By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
With 10 teams formed and ready to play, volleyball enthusiasts will return to the court next week to compete in City League.
The volleyball season comes on the heels of basketball, which concluded in January. Teams are co-ed and Sitkans of a variety of ages and athletic abilities can try their hand at the sport.
“We had 13 or 14 teams for basketball, and registration for volleyball has been a bit slower,” city recreational specialist Andrew Roseman told the Sentinel. “So we’ve pushed back the start date, we’ve kept registration open trying to wrangle a few more teams. And it’s looking good. We have 10 teams registered in total.”
The first game of the new season is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 13, to avoid conflicting with the Super Bowl, but future games will be held on Sundays. A number of Sitka High School varsity volleyball players have already formed their own City League squad. The Lady Wolves took third place in the state high school tournament in November.
As a revival and expansion of the Community Schools program that ended in 2019, activities currently offered span a broad spectrum.
Volleyball players practice at a camp at Sitka High in 2015. This year’s City League volleyball season opens Monday, at Blatchley Middle School. (Sentinel photo)
“As Parks and Rec, we’re taking on open gyms, youth programming and part of that is doing these City League sports,” he said. “We did basketball, and that started in October. That was a rocky start, but it was a learning thing… Big challenges were getting the word out and letting people know that it was happening again, because I think, with COVID, people had been kind of not expecting it.”
Registration for basketball was on paper only, but for volleyball, online signups are also allowed.
“Registration – I was hoping to close today since we’re starting the season on Monday, and we need to get the schedule out. But if there are any stragglers, sure, we can try to fit them in,” Roseman said in his Blatchley Middle School office on Tuesday. All City League games are played at BMS. Volleyball teams are split into three divisions by skill level and competitiveness.
Registration forms are posted online at https://www.recreationatcityofsitka.com/.
Though the program has been defunct for several years, it got back in action last year with funding from the Assembly and advocacy by the Sitka Health Summit.
Roseman hopes the volleyball season is an enjoyable social activity for a wide range of Sitkans.
“I’m hoping that it’s fun, first and foremost,” he said “Just a fun way to connect with other people in Sitka, have fun with the players and your team, get some exercise if you’ve been stuck inside all winter. I’m playing on a team personally… I’m looking forward to getting to meet all these people on the different teams. And volleyball is such a fun game.”
After more than two decades as a local referee, Rodney Campbell will officiate games.
“I enjoy the role that I play in giving the adults and kids a good experience on the floor. I love sports… I’ve done it for long enough now to where I feel like I can help complement the League. And I put a lot of focus on the kids,” Campbell told the Sentinel.
He got his start in basketball as a player at Juneau-Douglas High and continued as a coach and referee in later years. More recently, he’s also served as umpire for Sitka Little League. He is eager for the upcoming volleyball season.
“I look forward to just seeing the players, the relationships you build, whether they like your calls or not. It’s just the atmosphere of being a part of the sport,” he said.
The referee highlighted the importance of an active lifestyle for adults as well as kids.
“Adults need healthy activities… I get satisfaction from people having a good time playing the sport they love. So for me, that’s the passion,” said Campbell.
