Founded on a simple love for the game and a desire to create meaningful opportunities for young athletes, Grayhawk Beach has become one of Arizona’s most respected and community-driven beach volleyball programs. Based in North Scottsdale and serving athletes in and throughout the surrounding areas, the club has built a culture centered on mentorship, growth, competition, and a lifelong passion for beach volleyball.
Grayhawk Beach’s story began in 2011 when founder Michael Hawkins discovered his passion for coaching while teaching his daughter, Alyssa, and her friends the fundamentals of volleyball. What started with local recreational leagues soon evolved into something much bigger. After coaching multiple seasons through the City of Scottsdale and the Arizona Girls Athletic Foundation league, Hawkins became immersed in Arizona’s growing volleyball scene. During a club tryout experience several years later, he made a defining decision that would shape the future of countless young athletes: “We will start our own beach club.”
That vision became reality in fall 2014 when Grayhawk Beach officially launched at the courts of Grayhawk Park alongside mentor and friend David Potocki Sr. As interest in the program quickly grew, the club expanded to Scottsdale Ranch Park and continued developing athletes through dedicated coaching and year-round training opportunities.
“Our mission has always been bigger than wins and losses,” Hawkins said. “We want athletes to fall in love with the game, learn how to compete, and become confident young women both on and off the court.”
Grayhawk Beach established its Competitive Beach Club (CBC) program in 2015, assembling teams capable of competing at the highest levels of junior beach volleyball. Over the years, the club has traveled nationally to compete in BVCA Club vs. Club events while consistently attending BVCA Nationals. One of the program’s most notable recent accomplishments came in spring 2026 when Summer McCann and Sarah Lewis captured the AVP Spring Event title at Victory Lanes, solidifying themselves as one of the premier 14U beach teams in Arizona.
Success at Grayhawk Beach is measured by far more than trophies. Since its founding, more than 1,000 athletes have come through the program, embracing a culture described as “firm but fair and understanding.” Coaches prioritize creating a safe and encouraging environment where athletes can learn the game, build friendships, and become part of a supportive community.
The club’s impact is especially evident through its commitment to mentorship and athlete development. Rather than focusing on large-scale charitable initiatives, Grayhawk Beach prioritizes investing directly in the lives of its athletes. Coaches help players grow both athletically and personally while encouraging leadership, sportsmanship, and character development from a young age. Athletes are taught that the experiences they gain through volleyball, including friendships, travel, lessons, and challenges, matter more than the results on the scoreboard.
“We constantly remind our athletes that there is more to life than results,” Beach Director Jamie Walsh said. “The experiences they have, the relationships they build, and the love they develop for the sport are what truly matter.”
Grayhawk Beach also continues to play an important role in expanding beach volleyball participation across Arizona. Through year-round training opportunities and a welcoming environment for athletes of all skill levels, the club has helped grow the sport locally while preparing players to pursue higher-level opportunities in volleyball.
Looking ahead, the vision for Grayhawk Beach remains grounded in the same principles that inspired its creation more than a decade ago: maintaining a positive culture, passing along a love for beach volleyball to younger generations, and continuing to build a strong community around the sport. The club also hopes to secure a permanent training facility that will allow it to expand opportunities for athletes in the future.
For Walsh and the Grayhawk Beach staff, being part of the JVA community has been an important part of the club’s continued growth and success.
“JVA has been a great resource for bouncing ideas off others, and we’re proud of its support of the BVCA and the seamless experience with facility insurance,” Walsh said. “We love the people involved with JVA, so supporting it year after year is an easy decision for us.”
Grayhawk Beach, based in North Scottsdale, Arizona, is a member of Junior Volleyball Association, focused exclusively on junior volleyball and the needs of the club community. Since 2006, JVA has worked to improve the junior volleyball experience by supporting a growing network of nearly 1,800 member clubs while continuing its mission to ‘Better the Ball’ at every level. Built by Club Directors for Club Directors, JVA provides resources, events, education, and advocacy to help the sport grow in the right direction. Known for a more innovative and forward-thinking approach than traditional governing bodies, JVA continues to push the game forward by introducing new ideas, elevating the event experience, and creating opportunities that reflect where the sport is going, not where it’s been. Learn more at www.jvavolleyball.org or follow @jvavolleyball on all social media platforms.
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