While the year is wrapping up, Foley Sports Tourism (FST) and the USA Volleyball Gulf Coast Region (GCR) are already looking toward 2020. The beginning of the new year will be packed with volleyball, and the GCR is giving teams an opportunity to prepare at the 4th Annual Gulf Coast Region Friendship Tournament, December 14 – 15.
Phillip Bryant, GCR Commissioner, said the tournament was created in partnership with Pleasure Island Storm Volleyball Club and Mobile Storm Volleyball. This year, officials expect 80 teams to compete in girls and boys divisions ranging in age from 12 to 18. Bryant said teams will use the competition to gel in a relaxed environment before the season really kicks off.
“It’s a pre-season tournament that was created by Coach Shawn Weaver four years ago so teams can have a ‘free’ opportunity to scrimmage other teams from the region,” Bryant explained. “Thus bettering their team’s unity and meeting other players from other clubs in the region.”
The Friendship Tournament will also serve as a warm-up for the FST staff who will host nine volleyball tournaments within the first three months of 2020 alone.
“We’re ready for a busy new year,” said Jeff Ryan FST Building Supervisor. “The Friendship Tournament gives a chance to train new part-time staff and allows our full-timers the opportunity to get back into a volleyball mindset. You could say it’s not just giving the teams participating a chance to gel, it gives our staff the chance to see what we can improve upon for the upcoming year.”
The 4th Annual Gulf Coast Region Friendship Tournament runs 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. December 14, and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on December 15. The tournament is open to the public and there is a $5 charge for admission.
For more information on this tournament or any FST event visit our events page.
