by winning their divisions included:

18 Open: Balboa Bay 18 Blue

18 Club: MVC 18 Black

17 Open: MVVC B 17 Red

17 Club: AZ Fear 17 EC

16 Open: Team Rockstar 16 Rockstar

16 Club: Balboa Bay 16 White

15 Open: GVA 15 Pink

15 Club: Coast 15 Connor

14 Open: Vaqueros 14 1

14 Club: MVVC B 14 Black

13 Open: GVA 13 Dark Blue

12 Open: MB Sur 12's 1 ASICS

Founded to provide elite competitive and developmental playing opportunities and training for young athletes, the SoCal Cup has grown exponentially over the last four years and is now the largest and best-attended youth volleyball tournament series in the country. Learn more at SoCalCupVolleyball.com.

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