Dalton’s 12 & Under volleyball team wins GRPA championship

GRPA 12-U volleyball champions / City of Dalton

DALTON, Ga. (WDEF) — The Dalton recreational 12 & Under All-Stars recently won the Georgia volleyball state championship.

These girls won the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association (GRPA) state championship. They then showed off their new banner to the mayor and city council. Mayor David Pennington congratulated the team as well.

This new banner will hang in the Mack Gaston Community Center.

“Dalton is known for being competitive in soccer, but one thing that we’ve tailed to highlight in the past is that Volleyball within our department is consistently competitive at the district and state level,” said Caitlin Sharpe, Dalton’s Parks and Recreation Director. “We are honored to acknowledge the incredible success of our 12-U volleyball team.”

In addition, this team did not lose a single set in the GRPA tournament. They blew out every opponent, according to Sharpe.

Team members included Yuvitsel Calderon, Sophia Esparragoza, Amaya Gonzalez, Allea Hernandez, Sophie Lofty, Jimena Lopez, Zaira Martinez, Brisa Moreno, Fatima Portugal and Aylin Vera-Lagunas.

Volunteers Veronica Lagunas and Cecy Lagunas coached the team, and Victor Rodriguez is the athletic coordinator.

Sharpe said of Rodriguez, “It’s important for me to point out that Victor has coordinated our two most continuously successful programs within our department and also at the state and district level (he also coordinates the department’s soccer program).”