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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spike and Dig seeks new blood

J.D. Larson Correspondent

A Spokane summer tradition continues this weekend, with the 14th annual Spike and Dig volleyball tournament taking place at Spokane Falls Community College.

Behind the scenes of the Spike and Dig, a youth movement reflects an attempt by the tournament to appeal to a new generation of volleyball players.

Brandon Schmidt, a 2005 graduate of Gonzaga Prep, takes over as the event coordinator, and will put on the tournament with the help of other recent grads.

There are expected to be about 200 teams playing in the 6-on-6 tournament Saturday and Sunday at SFCC. That’s around the usual number of teams, but as the older generation stops playing, the tournament needs younger volleyball players to fill the void.

“We’re looking for more youthful sponsors as some of the older sponsors are kind of going away,” Schmidt said. “We’re trying to appeal to the younger generation with more activities at the site besides volleyball. Once people get exposed to it, they’ll see how much fun it is.”

Their effort focuses on two demographics: junior high and high schoolers, who have their own brackets for Spike and Dig; and men, who don’t typically flock to volleyball, especially in an area with no high school or men’s teams.

“You go other places in the country and there’s boys volleyball and men’s volleyball,” Schmidt said. “There are a few men’s clubs around, but there aren’t many guys doing it. Once they start playing, they always love it.”

First and foremost, though, is the maintenance of Spike and Dig, and keeping it a solid Spokane event.

“We’re always trying to get more teams,” Schmidt said. “We don’t want to expand too much, though. It’s just a great community event and gets people involved.”