Mike and Diane's

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Tournament Results

8/30/2009
 Many Thanks to ALL that attended our King and Queen Tournament on August 8th and donated their time and money for such a worthy cause.

Here are the results and more pictures.

Thanks to those who went the extra mile or miles (Sondra Germer) in making our tournament so enjoyable again this year. To those who donated to the Silent Auction, we were so surprised to see the wide variety and quality of gifts. Let’s see if we can beat the $531.00 total next year, with the many interesting donations this auction can bring.

This year we write a check to Juvenile Diabetes for $3,306.00 which will be presented to Kelly Largeteau Holt which she will forward to her very worthy cause.

New this year is video footage of your play on the hallowed sand of Volleyball World. We were thrilled to see the quality of Tom Driscoll’s digital recording and we extend our thanks for all the effort he put into that project. You can check it out on Tom’s website. Should you have photos that you would like to share or put on our website, please send them to us.

Lost and Found
Do you own a blue baseball cap with IREVA markings? We will hold it or send it to you.
Andy Bauer is looking for a leather volleyball with AB marking on it.

Adam Sollien’s t-shirt design was a knock out again this year. He is dreaming of next year’s design already. We have 4 shirts left if you are interested, 2 small, 1 medium, and 1 2X.
Thanks to George and Sandy Lawrence for building and maintaining Volleyball World website. We recently set up a king and queen tournament in South Dakota because he learned of a king and queen format through our site. Thanks to Tim Skinner for getting us started out.
Not many people who don’t get to play in our tournament donate their entry fee back because their standby position was not used. We want to thank Brian Cunningham for doing so. We hope to see you play here next year. We filled 3 weeks early this year.
Remember, early, complete registrations guarantee your spot at VBW in August 2010. Watch our website in early 2010 for event information.

Regards,
Mike and Diane

CDGD in the News

8/30/2009
 Local volleyball personalities Jim Bishop, Sally Gillich, Doug Gordon, Andy Mink, Josh O'Brien and Tim Skinner were recently interviewed by Spotlight News, and here's the link.

Sand Leagues

5/4/2009
Tom Driscoll is organizing volleyball leagues and rec play at Phillies Bar and Grill with three sand courts.

As of right now it looks like the league schedule will be the following:
**rec league teams will be picked weekly
  • Sundays @ 5:30pm will be advanced rec coed
  • Mondays - coed recreational
  • Tuesdays - open play
  • Wednesdays - mens and womens 4's advanced competitive
  • Thurdays - coed 4's advanced competitive
  • Fridays- no volleyball
  • Saturdays- tournaments
It will be $75.00 per player for a 10 week session. There will be prizes and food and drink specials every week of league. League is scheduled to start the 24th of May.

For more information contact Tom Driscoll 505-9079, email driscollsvolleyball@gmail.com.

Volleyball Player Headed to Scotland

2/24/2009
Jenna Stock, last year's Queen at Volleyball World, has been given the opportunity to play volleyball in Scotland. She will be representing the USA in the 2009 Scottish Open Volleyball Tournament. The tournament is slated to take place May 18-26, 2009. She was selected as one of only ten players across America to be invited to participate on the USA Athletes International Volleyball Team. Jenna Stock and Josh Huntley won first place in our King and Queen Volleyball Tournament last August.

She has to raise $3,893.00 to make this once in a lifetime opportunity possible. A donation of any kind would be greatly appreciated by Jenna. You can donate online at usaai.org/donate/jennastock. You can also mail donations to Jenna Stock, 133 State Hwy. 10-A Johnstown, NY 12095. Your donation is tax-deductible.

We are very proud to have one of our champions representing Volleyball World on the other side of the pond.

Also as a reminder, mark your calendars for August 8, 2009 for our King and Queen Volleyball Tournament at Volleyball World. It is always the 2nd Saturday in August.

Tournament Results

8/15/2008
Our t-shirts sold out early again this year. No doubt because of a “one of a kind” design by Adam Sollien. Did Uncle Phil pose for Adam’s sketches? Do you want to design our t-shirt? Contact us.

Thanks to those whose donations and time made our tournament a success once again. We are sending a check to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation for $2,200.00 and to ALS Association of Upstate NY for $2,200.00.

Thanks to the following for donating door prizes or extra time/money. Terry and Jamie Bullock, Tim Stewart, Eric Lawrence, Kelly and Dave Holt, Steve Largeteau, Lila MacPhail, Rick Lavigne, Jim Woljick, Larry Laurence, Mike O’Neil, Lisa Wend, Katie Gootee, Kristy Lynch, George & Sandy Lawrence….hope we haven’t missed anyone else!

Thanks to our EMT staff: Brook Rowley, Steve Largeteau, Patty Dykeman, Bob Payst.

Thanks to those volunteering to officiate finals: Terry & Jamie Bullock, Sandy Misiewicz, Megan Waddle, Travis Kemmer and others who may have filled in.

Last but not least thanks to our Grand Wizzerd, Barry Shannon for gathering those fantastic “Big Three” raffle prizes!!!!!

See here for results and pictures.

And here are the big raffle winners:
  • 32" HD LCD TV - Hilary Kellog from Canojoharie - ticket #175
  • IPod Nano - Natalie Lavallee from Ballston Spa - ticket #270
  • HP Digital Camera - Barb Corrigan from Canojoharie - ticket #166
Congratulations, and thanks to everybody who bought raffle tickets and came out to support our causes!

Mike and Diane's 7th Annual Tournament

3/13/2008
Please mark your calendars for August 9th 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.

Proceeds will benefit Juvenile Diabetes and the ALS Association (Lou Gehrig's Disease) in honor of Ed King, Special Olympics athlete currently in hospice care and Donald Hendrickson, Diane's father who passed away due to ALS. Click here for details and a registration form.

So please save the date, AUGUST 9, 2007 and join us here at Volleyball World.

Local Volleyball Author

10/18/2007


Hey, check this out! Jen Sangiacomo, CDGD organizer and awesome
doubles player went and wrote a book about the doubles game! That's just
unbelievably cool. This book is available on Amazon.com (among other places),
and you can get it right here right now.

King and Queen Tournament Results

8/24/2007
As always, the King and Queen tournament was a great day. Thanks to everyone who came out! Here are some pictures of the fun.

Fresh Air Fund

6/22/2007
This is not a volleyball subject but it is another interest that we are involved in: The Fresh Air Fund Friendly Town Program. We are having a visitor from NYC again this summer and hopefully two visitors for 2 weeks, July 18 to August 1st. If you are interested in hosting an inner-city youngster for two weeks in the summer, check out their website www.freshair.org. If you are not interested or unable to, please pass this on to someone who might be.

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:

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