Teams brave heat at Spike & Dig

There was a time when Sam Chay couldn’t be found in the hot summer sun playing volleyball with friends.

That was years ago, though. Chay has been participating in Spike & Dig, the annual Spokane volleyball competition, 11 tournaments and counting.

“Everybody’s getting older,” said the 28-year-old who first entered the contest with high school buddies. “As I’m getting older, they’re getting older.”

Spike & Dig, now in its 13th year, is the largest outdoor six-on-six volleyball tournament in the United States. It’s organized by the same folks who started Hoopfest. And, as with the downtown basketball tournament, people come to Spokane Falls Community College in droves to put their talents on display.

For the past six years, the tournament has drawn at least 200 teams; this year, 204. With seven or eight people on each squad – and six playing at a time – that’s a lot of bumping, setting and spiking.

“I think there’s a group in Spokane, they are die-hard volleyball players,” event organizer Dave Jackson said.

Teams played four games Saturday to determine where they’re seeded in today’s tournaments. There are 14 brackets filled with teams ranging in age and experience levels, and nearly every group ponied up the $150 registration fee ($110 for kids) with the hopes of earning one of the T-shirts given to bracket winners. The open bracket, which is filled with seven skillful teams, carries a prize of $500 for the winning squad.

The matches are self-regulated and volunteers keep score. Five officials from the Spokane Area Volleyball Referees Association walk the 53 courts to answer questions and act as mediators. They’ll also call the championship game.

Most of the players have some familiarity with the game, Jackson said, either from high school or community leagues. Of the approximately 1,500 players in this weekend’s tournament, Jackson estimated that 75 percent are from the region. About half the players are between 20 and 40 years old, he said, with some as young as 10 and as old as 65.

While most work the courts gracefully, not all players keep themselves in shape throughout the year. Staff members from U District Physical Therapy taped 32 ankles on Saturday, nearly all prior to competition. A few people had severe ankle sprains, trainer Tina Valentine said, but the biggest problem of the day was bee stings.

Carl Muglia, 23, started competing at Spike & Dig after his brother got him into it three years ago. After finishing a match – his squad went 3-1 on the day – Muglia took a large, blue cooler full of melted ice and dumped its contents over his head.

While sitting on a bench, completely soaked, Muglia sized up the opposition.

“It’s decent competition,” the Spokane resident said. “I think a lot of people come just to play.”

Last year, Spokane residents Louie and Jen Vargas were on a team that won the C-bracket. They proudly wore their T-shirts this year, but, from the looks of things, their squad is having trouble.

The team, Just for Fun, won only one of its four games Saturday, meaning members will have their work cut out for them today.

When asked how she thought the team played on Saturday, Jen Vargas responded, “Not well.”

Then, she motioned toward a reporter’s note pad and said with a smile, “Just for Fun. We had fun.”