Our Founder and Club Director.
Lena Chan (Kaer) grew up in Mililani, HI as a three sport athlete. She discovered her love for volleyball after playing for volleyball powerhouse club Kamali’I Manaloa and continued her collegiate playing career at Baylor University in Waco, TX. Later, she played and coached professionally in the German Bundesliga for 6 years. She met her future husband, Alex at Baylor, where the Men’s team were ball boys for their home games, and they moved to Portland, OR upon graduation. After a 10 year career as a math and engineering teacher, Lena has continued to be a coach, teacher and mentor, but now through the sport of volleyball. Throughout her 22 years of coaching, she is an award winning player and coach at many levels including Southridge HS, Mt. Hood Community College, Pacific University, and VfL Nürnberg e. V., including 3 time NWAACC coach of year, Nuremberg Germany Sport Coach of the Year, and U31 German Senior National Champions.
The Athena and Ajax Story.
ATHENAVB was founded in 2001 with the mission to inspire greatness through the sport of volleyball. Lena envisioned a unique opportunity to offer technical coaching with the latest in volleyball training and innovation, and to grow smart and thoughtful players who understand the game - while positively uplifting our athletes. AJAXVB started in 2017 to provide the same opportunity for young men and has been the most successful boys program in the region.
We are named after heroic figures in Greek mythology. Heroes that represent aspirational ideals and attributes we seek to emulate in our play. Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom and battle, while Ajax was a fearless Greek warrior with a supreme level of combat intelligence and courage.
We have grown steadily and thoughtfully - guided by our mission, vision and core values that shapes how we train and how we approach “whole athlete” development. ATHENAVB and AJAXVB are committed to lead the youth by serving, to create an uplifting volleyball community, and to equip players who desire to play at the next level.
ATHENAVB and AJAXVB have a strong track record of preparing and placing our alumni into all levels of programs that fit the individual. Our success, reputation and connections enable our athletes to be highly visible and marketable as we help support the college decision. The College Commits page highlights former players who have gone on to play at the next level, including D1 powerhouse conferences like the Pac12, Big 10, ACC, Mountain West, WCC, and even professionally oversees.
In 2021 we partnered with League One Volleyball, a collective of like minded people and clubs committed to change the game of volleyball by introducing a new professional volleyball league that will inspire new generations of athletes. ATHENAVB will be the anchor club for a professional team and leverage the support and expertise that the LOVB collaboration offers.
After more than 20 years of excellence, our vision remains the same – for strong empowered athletes that are successful in life.
League One Volleyball.
ATHENAVB and AJAXVB are founding partners with League One Volleyball (LOVB).