Teen volleyball player killed in crash as team drives to Texas tournament, coach says
A member of the Arizona-based Venom Volleyball Club died last week as her team traveled to compete in an event in Texas, her coach said.
The athlete, a 17-year-old girl whose identity has not been released, was thrown from the SUV along with four others, Kimble County Sheriff’s deputies told The Associated Press after the Friday, Feb. 4 crash. Two more players suffered critical, but non-fatal, injuries, authorities said.
Some members of the team and their parents had rented an SUV to travel to the Austin, Texas, tournament after flights were canceled due to severe weather, club owner and director Jimmy Gonzalez told AZCentral.com.
Parts of Texas were met with snow and ice last week, and deputies in Kimble County — about 150 miles west of Austin — warned travelers Feb. 4 of “slick and icy” road conditions.
Gonzalez said he received a call that some of his players crashed head-on into a semi after they hit black ice and lost control of the vehicle, according to KNXV.
The coach called it a “nightmare” when he learned one of his athletes had died, KSAZ reported.
“With overwhelming pain in our hearts one of our athletes has sadly passed away,” Gonzalez wrote on the club’s Facebook page. “Two other athletes are in critical condition but stable and one former alumni traveling with them was severely injured but in stable condition. One of the 3 parents is hospitalized and in stable condition. The other two parents have sustained minor injuries and have been discharged from the hospital.”
In a post on his personal Facebook page, Gonzalez said his “heart is broken.”
The team, based out of Goodyear, Arizona, was traveling to compete in the 18U Lone Star National Qualifier. The club thanked the volleyball community for the support it received after the incident.
“At the tournaments this weekend many came forward to express their support,” the club said. “Some shared a somber moment of silence or prayers with our teams. Many wore ribbons of red or black in solidarity. This weekend there were no rivals on the court… instead we embraced like family.”
This story was originally published February 7, 2022 at 9:36 AM with the headline "Teen volleyball player killed in crash as team drives to Texas tournament, coach says."