GRETNA, Neb. (KMTV) — Gretna High School freshman Koco Janssen has been playing volleyball since the third grade. She calls it her tried and true passion.
"Volleyball is just a very competitive sport. The environment and the culture it brings is amazing," said Janssen.
Janssen and other volleyball athletes will soon get the chance to train in a new 66,000 square foot volleyball training facility in Gretna. League One Volleyball, a professional volleyball organization, announced the news Tuesday. Janssen said it's a great addition for Gretna.
"Seeing this new building in Gretna, we don't have much in Gretna, so this big building is just great," she said.
The facility will have 10 courts, locker rooms, a pro shop, and development and strength training rooms. Rosie Spaulding, president of the league, said the training facility is designed to give youth and professional players an outlet to train and work together.
"For us, Nebraska is volleyball," said Spaulding. "It's an area that lives and breathes the sport and just makes so much sense to be there on the pro and youth side."
Mayor Mike Evans said having this facility will hopefully give athletes the opportunity to train in Gretna instead of having to go somewhere else.
"To have something like this accessible to our athletes and our residents, I think it's just a really neat amenity for our community," said Evans.
Omaha will also be part of the league's six professional volleyball teams and it will start its season in January 2025. Janssen hopes this facility will be a guide for the younger generation to pursue their volleyball dreams.
"Being taught by a pro is just another level," said Janssen.
Construction on the facility is expected to start in the next few months
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