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The News Leader - www.newsleader.com - Staunton, Va.
As another fall season switches into high gear, so does the 19th annual Mason-Dixon volleyball tournament.
This year's tournament, hosted by Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind, will kick off Thursday and run through Saturday. The first games of pool play begin 9 a.m. Friday at both VSDB and Grace Christian activities center.
The Mason-Dixon region has 11 teams, but Kentucky and Georgia will not make the trip to VSDB.
Through 14 years at the VSDB helm, coach Kathy Campbell says she has seen a lot, but there is always something new that happens at each tournament. Campbell is very anxious to have play get under way, particularly because she wants her team to get the experience and get several tournament wins under their belts.
"I was hoping we would be able to get a win over South Carolina (Sept. 28) and show them we were ready when they came back for the tournament, but it didn't go as planned," Campbell said. "I just want the team to show improvement and win a couple of matches, because two years ago we didn't."
Campbell isn't the only one ready for the competition to get rolling. VSDB's 0 Eason is excited about the tournament and her team's chances at winning a few matches.
"I am ready to get a win, but my favorite thing about it all is the new friends you make," Eason said. "I think the tournament is good, because we all feel more comfortable playing deaf teams, and the competition is more friendly."
Eason and Campbell think the Cardinals need to improve their passing, serving and mobility on the court before the tournament.
"We need to move the feet," Eason said.
Through the tournament's first 15 years, there were only two winners, Florida and Louisiana. But during the past three years, Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee were crowned tournament champions for the first time.
"It's hard for our team against some of these schools, because they are much bigger, like Florida has 750 students," Campbell said.
Every year, the Mason-Dixon is hosted by a different school, and in 2007, the tournament will be in South Carolina. This year, VSDB expects more than 140 athletes in all. The admissions fee for all three days will be $25 or cost is $5 per game.
The Mason-Dixon tournament got its start in 1987, several years before many of the current players were even born. Originally, the tournament was affiliated solely with the boys' basketball program, but eventually it branched into volleyball.
"These tournaments are great for the students and coaches, because it's like a homecoming," said Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind superintendent Nancy Armstrong. "You get to see so much camaraderie and see former players that are now coaches."
When the athletes, their coaches and families travel to the tournaments, they don't have to worry about where they will sleep or what they will eat, because the host school provides accommodations for all the other schools.
"The entire staff helps support the tournament, and the teachers from the different schools, they share teaching methods and ideas, which is great," said VSDB director of student life Mary Murray.
In addition to all the excitement generated by the tournament, the VSDB Alumni Reunion will take place at the same time. During the reunion, VSDB's three Mason-Dixon championship boys' basketball teams (1954, 1969 and 1974) will be honored for outstanding achievement in the school's sports history.
As another fall season switches into high gear, so does the 19th annual Mason-Dixon volleyball tournament.
This year's tournament, hosted by Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind, will kick off Thursday and run through Saturday. The first games of pool play begin 9 a.m. Friday at both VSDB and Grace Christian activities center.
The Mason-Dixon region has 11 teams, but Kentucky and Georgia will not make the trip to VSDB.
Through 14 years at the VSDB helm, coach Kathy Campbell says she has seen a lot, but there is always something new that happens at each tournament. Campbell is very anxious to have play get under way, particularly because she wants her team to get the experience and get several tournament wins under their belts.
"I was hoping we would be able to get a win over South Carolina (Sept. 28) and show them we were ready when they came back for the tournament, but it didn't go as planned," Campbell said. "I just want the team to show improvement and win a couple of matches, because two years ago we didn't."
Campbell isn't the only one ready for the competition to get rolling. VSDB's 0 Eason is excited about the tournament and her team's chances at winning a few matches.
"I am ready to get a win, but my favorite thing about it all is the new friends you make," Eason said. "I think the tournament is good, because we all feel more comfortable playing deaf teams, and the competition is more friendly."
Eason and Campbell think the Cardinals need to improve their passing, serving and mobility on the court before the tournament.
"We need to move the feet," Eason said.
Through the tournament's first 15 years, there were only two winners, Florida and Louisiana. But during the past three years, Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee were crowned tournament champions for the first time.
"It's hard for our team against some of these schools, because they are much bigger, like Florida has 750 students," Campbell said.
Every year, the Mason-Dixon is hosted by a different school, and in 2007, the tournament will be in South Carolina. This year, VSDB expects more than 140 athletes in all. The admissions fee for all three days will be $25 or cost is $5 per game.
The Mason-Dixon tournament got its start in 1987, several years before many of the current players were even born. Originally, the tournament was affiliated solely with the boys' basketball program, but eventually it branched into volleyball.
"These tournaments are great for the students and coaches, because it's like a homecoming," said Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind superintendent Nancy Armstrong. "You get to see so much camaraderie and see former players that are now coaches."
When the athletes, their coaches and families travel to the tournaments, they don't have to worry about where they will sleep or what they will eat, because the host school provides accommodations for all the other schools.
"The entire staff helps support the tournament, and the teachers from the different schools, they share teaching methods and ideas, which is great," said VSDB director of student life Mary Murray.
In addition to all the excitement generated by the tournament, the VSDB Alumni Reunion will take place at the same time. During the reunion, VSDB's three Mason-Dixon championship boys' basketball teams (1954, 1969 and 1974) will be honored for outstanding achievement in the school's sports history.