SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (KMTR) – An economic boost for Springfield-Eugene this weekend as the region welcomes thousands of kids, teens and parents for a volleyball first in the region.
Columbia Empire Volleyball Association is hosting its President’s Day Weekend Tournament at the Willamalane Center in Springfield and in surrounding Springfield schools.
It's the first time the Beaverton-based organization has hosted a tournament in the area. An estimated 4,000 players and their families are taking part. Most of the players are between 12 and 18 years of age, from more than 120 teams from all over Oregon and Washington.
“Girls' volleyball has always faced basketball as a challenge. Basketball kind of kicks us out of gyms a lot of times, fighting for space, so to have it all in one event center is great for the girls playing volleyball. And from what I know, springboarding off the Olympics it's kind of become more popular, so it's great to give young girls an opportunity to play a sport,” says Michael Benkoski, membership coordinators and communications manager for CEVA.
Tournament organizers are also working to promote getting more boys involved in volleyball in hope of expanding those programs soon.
