WENATCHEE — Last month, the NCW Volleyball Club (NCWVBC) hosted its annual Fire and Rain Volleyball Tournament. Around 80 teams participated, hailing from all over Washington, Idaho and Oregon.
It’s one of two major local volleyball tournaments, the other being the Lights Out Tournament held the second week of January, that draws enough participation and has grown to the point of filling nearly every available volleyball-compatible gym throughout a weekend.
The Lights Out Tournament had around 100 teams participate.
For the first time, all NCWBVC top-level teams won their age groups.
Another first for Wenatchee, back in early January, NCWVBC held an all-boys club volleyball tournament at Wenatchee High School.
The tournaments have grown so much over the years from their humble beginnings and are such a boon to the local economy NCWVBC Director Jeff Riley believes they are near their limit.
“We may be branching out to Cashmere and the college,” he said.
When you have clubs coming from all over, with athletes that range in age from seven to 18, including some boys teams, and the entourage that follows — coaches, officials, parents, and family — it doesn’t take much to understand why.
What keeps the show running is the dozens of local coaches who help it thrive and the seven volunteer board members.
“Everyone has their own niche and we work well together,” Riley said.
NCWVBC's last local event will be a smaller one. The Friendship Tournament hosts U14 teams from Central Washington. The tournament will be at Eastmont High School on March 25.
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