Lloy Ball
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Lloy Ball was born in Woodburn, Indiana (USA) on February, 17th 1972.
His father, Arnie Ball has been coaching volleyball for a long time, and he was the one that really led Lloy to the game that would make him who he is today.
He began playing at a very young age, maybe 4 or 5, and turned down several basketball scholarship offers (including one from Bobby Knight at Indiana University) to play college volleyball.
Since there was no high school volleyball in Indiana, Lloy only played in the summer. In 1987, Lloy made his first breakthrough, at the age of 15, by getting an automatic position on the Olympic Festival. Ball was the youngest player to ever compete in the competition. He was on the same team as Kent Stephes and other players who were in college. In 1989, he played on the Olympic Festival once again.
In 1988, Ball had his first National Team experience. Scott Fortune went down with a bad ankle sprain, so Head National Team coach, Bill Neville called and asked Ball to go with the team to Japan. Once again, Ball became the youngest player ever to compete with the National team.
Lloy played for his father at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) for four years. During those four years, they went to three NCAA Final Fours. During his collegiate career, Lloy finished with school records for career assists (6,526) and service aces (167). Ball was named NCAA Freshman of the Year in 1991, an All-American the next three years, and MIVA Conference Most Valuable Player of the Year twice.
For 10 years (1994-2004) Ball had been full-time as setter and capitain of the USA National team. He has competed in at least three World Leagues, two World Championships, two World Cups, two Norceca Zone Championships, and three Olympic games. Ball was named the Best Server in the World in 1995 and the Best Setter in the World in 1999.
Lloy has played three years with the Toray Arrows in the Japanese Professional League; four years with Modena in the best volleyball championship, Italy; and for two years with Iraklis Salonique, in Grece.
