Volley and Vibe: Community over clout

Can competition exist without dominance?

In New York City, social clubs can sometimes feel more like cravings for popularity than dependable communities. As social clubs, run clubs and creative collectives continue to multiply across the city, many end up recreating the very hierarchies they promise to escape. Status, aesthetics and proximity to influence can determine who feels welcomed and who doesn’t. Volley and Vibe offers a different model: connection over clout.

Volley and Vibe is a Black-founded pickleball collective co-created by Atibia Williams and Jade Jenkins, and it’s becoming one of Brooklyn’s most refreshing social spaces by prioritizing connection and sports over clout.

When I spoke with Atibia, he told me the idea grew out of a simple observation: People see the same faces at gyms and recreational activities, yet never learn each other’s names. At the same time, Jade was interested in creating something fitness-focused, and the rise of pickleball presented an opportunity for these two to create something remarkable.

At any Volley and Vibe event, you’ll hear the pop of paddles and sneakers squeaking across the courts mixed with hip-hop and Afrobeats. Players rotate through matches while conversations continue between games. The events feel intentional and joyful, but also distinctly Brooklyn. While welcoming everyone, both Jade and Atibia stated the importance of creating spaces where Black people can be authentically playful and seen, with pickleball being the medium of choice for the founders.

Volley and Vibe’s belief is that competition and community can coexist. Atibia personally understands social hierarchy from various perspectives. During the interview, he spoke about experiencing both acceptance and exclusion as a child, which shaped his understanding of belonging. He learned early that some spaces welcome you while others are committed to putting you in your place.

Atibia recalls being both the cool kid and the one who got picked on. Today, those experiences influence how he builds community.

Volley and Vibe players are encouraged to challenge one another, with respect. Newcomers are welcomed the same way as regulars. Their goal is to build confidence and form genuine connections.

“You might have somebody that’s into Dungeons & Dragons and somebody that was a premier athlete in college on the same team,” Atibia told me. “In a lot of social spaces, those people would never interact.”

I can’t help but think of the Knicks’ star player, Jalen Brunson. Long before he became one of the most beloved athletes in New York and the country, he was often told what he lacked and wasn’t regarded as the star he’s seen as now. What did people miss? We all need spaces that recognize and cultivate our potential and authenticity into greatness.

A former athlete may also be the biggest fan of a niche hobby. The quiet introvert may be the most competitive player on the court. 

That being said, building that type of community in New York has not come without challenges. According to Atibia, while many founders worry about visibility or attracting attention, other realities of the city proved to be their biggest obstacle.

Unsurprisingly, real estate has been one of the hardest obstacles for the collective to overcome. Even so, Atibia was never particularly worried about attendance. He believed that if Volley and Vibe stayed true to themselves and remained unapologetically authentic, the right people would show up. 

“I just had an ‘if you build it, they will come’ mentality,” he said.

Perhaps the strongest measure of the group’s impact comes from the people themselves, who show up each week.

“People told us they were dealing with depression or anxiety and that this space helped them.”  “We didn’t even realize the impact we were having,” Atibia said.

Your environment matters; the people around you shape your immediate possibilities. They can reinforce your limitations or help expand your sense of what is possible. That’s why spaces like these are so important.

When it comes to partnerships, both Atibia and Jade thoughtfully prioritize their community, considering whether partnerships genuinely benefit their members. Volley and Vibe now hosts wellness-centered programming, social gatherings, and game nights outside of pickleball events.

To learn more about Volley and Vibe, follow them on Instagram at @volleyandvibe_ and join them for their one-year anniversary celebration on June 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. at LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park.