Building something new in the desert — Inside the launch of the PVVC Volleyball Club
When the high-school volleyball season wrapped in Pahrump, the momentum didn’t fade but rather shifted.
Players asked head coach Amber Lugo a simple question: Can we keep going?
From that spark, the Pahrump Valley Volleyball Club was born, giving local athletes their first real opportunity to train and compete year-round without leaving town.
For coach Lugo, creating the club wasn’t about chasing rankings or pushing athletes to “play up.”
It was more so to address the need in a growing volleyball community—and doing it in a way families could realistically afford.
Community roots and a coach who’s all-in
Amber’s journey to Pahrump stretches from New Mexico to Texas A&M–Kingsville to a recent decade in California. Having coached there while raising three volleyball-playing daughters, she never planned on staying in Pahrump, but the town won her over.
“This little town gets under your skin,” she says. “I love it.”
Parents seem to feel the same.
At the club’s informational meeting, support was strong and overwhelmingly positive.
“They see I’m here long-term,” Amber says. “I’m invested. And the kids are invested, too.”
For seniors with college dreams, the club provides crucial exposure and extra training. For younger players, it offers continuity, skill-building, and a sense of belonging that lasts beyond fall.
For all of them, it offers opportunity.
With a growing pipeline of youth athletes, a committed coach, and a community eager to rally around its players, PVVC marks the beginning of something big. In a town where options were once limited, there is now a pathway for athletes who want to push themselves—without leaving home.
“As long as they want to play,” Amber says, “I’m going to give them that chance.”
A surge in middle school
Interest at the middle-school level is skyrocketing overnight.
At a recent junior-high camp that Amber ran just before tryouts, more than 65 girls showed up—a staggering number in a small town.
“I was really surprised,” she says. “We had sixth, seventh and eighth graders in the gym, all hungry to learn. Some amazing athletes,” Lugo said. “The future here is bright.”
The ability to interact with and support younger athletes is something Amber didn’t have in California, where restrictions on “undue influence” prevent high-school coaches from engaging with junior-high students.
In Pahrump, those barriers don’t exist the same way—another advantage of small-town life.
Affordable opportunity in a pricey sport
If there’s one thing that can push families away from volleyball, it’s club costs.
Amber has coached club teams in California and Las Vegas for a decade, watching fees climb from $1,200 when her own daughters began playing to $5,000–$7,500 per season today—before travel costs.
“It’s ridiculous. They’ve priced kids out,” Lugo said.
PVVC is determined to be different as the club set its inaugural season fee at $850, a fraction of major clubs’ prices.
“I could never justify asking these families for more,” Amber says. “I want this to be accessible. I care too much about these kids.”
Each athlete also receives a full uniform package, bag, and the full “club experience,” something previously unavailable locally.
A combined team with a goal
While many youth sports programs encourage athletes to compete above their age divisions, Coach Amber isn’t an automatic believer in that approach—especially in volleyball.
“I’ve never been a big proponent of playing up,” she said. “Scouts want to see athletes compete at their age level. You want apples against apples.”
This year, however, PVVC fields a combined 18U team out of necessity, not strategy.
As a first-year program, the club drew exactly enough interest to fill one roster. Twelve players made the cut, including two varsity seniors, a junior, a sophomore, and four incoming freshmen who will enter high school next year.
Familiar faces joining the program include PVHS’ Heavenly Ware, Amaliah Mendoza, Xe”ane Kamanu and Miani Freitas-Faamia.
And that next wave? It’s coming—fast.
A new identity for a new era
PVVC enters the scene with its own identity: tan, black, and burnt orange, a palette inspired by coach Amber’s love for the desert.
The club’s name is simple—PVVC—and its look is clean and sharp, with uniforms designed through BSN, the same supplier used for the high-school program.
Competing with the best — right at home
Set to compete in the AAU-sanctioned V-League in Las Vegas, a series of four single-day tournaments plus a championship event, the club is gearing up for success.
The season will conclude with the Under Armour AAU Nationals, also held in Las Vegas this year.
Training is already underway, with practices two to three times weekly. And while stepping into 18U competition brings faster play, stronger serves, and less reaction time, Amber is focused on development rather than pressure.
“We’re building IQ. We’re building confidence,” Lugo said. “These are reps they can’t get back. This time is everything.”
For returners, the extended season is expected to pay immediate dividends when high-school play resumes next fall. Chemistry, comfort, and familiarity across grade levels will be stronger than ever.
“That’s the dream—having the problem of too much talent,” she laughs.
Contact Jacob Powers at jpowers@pvtimes.com. Follow @jaypowers__ on X.
