Alfonso Alvarez is in his third season as head men's volleyball coach at Bluefield University.
He came to BU from Miami, Fla., a veteran of the South Florida volleyball scene, having coached college, high school and club since 1996. His first year at Bluefield College came to an abrupt end as the last games of the season were canceled due to COVID-19 and the Mid-South Conference ending all play.
Alvarez began his career as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Trinity International University. In 1997 TIU finished third in its conference with a mostly freshman team, largely recruited by Alvarez.
His high school career began in 1998 serving as athletic director and head coach at different schools in Miami-Dade County. His teams finished as district runner-up and district champions and set school records for most wins in a single season. In 2003 he accepted a position at Florida Christian School and guided the girls’ program to a 45-12 record, and regional final appearance in back-to-back seasons. In 2005, he was given the task to start a boys’ volleyball program. During his tenure he amassed more than 250 wins and placed numerous student athletes in colleges with volleyball scholarships. He led the boys’ program to back-to-back district championships and 2016-17 while serving as athletic director and head coach at SLAM Charter School.
In 2018 Alvarez returned to the college scene and served as head coach and sports information director at Florida Memorial University. During his time at FMU his team set the record for most wins in a single season and his team won the Director’s Cup for the best overall team GPA in the athletic program.
Alvarez has coached and directed several club programs over the years. He was the club director for Powerhouse Volleyball Club, a club that consisted of both boys and girls. His last position was at Miami United Volleyball Club, coaching 18U boys, and at Miami Hype, coaching 16U girls.
Among the many tournament championships, in 2008 his girls 12U team won the prestigious Cloverleaf Tournament, and in 2013 his boys 18U team won the AAU National Championship Silver Division. In 2013 alone he placed five boys in colleges with volleyball scholarships. In 2018 he served as a court coach and Master Evaluator for USA National High-Performance Program for both boys and girls.
When not involved with volleyball, Alvarez serves with different organizations such as Camp Bahamas, which is a Christian sports youth camp. He has taught men’s Bible study class at his church, and participates in short-term missions work. He has a passion for ministering to others in a practical way. One of his favorite Bible verses is Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Alvarez has been married to Jackie Alvarez for 23 years and together then have four children, Jenny, Gio, A.J., and Amaris. They all play volleyball.
