A charity volleyball tournament with four decades of history is set to make a triumphant return to the Oak Lawn Park District this September.
The annual Volleyball for Charity Co-Rec Volleyball Tournament is slated to resume from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 11, to both the Oak Lawn Community Pavilion and Oak Lawn Community High School. This year, it will raise money for Park Lawn and the Special Recreation Athletic Support Association.
“Everyone’s been excited to get back on the volleyball court,” said Cate Coyle, pavilion manager for the Oak Lawn Park District and chairwoman of the Volleyball for Charity Committee. “The pavilion has always been a pretty big thing for recreational volleyball.”
Volleyball for Charity was started in 1981 by the family of Karen and Kevin Clark as a fundraising effort for organizations that support people with special needs and their families. Every year, a committee convenes to decide which charities will benefit from the tournament, with Sertoma Centre and Misericordia among those that have received support in the past.
The Clarks’ son, Robbie, was born with severe physical and mental disabilities. At first, the family had trouble finding help. But they found support from Misericordia and learned through their experiences how much they and other organizations do for families in similar positions. The Clarks wanted to give back, and this tournament was their way of doing so, Coyle said.
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The first year, the tournament had 12 teams and raised $350. In 1991, it became officially recognized as a nonprofit. And since its inception, it has raised a total of $530,835.00 with the help of sponsors and donors. Every year, the tournament continues to be held in Robbie Clark’s honor.
But after 35 years, the committee of family and friends behind Volleyball for Charity needed to take a step back, Coyle said. The Community Pavilion was in the midst of expanding from four to eight volleyball courts, and the committee asked the Park District about donating courts for the tournament. The Park District ended up taking the helm in 2016 and has run the event ever since.
“We’re big advocates for providing recreational opportunities for people with special needs,” Coyle said. “That’s near and dear to our heart.”
While the tournament itself is open to everyone, Coyle said they have invited athletes with special needs for exhibition matches in the past. But last year, the 40th anniversary of the event no one was invited to the tournament because of the pandemic.
“The timing was terrible,” Coyle said, noting the games used to take place the Saturday after Easter. “That’s when everyone was trying to figure everything out.”
Now Volleyball for Charity is ready to make its triumphant comeback. The tournament is round robin pool play, with teams split into pools of 3-5 in their divisions, which range from Competitive and Semi-Competitive to Recreational or Just for Fun. Teams are guaranteed a minimum of six sets during pool play, and everyone makes the playoffs, which is single elimination and seeded by pool play results.
Adults ages 18 and older can register teams for $350, which includes eight tournament T-shirts. A $450 option adds eight tickets to the after-party, to take place from 5-9 p.m. the day of the tournament at 115 Bourbon Street. Tickets for just the party can be purchased for $35 per person. They include four hours of open bar, door prizes, a buffet, DJ and more. Premium raffles will be held at an additional cost. The registration deadline for the tournament is Sunday, Sept. 5.
For registration, donation opportunities and more information, visit volleyballforcharity.org or any Oak Lawn Park District facility, email [email protected] or call (708) 857-2420. Interested players without a team or teams looking for extra players for the tournament can email tournament organizers about a “free agent list.” Sponsors, donors and volunteers are also welcome, organizers said.
Bill Jones is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.