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[Jeff Cunningham]

A pair of Virginia Beach middle school students will be taking part in the inaugural Karch Kiraly Volleyball Academy this summer.

Kelly Cunningham and Brooke Barnes will attend the academy, which will run July 29-Aug. 3. Cunningham, 15, plays for Princess Anne Middle School as is a member of the Volleyball 4 Youth club along with 13-year-old Barnes.

Cape Henry Collegiate sophomores Paige Wheeler and Kate Pleasants also attended the camp, along with Cox sophomore Corrie Sanders.

The event is one of just two that Kiraly will host this year. The three-time Olympic gold medal winner will host an event in Anaheim, Calif. July 15-20.

The Karch Kiraly Volleyball Academy is presented in conjunction with the Elevation Group of Companies, a company dedicated to event production, sponsorship planning and mobile marketing. The firm, founded in November 2002, operates in Charlotte, N.C., Cleveland, Oh., Detroit, Mich. and Los Angeles and comprises of four business units: Sports, Auto Racing, Music & Entertainment and Brand Marketing.

Kiraly will be joined at the academy by a staff of coaches that includes Mike Dodd, Liz Masakayan, Bill Neville, Kim Oden, Angela Rock, Eric Sato, Troy Tanner and Steve Timmons.

The academy, which trains girls ages 13-17, focuses on mental preparation and "how to thoroughly prepare for the instant of competition," according to the academy's press releases. It also teaches players how to make the team play better on the court, and how to "win the most important play there is -- the next one."

For more information, please visit the academy's web site at www.karchacademy.com.