About Valley Athletics

Sports excellence rooted in community values.

A Legacy of Athletic Excellence and Community Spirit

Welcome to Valley Athletics, the new go-to sports facility in the Central Valley. At Valley Athletics athletes can really shine in volleyball, basketball, and the world’s fastest growing sport, pickleball. Our coaches are the best around, bringing tons of experience, passion and innovation to the table. Nonetheless, Valley Athletics is about more than just sports. We are about helping kids grow as individuals off the court, not just in the gym. We’ve got awesome training camps and programs that focus on skill-building, yet we also truly care about creating strong bonds and a supportive environment. Think of us as a place where athletes and their families can come together, have a blast, and grow!

Meet Our Leaders

Vance Walberg

Co-Founder

Vance Walberg is an iconic basketball coach celebrated for both his innovative strategies and notable successes on the court. Over his 45 year coaching career he has worked at every level from high school, community college, Division 1, and the NBA. Although most well-known for inventing the Dribble Drive Offense, his success goes far beyond. He is well respected throughout the basketball community at all levels for his years of success winning endless league championships, section championships, and state championships.

Jonathan Winder

Co-Founder, CEO

Jonathan stands as a monumental figure in volleyball, boasting accolades such as National Champion, National Player of the Year, and being one of the select few, just thirteen, to achieve All-American status four times in NCAA volleyball history. His illustrious playing journey took flight at Pepperdine University, culminating in his 2005 NCAA Championship win, AVCA National Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year titles.

Ashlyn Riding

General Manager

A native of Clovis, Ashlyn Riding arrives at Valley Athletics following her tenure with Fresno State Volleyball as their Director of Operations, where the program recently won the Mountain West Conference Championship for the first time in program history and earned a berth to the NCAA National Championship Tournament for the first time in 21 years.

Prior to her time with the Bulldogs, Riding began her career as a marketing specialist working within the travel and entertainment industries, non-profit sector and higher education. She has also spent the last decade coaching club volleyball for both Central Cal and Valley Volleyball Academy.

A graduate of Buchanan High School, Riding began her collegiate volleyball career at Fresno City College (2013-14) before moving on to two seasons at San Diego Christian College (2015-16).

During her time with the Hawks, she finished in the top five in program history in both career assists (1,840) and assists per set (9.41). She helped lead the Hawks to their most wins in a single season in program history in 2015 and was named the team MVP in 2016.

A two-time all-conference and NAIA Scholar Athlete at SDCC, Riding earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and earned her MBA from Fresno State.

Dashad "Shad" Isumu

Director of Basketball

Dashad Isumu has been an influential figure in the Valley’s basketball community for the past decade, coaching at various high schools and beyond. His extensive career spans professional training, collegiate coaching, and high school sports, showcasing his profound understanding of the game and unparalleled passion for nurturing talent. At Valley Athletics, Shad leverages his deep-rooted knowledge of the region to empower student-athletes. His holistic approach ensures that every player hones their athletic abilities and develops essential life skills. Shad’s leadership continues to shape the future of basketball in the Valley, inspiring generations of athletes to reach their full potential.

Sarah Cranek

Director of Volleyball

Sarah Cranek joined VVA in 2022 after moving from the Lone Star State, Texas! She played as a Libero/DS for Sam Houston State University (Division l – Conference USA) and coached club in the Houston area after graduating with a B.S. in Kinesiology. She has coached over the last 2 years with VVA’s 11s, 12s, and 17s teams. She also has an extensive experience working with students and athletes — she was a Students Relations Liaison and Paraprofessional while working in Education. As a coach, Sarah has always gravitated toward coaching younger teams because she believes building a strong foundation from the beginning yields fantastic results within a player and a club. As the club director, Sarah’s vision is to put The Valley on the map. She knows Valley Volleyball Academy has already created a phenomenal foundation for this vision to succeed, so she’s excited to work with players and families to bring this to life!

About Valley Athletics

A Legacy of Athletic Excellence and Community Spirit

Meet Our Leaders

Vance Walberg

Jonathan Winder

Ashlyn Riding

Dashad "Shad" Isumu

Sarah Cranek

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