Third- through fifth-graders at Episcopal School of Jacksonville's Beaches Campus can train with the school's varsity volleyball team for free on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

The one-hour clinic runs from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Petway Family Performance Center at 450 11th Ave. North in Jacksonville Beach. Volleyball program director Annie Antar organized the session, which pairs young players with a varsity squad that has built one of Northeast Florida's strongest programs over the past decade.

Antar said in the school's Aug. 19 announcement that the clinic is designed to give Lower School students a hands-on experience with the varsity program. The event is open to students enrolled at ESJ's Beaches Campus in grades three through five.

The varsity team backing the clinic carries serious credentials. ESJ volleyball has won three straight district championships and advanced to regional competition six of the last seven years, with multiple state final four appearances, according to the school's athletics page. The beach volleyball squad added to that momentum this past spring, defeating Providence 3-2 in the district tournament finals and finishing the season ranked fourth in the state with 11 wins.

The Petway Family Performance Center, which opened after a ribbon-cutting on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022, features a varsity-sized court, two half courts and retractable bleachers. Episcopal broke ground on the facility in November 2021.

The clinic is free.

Families with questions can contact Matt Flakus at [email protected] or call the Beaches Campus at 904-246-2466. The varsity volleyball team's fall schedule has not yet been posted publicly.