The past couple of months have been a time of uncertainty, struggle, and confusion for everyone. The NVA and it’s teams have been particularly impacted with the stay-at-home orders, quarantine, and ultimately the cancelation of sports, especially those that are held indoors. During this time it is important for communities to come together and prosper, and there is no community better at doing that than the volleyball community. One of the teams that have consistently shown what being a family is all about, the Matadors, decided that they were going to take matters into their own hands and help the community of which they love so much.
The Matadors, who are based out of Ontario in Southern California, pride themselves in the diverse community of which they reside and decided to give back by hosting a grass volleyball tournament. The grass tournament was held safely outside, and is a great way of bringing a community of volleyball players together to celebrate the sport they love. For the host Matadors, the games are all about what they can give. They want to create the space to have fun, and bring the athlete and volleyball community together under our current circumstances.
The tournament was open for anyone to register, so all skill levels participated. By allowing all skill levels to participate in the tournament, it opened up the tournament to any potential upsets that could happen. The grass tournament is a great way to keep the players on the Matadors in great shape and allow for a competitive outlet. Concurrently with the tournament, the Matadors hosted a canned food drive, where they handed out non-perishable items to families and people in need of a meal during these trying times. In addition, for safety, they also handed out free masks and hand sanitizer to the attendees of the tournament to allow safe and socially-distanced interaction.
While this is a friendly tournament, there will also be incentive to play. Prize money will be given to the first and second place teams, as this should encourage high-level volleyball players to participate in the tournament. This could potentially allow the Matadors to scout for more talent to build upon their already impressive roster. The actions that the Matadors are taking to empower their community is one that not only humbles a person, but a community as well. The Matadors are setting a precedent of what it means to not only be part of a community, but a family, a moral value that the Matadors take very seriously. Communities should take what the Matadors are doing as a blueprint of support and follow, as everyone could use a little bit of love and giving back during these times.
Follow the Matadors and the grass tournament here https://www.instagram.com/matadorsnvausa/