WILMINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--3STEP Sports, the nation’s largest and most impactful youth sports club and event operator, has acquired FaR OUT Volleyball Club, adding another nationally-recognized club to its volleyball division.
FaR Out was founded by Joe and Roxane Steenhuysen in 1997; a period of time when there were limited opportunities for club volleyball in Michigan and the club season was cut short because Michigan high schools played in the winter. In their first year, the Steenhuysens drew from two West Michigan high schools – East Kentwood and Forest Hills Central – to form 16 inaugural teams. With East Kentwood’s nickname being the Falcons and Forrest Hills Central’s being the Rangers, the Steenhuysens took the first letter of both to come up with their distinctive name FaR Out.
“It was something new at the time,” said Joe Steenhuysen. “The best thing to happen was a group of kids who were competing against each other as rivals began playing together and became friends.”
FaR Out was built on two foundational pillars: relationships and training. The club uses the acronym TLF – Trust, love, family – and references it regularly. Today FaR Out has 50+ teams, including a Capital region in Lansing, a youth academy, summer camps and a junior league for kids in grades 4-6.
“We’re very excited to take the next step and join a who’s who of volleyball clubs and coaches,” said Joe Steenhuysen. “A lot of the clubs that are with 3STEP have done business together and now we can do bigger things too. Joining such an exclusive group and a great company allows us to do what we love most—coaching kids.”
The 3STEP reach spans 43 states and serves more than 3.2 million athletes across nine sports through industry-leading events, nationally spanning club programs, premier media content and more. 3STEP was founded by David Geaslen, who sought to create better experiences and more opportunities for athletes and their families. The mission of 3STEP is to be the standard of the youth sports experience and create consistency in the industry. 3STEP also operates the non-profit charity Mission Win, which aims to transform the lives of children through sports participation, leadership training and professional development.
“FaR Out embodies hard work and it shows on and off the court,” said Geaslen. “Joe and Roxane Steenhuysen have built a tremendous culture and I have a lot of respect and admiration for what they’ve done. They will fit seamlessly in our volleyball group.”
To learn more about 3STEP Sports, go to www.threestep.com
For more on FaR Out Volleyball Club, go to http://www.faroutvolleyball.com
