Premier Academy Delivers Championship Performances at the Central Zone Invitational

This past weekend, Premier Academy teams traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana to compete in the Central Zone Invitational, one of the premier winter events on the Midwest club calendar. While the tournament traditionally spans multiple days, a major winter storm sweeping across the country forced organizers to modify the format, condensing the event into a single-day competition on Saturday to ensure teams could travel home safely before conditions worsened.

Despite the abbreviated format and added urgency, Premier Academy responded exactly as strong programs do — with focus, adaptability, and competitive excellence.

Rising to the Challenge

With every match carrying added importance in a one-day format, Premier teams embraced the challenge from the start. The compressed schedule demanded efficiency, mental toughness, and the ability to execute under pressure — and our athletes delivered.

By the end of the day, Premier Academy brought home two division championships and two additional podium finishes, a testament to both preparation and depth across age groups.

Champions

Premier 18 Onitsuka — Division Champions

Premier 18 Onitsuka capped an outstanding day by winning their division, navigating a demanding bracket with composure and consistency, dropping only one set on the day. In the Championship Match vs. Sports Performance 18-Red, Premier 18 Os were in the driver's seat the entire time, showing balance on both sides of the ball, and with winning all phases of first contact, they showcased their ability to elevate their level in key moments, earning a well-deserved championship finish.

Premier 15 Trabuco — Division Champions

Premier 15 Trabuco continued a strong early-season run, finishing atop their division with an impressive championship performance. Their energy, execution, and ability to control matches throughout the day stood out, reinforcing the team’s upward trajectory as the season progresses. Led by their strong presence on both pins and with some outstanding first contact, this team continually bettered the ball in each rally. After finishing 8-1 in their first tournament, this event was another great test for this young team.

Podium Finishes

Premier 14 Kokoro — 3rd Place Finish

Premier 14 Kokoro battled through a competitive field to secure a third-place finish in their division. The group showed resilience and growth throughout the day, responding well to challenges and closing the tournament with strong performances. After only dropping a set in pool play, their semifinal match was battle tested from the beginning. This was a standout performance by 14 Kokoro.

Premier 16 Nimbus — 3rd Place Finish

Premier 16 Nimbus also earned a third-place finish, demonstrating steady improvement match-to-match. Nimbus showed the discipline and adaptability in their performance, staying undefeated in pool play with zero set losses, before meeting up with Wisconsin Elite 16-Elite in the semifinals.

Looking Ahead

This weekend in Indianapolis served as both a benchmark and a catalyst for momentum. As the season progresses, the valuable lessons learned and the newfound confidence gained from the Central Zone Invitational will undoubtedly influence the upcoming training blocks and competitions.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to every athlete and coach who participated in this weekend’s event, as well as to the families who demonstrated remarkable flexibility and unwavering support despite the challenging travel conditions.

📊 Full event results from the Central Zone Invitational can be found online here.

What's Next?

For this upcoming weekend, Premier will send a few teams throughout the region for events - the boys program will travel to Cleveland to play in the AAU Cleveland Open, and for a few of our girls team programs, P25 16 Fuji and 15 Quantum, will travel to Sandusky and play at the Cedar Point Sports Center in the Clash at the Point tournament.

Congratulations to our teams on a remarkable weekend.