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| Teamwork... What it's all about |
I described last year's Capitol Hill Volleyball Classic as "awesome and overwhelming." That's mighty high praise, coming from yours truly... not to mention a tall order to repeat. Well, today was day one of the ninth annual CHVC. Were they able to impress once again; or was last year "as good as it gets?"
According to their website, "the event runs in waves," and that only begins to describe the non-stop action inside the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. As if last year's Classic wasn't BIG enough, this year's edition is even BIGGER. 111 courts became 118. The Classic now covers over 800,000 square feet (compared to last year's 750,000.) 821 teams grew to more than 900 this year. In case you were wondering... That's a LOT of volleyball, even for an avid fan like myself.
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| Volleyball... As far as the eye can see |
It's hard to find sanctuary here: Players eat lunch and nap where they can, turning sidelines into impromptu sleeping quarters and dining areas. To say it's a unique environment is a massive understatement. That said, there's an air of camaraderie that permeates the air... 35,000+ athletes, family and friends with two things (three, if you count shopping) on their collective minds - volleyball and fun.
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| Tag-team volleyball (Love it!) |
During my travels, I overheard one proud parent telling another, that her son was going to DeMatha (Go Stags!) Cue a nice 10-minute conversation between her, me and her husband (St. John's - Class of '87.) It really is a small world after all, despite the sheer enormity of this fabulous event. You still have two days to experience it yourself. Tomorrow at 9 AM. Monday at 8 AM. Afternoon waves start at 3 PM. Each team will play in approximately seven (7) matches. Click here to purchase tickets (only $15 per day.)
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| Stare-down! |
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| Up, up and away |
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| View from above |
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| All smiles! |
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| Fun for all ages |
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| Shop till you drop |
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| Soup's on! |
