While Triple Crown Volleyball has explored and created powerful relationships with some of the most well-known clubs operating in the country today, there’s always been an interest in making sure the future of the sport is prioritized.
So, in Triple Crown’s home turf of Colorado, a regional tournament series has been explored for several years. Some events have come and gone, but more and more programs are clearing their calendars for the Rumble In The Rockies.
The 2025 edition of the tournament will run May 16-18, flexing a seven-match guarantee and welcoming ages 12u through 18u to the Gaylord of the Rockies resort hotel in the Denver suburb of Aurora. More than 110 teams are currently registered; that number will grow, but one group that didn’t wait around on the topic was Colorado Crossfire Volleyball Club, based in Kersey, CO.
Founded in 2021 by Abriana Fernandez, ColoradoCrossfire began with two teams and now features six squads, 13’s through 18’s. Fernandez runs the club while also holding down a job as a police officer in Weld County.
“That is something I love to do, but volleyball is my other passion. I've always wanted to open my own club, and it just happened a lot sooner than I expected,” said Fernandez, who began playing in sixth grade, was a libero at Greeley Central High School and turned down a couple of college programs to instead attend Northern Colorado, where she played club volleyball. “I started this club to give an opportunity to players who couldn't afford the more expensive clubs. My price is usually around $1,200 and that includes all tournaments, gear, coach fee, gym fee, etc.
“My players usually play in at least 12 tournaments throughout the season and the older teams travel out of state twice. It wasn't too difficult to get the club started; I had someone create my logo and got registered with RMR (Rocky Mountain Region). Since I had been playing club for so long and coached a couple other small clubs, I kind of knew the gist of what I needed to do.”
Showing just as much hustle as their director, Colorado Crossfire teams often work Triple Crown events with set-up or tear-down tasks, getting a bit of a price break and thus making it easier for more young girls to get in important swings and competitive experiences.
“My main goal is to focus on the girls’ skills. I want them to learn how to do things correctly, mostly because I feel like a lot of schools don't focus on skills a lot anymore,” Fernandez said. “Also, we get some many different players from different schools and backgrounds, so I want them all learning the same way. I also want them to be able to enjoy volleyball again.
“A lot of my girls play for schools where they get overlooked, but in club I really try and have our coaches focus on every single girl and make them feel wanted and welcome. We do a lot of team bonding and fun practices when we can to get away from volleyball a little bit. My short-term goals would be to continue to grow the club and be known for being an affordable but competitive club – my long-term goals are to be able to buy my own facility and still keep the prices low and affordable.”
“I love Triple Crown events. We have done them since (the Colorado tournament series) started, and we usually help set up for the bigger tournaments like at the Gaylord,” Fernandez added. “TC has always been really good with communication and getting things out as soon as possible unlike other tournaments. I love the variety and competition it brings for my players, as well as the general area the tournaments have been held. Being out of Kersey, it's not usually a far drive like having to go to Colorado Springs.”
The Rumble in the Rockies tournament will is set to run at the Gaylord of the Rockies from May 16-18. To follow the action, be sure to check out triplecrownvolleyball.com and our TC Volleyball social media channels for the latest news and updates.
2025 Rumble In the Rockies Schedule & Results
Triple Crown’s regional schedule includes theColorado Challenge, held over the MLK holiday weekend in partnership with the Colorado Juniors club. Turnout for the TC NIT in Kansas City (over President’s Day weekend) continues to amaze with its depth and competitive fire, and the division is pushing for more impact in the sport with June events in Sandy, UT (West Coast Invitational) and Mesa, AZ (Summer NIT).
