LOV EVANSTON KIDS
CHRIS BARNES
Chris grew up in Evanston and followed his brother’s footsteps by picking up volleyball in high school. Evanston has a fairly diverse population of students, but very few Black kids played volleyball. Chris developed his skills and earned a spot on the National Fab 50 List (top players in the country). He played 2 seasons with Dominican University (NAIA) and the remainder of his collegiate career with George Mason University (Div. I). He continued to defy the odds by playing professionally overseas in Belgium. Chris was also a member of the National Championship winning Lights Out Men's Volleyball team.
Chris understands the challenges Black people face in the sport of volleyball. He has invaluable experiences navigating the jump from high school to collegiate volleyball and collegiate to professional volleyball. He hopes to guide the next generation of athletes and create access for the sport of volleyball along with all it has to offer, on and off the court. Chris wants kids to know that volleyball is fun, that everyone can play, and that they are able play any position. Representation matters, and we are grateful to have Chris as a part of our LOV Family as a leader for the youth.
As programming becomes available, check out our programming registration page for more information.
LIZ BRIEVA
In addition to sitting on our Board of Leaders as Secretary, Liz Brieva is a special education teacher and the head women’s volleyball coach at Evanston/Skokie School District 65, Evanston Township High School. She utilizes her compassionate nature in her endeavors teaching and coaching to share LOV with our youth.
Liz has created a deep connection within her community by calling Evanston home for the majority of her life. She has raised 7 children in the area, and actively works to foster an environment that supports its children. She helped start a nonprofit Girls Play Sports, which allows a platform for girls to gain leadership skills and confidence through participating in a wide range of sports. With LOV, Liz has a means to extend her reach by establishing various access points for children to learn the sport of volleyball with introductory and advanced level programming. Our LOV Family will collaborate on creating opportunities for children to play volleyball without the burden that clubs place on families’ time and money.
Click the button below to find out how you can support Lights Out Volleyball so we can share the LOV.
A word from our founder:
“Thank you to Chris Barnes and the entire Barnes family- your support over the years has meant so much to me. From being a loyal teammate and friend, to including me in your family- you have always been authentically you. Appreciate ya’ll!!!
“Also thank you to Coach Liz Brieva for truly seeing me. There are people in life that come and go, and you are surely staying. Your honesty, transparency, intimate connection, and your pure soul has provided boundless clarity in my life- be it in work, family, and most importantly, myself. Your honesty, selflessness, and genuine love (in good times and bad) has shown me an important learning curve that has fostered an incredible mentorship between you and I, and LOV would not be where we are today without you.”
“Lastly, I want to say thank you to all of my boys over at Evanston High School for BUYING IN- as a coach there is nothing better. Your dedication and hard work- through adversity- will continue to carve you into the amazing men you will become on and off the court. ”
- Harshil Thaker -
Founder, LOV