Zlatibor, Serbia - Both Team USA entries have advanced to the medal round in the ISF U15 Gymnasia Zlatibor. The international tournament features athletes from across the globe, including Brazil and China, and runs from April 4-14.
Girls: Nariah Johnson (Rancho Santa Fe, CA) and Baylee Wilson (San Diego, CA) reached the knockout stages with a solid win over host Serbia (21-4, 21-11). Then the pair toughed out a tight contest with Ukraine (21-16, 21-13) in chilly and windy conditions. Team USA next face Latvia in a quarterfinal at 3:00 PM local time (6:00 AM Pacific) on Friday.
Boys: Dane Schaefer (Manhattan Beach, CA) and Sohn Stetson (Rolling Hills Estates, CA) booked their ticket to the business end of the tournament with a solid opening win over Azerbaijan (21-6, 21-9). Then the Americans followed that up with a convincing second-match victory over Latvia (21-9, 21-10). Schaefer & Stetson draw Romania on Friday in the Round of 8 at 3:50 PM Serbia time (6:50 AM Pacific).
Beach Volleyball Delegation:
Girls: Nariah Johnson (Rancho Santa Fe, CA) and Baylee Wilson (San Diego, CA) dominated their age groups the last two summers, highlighted by back-to-back national titles at the AAU Beach National Championships in 2023 and 2024. The pair has been friends since first playing youth soccer together, then moved to Beach Volleyball in 2021. Johnson & Wilson compete for Wave Beach Volleyball Club in Del Mar, CA.
Boys: Dane Schaefer (Manhattan Beach, CA) and Sohn Stetson (Rolling Hills Estates, CA) are off to Serbia after claiming titles on the sand at AAU national events the last two summers. In his spare time, Stetson competes at high levels in age-group basketball and soccer. Schaefer and Stetson are both dominant forces on their Indoor and Beach Volleyball teams.
Patty Dodd: Both squads will be overseen in Serbia by the legendary player and now decorated youth coach Patty Dodd. Twice an All-American at UCLA, she won an indoor national title with the Bruins in 1984. As a pro, Patty won 15 events on the beach. A former elementary school teacher for 18 years, Dodd founded MB Sand Volleyball Club in 2015, where her teams have won the AAU national club championships the last three years. Young athletes under her supervision have won more than 3000 medals in youth beach volleyball.
Denny Lennon: The driving force behind the formation of AAU Beach Volleyball in 1994, Lennon currently serves as commissioner of AAU Beach Volleyball. A longtime coach and athletic director at schools on the west side of Los Angeles, Lennon since 2019 has told the stories of local athletes of all ages on “Sports Stories with Denny Lennon” on local television and the internet. In Serbia, Lennon will serve as Dodd’s assistant coach.
Stephen Ascher Jr.: Ascher heads the privately-held Miramar Brands. Among Miramar’s relevant holdings is the iconic Mikasa outdoor volleyball, considered by many to be the greatest beach ball ever made. Miramar’s commitment to youth sports extends to the generous support of this AAU Beach Volleyball delegation of Americans going to Serbia.
Amateur Athletic Union (AAU): The Amateur Athletic Union, founded in 1888, has a rich history in the development of sports in the United States and the Olympic movement. The AAU first sanctioned Beach Volleyball in 1957 in Manhattan Beach, CA. The AAU Beach program, founded in 1994, launched a boom in junior programming for beach volleyball athletes.
International School Sport Federation (ISF): Founded in 1972, the International School Sport Federation (ISF) has 136 member delegations from five continents. Recognized since 1995 by the International Olympic Committee, ISF limits itself to activities with school children aged 13-18 (roughly contiguous with high school age).
ISF U-15 Gymnasiade Zlatibor: This event runs from April 4-14, 2025 in Zlatibor, Serbia. Over 3,500 participants from more than 55 countries will compete in 22 sports, including 3 para-sports.
