Showing up Where Columbus Plays
Published on April 29, 2026 under Major League Volleyball (MLV)
Columbus Fury News Release
The sound carries across the gym before anything else.
Shoes squeaking on hardwood. Volleyballs echoing off the floor. Coaches calling out instructions as players move through drills.
Throughout the year, Fury players and staff have spent time inside gyms across Central Ohio, connecting with athletes from clubs like City Heights Volleyball Club, Greater Columbus Volleyball Club, Mintonette Sports, Buckeye Volleyball Club, and Adrenaline Volleyball Club.
Inside City Heights Volleyball Club, it's more than just a practice. It's purpose.
"City Heights is built on a vision," said Founder, Director and Coach Mike Robinson. "A vision for girls to have opportunities, for girls to be able to see themselves not only doing better but coming together as a community."
That vision starts with the game, but it doesn't end there.
"What the Columbus Fury does is open that vision a little further," Robinson said. "We were really focused on girls falling in love with the game and seeing if they really focus in to use it as the vehicle to get to college. But what the Fury has done is make it so we can say, 'hey, you can go even further than that.'"
For players inside the gym, that shift is tangible. The presence of a professional team in Columbus has created something new, a pathway that didn't exist before.
"I think the Fury has opened a vision for our players to see further than just college," Robinson said. "You can take this to a professional level."
That message resonates during visits from Fury players and staff, when professional athletes step into the same gyms where these young players are developing their skills.
"I think it's really important we show that we can be role models," Fury setter Ashley Evans said. "That's why I do what I do here, playing professional volleyball in the United States, to show that you can achieve your dreams. I think by showing our faces to these young players at these clubs, that not only grows our fan base, but even more importantly is it builds confidence in them and instills a mindset that if you have a vision and a goal for yourself later on in life that you could do the same thing."
Those moments are about more than instruction. They're about connection.
"Our girls just need opportunities, a chance, just something to do that they can pour their hearts into," Robinson said. "And it doesn't just have to be volleyball. But what brings them back is that team thing. Being part of a team is a strong pull. Knowing you're not just by yourself."
That sense of belonging is intentional.
At City Heights, the focus extends beyond developing players to developing people.
"In this world, you can't do everything by yourself. You have to have something or someone," Robinson said. "What we try our best to reiterate is being a team is beyond volleyball. What that does is allow the girls to realize they're not just out here trying to learn a game - they're trying to support a person, cheering for a person, making sure a person is ok if they see them down. That's bigger than volleyball."
For Columbus Fury Community Ambassador Audrey Flaugh, building the connection between the team and local clubs has been central to the Fury's work in the community.
"My goal for the Columbus Fury has been to build a strong connection between the club and high school volleyball communities and the Fury organization," Flaugh said. "Part of that goal was to help the volleyball club community feel genuinely invested in Columbus' professional women's team and to give young athletes a firsthand look at what is now possible for them. When Fury players visit clubs throughout Central Ohio, engaging directly with young athletes, they create experiences that are impactful, inspiring, and genuinely fun for everyone involved. Because of those experiences over the past three years, I have seen the club community fully embrace the Fury."
It's a connection that continues to grow, as the Fury build relationships with programs across Central Ohio and invest time in the spaces where the next generation of athletes is developing.
"Investing in young athletes is one of the most important things we can do as an organization," said David Paitson, Ed.D, Columbus Fury CEO. "These club programs are developing not just great volleyball players, but confident, driven young people. If we can inspire even one athlete to believe their dreams are possible, that's a lasting impact. The future of volleyball in Columbus is in those gyms. Supporting local clubs and connecting with young players is essential to growing the game and building a strong volleyball community here."
For Robinson, that investment reinforces something he's believed from the beginning.
That volleyball can open doors. That opportunity can change trajectories. And that no one gets there alone.
The work is ongoing. So is the impact.
Because in Columbus, growing the game starts with creating opportunity.
And that starts with showing up.
Major League Volleyball Stories from April 29, 2026
- Indy Ignite, PNC Bank Bring Racing Excitement to May 1 "Horses and Horsepower" Match - Indy Ignite
- Showing up Where Columbus Plays - Columbus Fury
- Game Preview: Grand Rapids Rise at San Diego Mojo: April 30, 2026 - San Diego Mojo
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
