The 12th Annual Randy Pounders Open is more than just the latest volleyball tournament to come to the Foley Event Center, it’s a memorial of sorts to the man who helped develop the sport in West Florida.
Tournament director Jeffrey Schmitt said Randy Pounders is an integral figure not only to the West Florida Wave Volleyball Club’s story, but to volleyball as a whole in the region.
“This tournament honors Randy Pounders the founding director of Volleyball Pensacola which is the parent organization of the West Florida Waves,” Schmitt explained.
Over the twelve years the West Florida Waves have used the competition to honor the memory of their founder, the event has grown. This year they are expecting 84 teams from across the USA Volleyball Gulf Coast Region.
Jeff Ryan, Foley Even Center building supervisor, said that while the event continues to grow so have the COVID protocols.
“We are thankful for partners like the West Florida Waves who continue to make safety a priority,” Ryan said. “We work with each planner to make sure we are doing what is best for their event on an individual level. While we’ve had volleyball tournaments in the building for the last three weeks, each one is a new opportunity to find new ways to keep our visitors protected.”
The 12th Annual Randy Pounders Open runs all day Saturday, January 30 and Sunday, January 31. Due to COVID protocols spectators are limited and the event is not open to the general public. For more information on this or any Foley Sports Tourism event visit our events page.
