By Madeline Ackley
Twitter: @Mkayackley

Goodyear’s Venom Volleyball Club and community members have raised nearly $137,000, following a car crash in Texas resulting in the death of a 17-year-old girl, and the injury of two other athletes.

The three athletes and their families were traveling to Austin to compete in the Lone Star Nationals Tournament. The SUV, which was transporting seven people, lost control after hitting black ice, the AP reported.  

The athletes initially were supposed to fly to their destination, but weather-related issues in Texas  cancelled many flights, prompting families to make the 1,000-mile drive to meet up with teammates. 

The SUV collided with an 18-wheeler about 130 miles west of Austin Thursday night. 

Six people were transported to the hospital. Five of the seven passengers were not wearing seat belts and were ejected from the vehicle, the AP reported. 

The two surviving athletes “are in critical condition but stable,” club founder and director Jimmy Gonzalez wrote on a GoFundMe page that went live Feb. 4. 

One athlete suffered internal injuries “where she couldn’t even breathe,” and the other sustained multiple broken bones, Gonzalez said, according to reporting by 12 News.

The names of the players have not been released, but each are between the ages of 17 and 18 years old.  

Two of the three parents present in the vehicle have been discharged from the hospital with minor injuries, and the remaining parent still hospitalized is in stable condition. A Venom alumna accompanying the team  also was hospitalized, but she, too, is in stable condition, according to a Feb. 4 announcement posted to the Arizona Region of USA Volleyball website. 

The GoFundMe page created by Gonzalez has received more than 2,000 individual donations as of Monday, and is about $113,000 away from its $250,000 goal. The donations will go toward funeral costs, medical expenses, lodging, food and the cost to transport athletes, coaches and families back to the Valley, Gonzalez wrote.

Gonzalez updated the page Sunday to address the support the team and impacted families had received.

“Your outpouring of support during a very difficult time for our club families has been tremendous,” Gonzalez wrote. “We feel wrapped in your arms of love and hope.”

Gonzalez disclosed that families are still facing mounting expenses and that more support is needed. 

Venom Volleyball is a youth sports club made up of nine teams of athletes between the ages of seven and 18. Venom Volleyball is primarily volunteer-based, and primarily serves girls who come from families that cannot afford other club sports.

The GoFundMe page created to support those impacted by the crash can be found here. 

Madeline Ackley can be reached at mackley@iniusa.org or found on Twitter @Mkayackley.