Mike and Diane's 6th Annual Tournament
4/9/2007
Please mark your calendars for August 11th for this year's King and
Queen tournament at Volleyball World. Keep in mind that we always try to
schedule our tournament the 2nd Saturday of August.
We will be raising funds for Juvenile Diabetes again this year and our
Duanesburg Central School Volleyball program. Our fundraising efforts this year
will also include a bottle/can drive for our Duanesburg Girl's Volleyball Team.
We are trying to update our net systems and purchase new standards which will
help us have more efficient and safer practices during our season now that we
have 3 squads in our volleyball program, plus elementary level instruction. So
if you have any bottles/cans that you would like to donate to our cause, we
would appreciate it. Contact us or one of our players if you have any cans to
donate or need us to pick up. You can also bring them to our tournament. We are
running a contest for our players also. The girl that donates the most, will be
awarded a prize so if you know a player on our team, you might want to donate
the cans to her.
We have hopes to have two more sand courts for this year's tournament,
depending upon how the weather cooperates for our landscaping efforts.
Click here for details and a registration form.
So please save the date, AUGUST 11, 2007 and join us here at Volleyball World.
AVP Indoor Beach Tour Results
2/22/2007
Click here for a Times Union article
about the indoor beach tournament held in Albany recently. It documents Mike's
brush with authority as well as his trendy attire. Oh, and there was some beach
volleyball, too. Check it out...
Springfield Morgan Classic
1/23/2007
We wanted to keep you informed of an event that we have participated in for
many years and have found it to be valuable and fun as well. The Morgan Classic
is a Division I, men's collegiate volleyball tournament. It is held at
Springfield College in Springfield, MA. Springfield College, Division III,
coached by Charlie Sullivan, has hosted this, along with the Volleyball Hall of
Fame for many years. Division I teams come from all around the country and
provide a stiff level of competition for the Springfield team.
The first half of the tournament is run Friday night, February 9th. Saturday
morning, February 10th, begins with a players clinic that is instructed by the
college coaches with assistance from their players. The clinic is offered to
modified thru adult players. The clinic participants get to work with the
players and coaches and then they watch the college teams compete Saturday
night in the tournament finals.
For more information and a registration form go to
www.volleyhall.org, which is the Volleyball Hall of Fame website. It's
worth the drive to watch this high level of play and support our sport even if
you don't participate in the clinic.
AVP Indoor Beach Tour coming to Albany
1/19/2007
On February 13th, 2007 at 7:00 PM, AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Challenge will offer
AVP fans the opportunity to experience the energy and excitement of an AVP Pro
Beach Volleyball Event live at the Times Union Center!
This Event that will replicate the authentic beach party atmosphere featured at
outdoor AVP Tour Events (i.e. Beach Volleyball Court, Top Players, EMCEE, DJ,
Video Board, Sponsor Village, etc.)!
The Event will feature participation from top ranked AVP men’s and women’s
Players (including 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh, 2004 Olympic Bronze
Medalist Elaine Youngs, 2005 AVP Best Defensive Player and Most Improved Player
Rachel Wacholder, 2005 AVP MVP Jake Gibb, 2003 AVP Best Defensive Player Casey
Jennings, 2005 AVP Most Improved Player Sean Scott, etc.).
TICKETS ON SALE NOW at the Times Union Center Box Office, select Price Chopper
Outlets, or charge by phone at 1-800-30-EVENT.
This is a CENTER STAGE setup
Mike and Diane's 5th Annual Tournament
8/14/2006
We had a record 96 participants and great weather for the friendliest
tournament of the year. Thanks to everybody who came out.
More info and pictures...
Mike and Diane's Fourth Annual Sand Classic KQ Tournament
The weather's getting warmer -- time to start getting ready for the
major volleyball tournament event of the season! Saturday, August 13, 2005 is
our tournament date this year. It's first come, first served, so register soon!
Read all about it here.
Basketball in the Barn
Okay, this isn't actually volleyball news, but if you're interested in
local sports stories, you can't beat a basketball tournament in an old barn.
Read all about it here: RUDY. (Apologies for how
long it took to get the pictures up here!)
Tsunami Donations
We would like to thank all those who donated to our friend, Tuan Razik,
who lost family in the tsunami. We raised approximately $1,250 which is not
counting the amount sent to Tuan directly. He recently returned to Sri Lanka to
purchase fiberglass catamarans for his village. Volleyball players are a great
group of people. You can always count on them when people are in need....
You can make a donation online if you like.
Friend and Country in Need
If you are fortunate enough to have played volleyball with Tuan Razik at
Volleyball World, you have had the honor of knowing a Sri Lankan beach
volleyball player. His kindness and spirit on the sand court has made memories
for us all. His recent eye surgery this last summer kept Tuan away from the
sand courts this year, along with the "rains."
At this very moment (1/2/05), Tuan is on a flight to his home which will take
three days. The Tsunami which struck the southern coast of Sri Lanka took
Tuan's brother, sister-in-law, nieces and many other family members and friends
but spared him his father. Tuan's suitcases are loaded with medical supplies
and he hopes to purchase as much rice as he can to help his family in the
camps. His wife, Barbara, along with his son and daughter will remain home
helping on this end.
There's one thing that we all know in Volleyball World and that is we can count
on each other in times of need. It's the people who will chase a ball 40 feet
off the end line, or leave six layers of skin on the court floor that are
always there in times of need.
How can we help? If you would like to offer a donation, we (Mike and Diane)
will gather any donations for the next week and personally deliver them to Tuan
when he returns home by mid-January. If you would rather send a card or a
donation to Tuan directly, his address is Tuan Razik, 1408 State Route 7,
Richmondville, NY 12149. You can also make a donation
online right now.
Knowing Tuan as we do, he would be one of the first on our doorstep to give a
helping hand should we ever need it. Let's hope that all of our efforts help
him and his family in the trying times ahead.
Special Olympics Volleyball News
On November 7, the Gloversville Leader-Herald ran an article about the
Special Olympics team coached by Mike and Diane. Read the full text of article
here.
Mike and Diane's Third Annual Sand Classic KQ Tournament
Thanks to everyone who participated in making the third annual king and
queen tournament a success. Read more about it here.
Mark your calendars for this year's tournament: August 13, 2005 (second
Saturday).
Special Olympics Gold
The team coached by Mike and Diane came home victorious from the Summer
Games in Long Island. Read all about it here.
Congratulations to the athletes, and thanks to everyone who supported their
medal-winning effort.
Fundraiser Tournament
The Chuck Roberts Fundraiser
tournament was a big success. Amid beautiful weather and great
volleyball we raised over $4000 for a good cause (as Mike says, "one of our
own"). Follow the link above for details and pictures. Thanks to everyone who
participated in a lovely day.
Proceeds from the King and Queen Tournament were also
dedicated to Chuck's family. You can make a donation online
right now.
Sadly, Chuck passed away on July 14th. The Times Union web site has his
obituary, which you can view
here. We will all sorely miss his enthusiastic and cheerful presence,
on and off the volleyball court.
Chuck's family sent the following card:
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Dear Volleyball Friends of Chuckie,
Thank you so much for the very generous gift you gave Chuckie and his boys. It
really meant a lot to Chuckie when you held the volleyball tournament for him.
He felt so honored. He enjoyed looking at the video and pictures and hearing
all about your day. We all got a kick out of the stories especially seeing the
guy with the pink skirt.
And then when you did the 2nd tournament for him - that really was very special
and I know that Chuckie was watching you guys that day. Thank you so much.
So from the bottom of our hearts we thank you. I know someday it will mean a
lot to his boys what you have done for them.
Love,
Rosemary, Jeff, Vinny & Nicole
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