Columbia Volleyball Academy provides athletes with high-level technical skills training and tactical instruction in a positive learning environment that fosters personal growth and development and a passion for the game of volleyball.

Columbia Volleyball Academy is committed to ensuring that every CVA athlete has a positive experience that fuels their love of volleyball and competition. We focus on the process over outcomes and developing a growth mindset.  In other words, our top priority is always striving to improve and give each athlete the feedback and tools to help them improve as a volleyball athlete and person every day.  While we do provide our athletes with the highest caliber of volleyball training, it is equally important that athletes learn life lessons that will stay with them long after their volleyball career comes to an end. Our coaches are mentors, role models, and above all, teachers.  We teach our athletes the game of volleyball including all aspects of skills training, tactical knowledge, and match strategies.  Additionally, we teach our athletes to be disciplined, compete and train at full effort, be a positive and supportive teammate, be a problem solver, push beyond their comfort zone, and compete with confidence and enthusiasm.  Above all we teach and expect all of our athletes and coaches to conduct themselves with the highest level of integrity and character.  Winning matches is far less important than competing with character, being honest, ethical, and kind, and respecting everyone and everything we encounter along with this wonderful sport we all love. That is the ultimate win.

We expect both our athletes and our coaches to constantly find ways to improve and grow. Our coaches get together at least once a month to discuss training methods and techniques and share their successes with their teams so that we can learn from one another. Columbia Volleyball Academy’s Technical Director trains and works with every coach on staff to ensure that each team is receiving the same high-level coaching and to create continuity between all of our teams and age groups.

Columbia Volleyball Academy limits the number of teams at each age level to allow us to focus our organizational abilities and maintain our attention to detail, providing the highest quality club volleyball experience possible.  CVA can then ensure that every team has extraordinary coaches.  We are very fortunate to have an outstanding group of coaches upon whom our athletes can rely on for instruction, guidance, and support.

Columbia Volleyball Academy teams are formed with the goal of creating nationally competitive teams at every age group and work throughout the season to qualify for the USA Volleyball Junior National Championships or the AAU National Championships.  We expect a high level of commitment from everyone involved with Columbia Volleyball Academy and seek athletes who want to put in the time and work necessary to be the best volleyball player they can be.  Our staff and coaches share that commitment and work tirelessly to build highly successful teams and athletes.

Michael Rainbow has spent the past season with Virginia Elite as the Setting Technical Lead & 17 National Head Coach after most recently coaching the 18 National Teams at both Maryland Juniors (2017), and Columbia Volleyball Club (2012-2017). Michael hails from Wilmington, Delaware and was a High School & Collegiate Volleyball player. He began coaching in 2000 at the club level, and continued on to coach at the high school and collegiate levels.

Michael has coached players to All-American accolades at the college level, and numerous recognitions within the state, conference & county levels. He has had his players recruited to colleges such as University of Tennessee, UMBC, Quinnipiac, Bucknell, Clarion University, Delaware State, Liberty, Wilmington University, Holy Family, LaSalle, and Shepherd University. Currently he teaches and served as the Head Coach at Liberty High School in Eldersburg, MD from 2013-2018 where he was named 2014 & 2015 Carroll County Times Coach of the Year while winning back to back conference championships and a Regional Championship in 2015, and before that at Mount de Sales Academy in Catonsville. He is also the founder and Head Coach of M2 Volleyball Training based in Jessup, Maryland (www.m2volleyballmd.com), and continues to be a guest coach at collegiate camps and clinics around the county. Michael is an AVCA member, CAP 1 Certified, IMPACT, and First Aid & CPR/AED certified.

Please join us in congratulating Michael and wishing him much success in his new role. We are excited for the evolution of our club under his direction and leadership.

Columbia Volleyball Academy is a not‑for‑profit organization of volleyball enthusiasts including student athletes, coaches, referees, adult helpers and parents from hundreds of families. Participating student‑athletes are girls ages 9 to 18. While based in Howard County, Maryland, we typically have players from more than a dozen high schools and several middle and elementary schools in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland.

 Columbia Volleyball Academy
Post Office Box 6071
Columbia, MD 21045-8071