It is a Zoo at the Girls' Junior National Championships

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The crowds of people all enjoyed seeing the animals at the Girls' Junior National Championships.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (July 2, 2012) - The USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships (GJNC) continued on Monday in Columbus, Ohio. Although three-time U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball player Logan Tom made an appearance on Sunday, there were other special guests at the event on Monday.

These visitors were not Olympians. In fact, they were not even people. The Greater Columbus Sports Commission brought in several animals from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium as part of an attraction for people to experience after being inside the Great Columbus Convention Center all day.

The animals included a baby snow leopard, nine-week-old kangaroo, penguin, dingo and lizard.

The room also included a place for kids to sing karaoke, play on the Xbox Kinect, get caricatures drawn and interact with various team mascots.

"We have had the karaoke machine and caricature artist here for the past few days and it has been really popular," Greater Columbus Sports Commission Project Coordinator Emily Cubera said. "It is a great idea to bring these things in and to get people to interact with the city of Columbus itself."

While each age division lasts for four days, some parents have multiple children in the tournament, meaning that people can be here for over a week.

In efforts to give spectators and players a break and the ability to experience something outside of volleyball during their time here, it was decided to bring in the animals for people to pet and pose for pictures.

It was a huge success as the room was filled with people from the age of 10 months to over 60 years old. The players really enjoyed the little creatures as well.

People were talking about how they never thought that they would get to pet a penguin or take a picture with a kangaroo at a volleyball tournament, but it was a pleasant surprise.

The traveling zoo was just another way for people to enjoy their experience at the GJNC in a way other than volleyball. With the positive feedback and excitement stirring in the convention center, it is safe to say it was a success.

To view live video streams of the GJNC medal-round matches, visit www.usavolleyball.org/gjnc-webcast.

For more information on the GJNC, visit http://usavolleyball.org/events/8349. To follow the GJNC results and schedules, click here.

2012 USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships Finals Schedule
12 National: Gold - MADFROG 12's Lewellen (North Texas); Silver - TX Tornados 12 Mizuno (LoneStar); Bronze - OVA 12 Asics (Florida) and Borinquen Cocqui 12-1F (PU)
12 American: Gold - Club West 12- National (Southern California); Silver - Blackswamp 12 Reinhart (Ohio Valley); Bronze - Sunshine 12 Westside (Southern California) and TUVA 12 Tampa (Florida)
13 National: Gold - OVA 13 Asics (Florida); Silver - MAVA 13- Elite (Pioneer); Bronze - Alamo 13 Kaepa Premier (LoneStar) and Borinquen Coqui 13 -1F (PU)
13 American: Gold - Mintonette- m.81 Rox (Ohio Valley); Silver - Wave 13-1 Casey (Southern California); Bronze - Cincy Classics 13 Red (Ohio Valley) and TAV 13 Black (North Texas)
14 Open: Finals on July 3
14 National: Finals on July 3
14 American: Finals on July 3
15 Open: Finals on July 5
15 National: Finals on July 5
15 American: Finals on July 5
16 Open: Finals on July 7
16 National: Finals on July 7
16 American: Finals on July 7
17 Open: Finals on July 6
17 National: Finals on July 6
17 American: Finals on July 6
18 Open: Gold - Tampa Bay 18 Black (Florida); Silver - Sky High 18 Black (Great Lakes); Bronze - FRVBC 18 Black (Rocky Mountain) and Vision Gold 18-1 (Northern California)
18 National: Gold - MEVBA Mizuno 18 Black (Lakeshore); Silver - Pocatello Elite 18-1 (Intermountain); Bronze - NCVC Moxie 18-1 (Northern California) and CVA 18 Silver (Ohio Valley)
18 American: Gold - City Beach Black 18-1 (Northern California); Silver - Skyline 18 RoShamBo (Lonestar); Bronze - Bakersfield Judy 18-1 (Southern California) and San Gabriel Elite 18 Roshambo (Southern California)