Rise to Greatness
We specialize in growing elite volleyball players and Leaders on and off the court.
Our Program – Rise to Greatness with Driven Dragons Volleyball Academy
At Driven Dragons Volleyball Academy, our success is built on a clear, consistent program philosophy rather than depending on any single coach. We select experienced coaches who align with our core values and growth-focused approach. This helps create continuity and a shared culture for our athletes across all teams and seasons.
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Why Choose Driven Dragons? We Rise to Greatness by living our four core Driven Dragons Leadership Values. These values guide everything we do — from practices and matches to how families, athletes, and coaches interact:
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Enthusiasm — Approach everything with energy and a positive attitude.
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Sportsmanship — Play fair, respect everyone, and show kindness.
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Drive — Work hard, stay focused, and never give up.
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Camaraderie — Build strong bonds, communicate openly, and support each other.
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These values form the foundation of our academy and create a positive environment where young athletes can grow, compete, and develop both on and off the court.
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Our Program Philosophy True victory lies in growth and embracing challenges. Tournament placements are simply signals to raise the bar and seek tougher competition.
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We prioritize personal and athletic growth over chasing medals. Winning is exciting and celebrated as a team, but our real measure of success is how much each player improves, builds mental toughness, sharpens skills, and develops a lifelong love for the game.
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We intentionally pursue challenging competition and high-stakes environments because those experiences build resilience, strategic thinking, and confidence. Our Whole Person/Player Development approach draws from Positive Coaching Alliance principles and our ELM Tree mindset (Effort, Learning, and Mistakes are OK). We support athletes in setting personal goals, tracking progress (including HUDL video analysis and stats for Diamond teams), and learning life lessons through sport — all while keeping encouragement and positivity at the center.
Development Across Levels We meet every athlete where they are and help them rise through our tiered program:
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Younger players (12–14) thrive in fun, foundational training that builds core skills, confidence, and joy in a supportive environment.
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Competitive athletes (13–18) advance from Regional to elite National/Diamond levels, gaining exposure to strong opponents, college recruiting opportunities, advanced strength & conditioning, and optional mental resilience training.
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Guided by our Leadership Values, we foster a culture where teammates uplift one another, hard work and coachability stand out, and every player is encouraged to stretch and succeed.
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If you notice anything that contradicts our values or guidelines as outlined in our Parent & Player Handbook, please contact us at PeopleSuccess@DrivenDragonsVBA.com. We address concerns together as a program.
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Join a Program Built for Long-Term Success If you’re seeking a volleyball academy that values hard work over win-at-all-costs pressure, treats challenges as opportunities for growth, and measures success by individual progress rather than just trophies — Driven Dragons is the right fit.
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Here, our program and shared values provide the consistent foundation for development. Coaches who join us bring their passion and expertise while aligning with this philosophy, helping every athlete Rise to Greatness.
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Rise to Greatness with Driven Dragons — where growth always comes first.
Leadership Team
Coach Jaime Bio Coach Jaime Lizarazu, the driving force behind Driven Dragons Volleyball Academy, is a visionary leader with an unmatched passion for volleyball and an unrelenting commitment to excellence. With over 20 years of experience in quality and continuous improvement, Jaime has transitioned her career from refining the highest quality IT systems to manufacture life-saving drugs to applying those same skills to build the most sought-after, high-quality volleyball training academy. Her mission is clear: to deliver the world’s premier volleyball training experience by refining the academy’s program year after year, implementing the latest cutting-edge training techniques, and hand-selecting and retaining the best coaches—each with competitive playing and or coaching experience through clubs and/or college at Division I, II, or III universities and coaching expertise honed in university, club, or school settings, continually refining their skills. Jaime’s volleyball journey began as a high school freshman when she was recruited for Club Volleyball, training for four years under Villanova’s esteemed coaching staff. Her talent and tenacity earned her walk-on spots at Drexel and Temple Universities, both Division I programs, where she honed her skills and deepened her love for the game. A dynamic beach volleyball player, Jaime shares her passion with her husband and children, creating lasting family memories on the sand. A Drexel University graduate, Jaime’s pursuit of quality extended beyond the court into her professional career as an IT Quality Engineer. She spent two impactful years in Switzerland validating pharmaceutical systems that produce life-saving medicines, sharpening her expertise in precision and continuous improvement. This same drive fuels her work at Driven Dragons, where she has built a legacy of excellence. Starting her coaching career at St. Basil's Academy High School in Cheltenham PA, Jaime now leads the academy’s staff with a focus on training coaches to inspire and elevate their athletes. Her hands-on approach ensures every coach embodies her commitment to quality, fostering a culture of passion, respect, and empowerment. Jaime’s specialty lies in her ability to create a program that evolves annually, incorporating the latest volleyball methodologies and cultivating a coaching staff that is second to none. Parents and athletes can trust that under Jaime’s leadership, Driven Dragons Volleyball Academy delivers an unparalleled experience, designed to unlock every player’s potential and ignite a lifelong spark for the sport. Join Jaime and her team to experience volleyball training at its finest, led by a coach who lives and breathes excellence. Key Accomplishments Over 20 years of experience in quality and continuous improvement, transitioned from IT systems for life-saving pharmaceuticals to building the most sought-after volleyball training academy. Selected as a walk-on volleyball player at Drexel and Temple Universities, Division I schools, after excelling in Club Volleyball under Villanova’s coaching staff. Played doubles beach volleyball with family, passing her passion for the sport to the next generation. Contributed to global healthcare by validating pharmaceutical systems in Switzerland for two years, honing expertise in precision and quality. Leads Driven Dragons Volleyball Academy, continuously refining the program, training top-tier coaches, and implementing cutting-edge techniques to deliver the world’s best volleyball training experience.
Coach Smith Bio: Smith served as head coach for the women's volleyball program at Immaculata University, completing his first season in the fall of 2018 with a 5-17 record and qualifying for the inaugural Atlantic East Conference tournament. He secured his first career win as a head coach in the season-opener at Cairn (8/31) and led the Mighty Macs to the program's first-ever Atlantic East victory over Gwynedd Mercy (10/24), clinching a spot in the conference tournament. In his second season at Immaculata in 2019, Smith guided the Macs to another 5-17 record while achieving improvements in several statistical categories. The team finished second in the Atlantic East in opponents' hitting percentage (.160) and led the league in opponents' assists per game (8.42). Under Smith's mentorship, Natalie Dependahl ranked eighth in the Atlantic East with 2.39 kills per set, and McKenna Ryan ranked sixth in the conference with 4.07 digs per set. Prior to Immaculata, Smith brought extensive coaching experience from his six-year tenure as the head girls' volleyball coach at Sparks Volleyball Club in West Chester, Pa. He also served as co-director and head coach of the Sparks Volleyball Beach Volleyball Club, coaching girls aged 13 through 18. During his time with Sparks, Smith coached for four seasons as the head girls' volleyball coach at Kennett High School (2013-16) and worked as a court coach and player evaluator with USAV High Performance in 2015. Smith earned his Level III AAU Positive Coaching Alliance and Coaching Accreditation Program (CAP) II certifications in 2017 and held USAV Indoor and Beach IMPACT certifications. As an official, he was a Professional Association of Volleyball Officials (PAVO) and PIAA certified official, having officiated NCAA men's and women's matches for two years. A member of USA Volleyball since 1995, Smith played for the men's club team at West Chester University for three seasons. Smith now brings his wealth of experience to Driven Dragons Volleyball Academy, where he currently serves as the Director of Recruiting, Head Coach, and Mentor continuing to inspire and develop young athletes.
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