Sky High Volleyball Tournaments Start

 The Sky High Volleyball season starts only a few weeks after the fall school season ends. Volleyball players from Crystal Lake will participate in Sky High tournaments this week.

Sky High athletes, ages nine through 18, practice two to three times a week while balancing school, jobs and often other sports, a difficult task considering many tournaments are hours away and many student-athletes commute to practices.

Participating on a club team makes volleyball a near full-time job for these student-athletes. They compete in tournaments throughout the area two or three weekends every month, some of which are qualifying tournaments for nationals. Their hard work over many months culminates in either a trip to USA Nationals in Atlanta or Amateur Athletic Union Nationals in Orlando.

 Teams travel across the country to their respective tournaments and play multiple games each day for three or four days straight. As the days continue, teams are separated into different divisions based on their record. Winning the topmost division means winning the tournament.

Competition gets tougher towards the end of the tournament, as teams are continually paired with teams that are closer to their caliber of play. Therefore, AAU nationals and USA nationals are a test of stamina and character for all athletes that participate as they must fight off the bumps and bruises of heavy competition as well as sheer exhaustion.

Several Crystal Lake Sky High teams qualified for USA Nationals this year. They are made of up students from many area schools, including ,  Huntley and Cary Grove. Watch for an update regarding their progress at national tournaments that begin this week.