ABOVE: All eyes are on the ball as Annaliese Rahm (#16) prepares to deliver to the other team’s side of the court during a match against Grand Meadow JO during the Youth Volleyball State Tournament on Sunday afternoon at Fairmont Elementary School.

FAIRMONT — Eighty-two teams, which consisted of individuals aged 11 to 18, were present in Martin County for a two-day Minnesota Sports Federation Youth Volleyball State Tournament on Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6, at Fairmont Elementary School, Fairmont High School and Granada-Huntley-East Chain (GHEC) School.

“The [Fairmont Volley Association] (FVA) board worked together with Minnesota Sports Federation (MSF) to plan everything,” said Fairmont Volley Association President Teresa Patsche.

The MSF coordinated the roster and schedules, while the FVA took care of on-site necessities and more. The association committed 11 hours on both days to bring a successful volleyball tournament to Fairmont and those who participated.

As it had in previous years, the tournament offered a weekend of multi-school competition while fundraising for the needs of Fairmont volleyball.

“We run a very organized tournament,” Patsche stated. “MSF started pushing people our direction.”

In previous years, the tournament registered approximately 50 teams on average. This year, the number of vying teams grew exponentially by 30 more, totaling 82 teams across the state, with 50 in the 11U to 14U age groups and 32 in the 15U to 18U age groups.

“We were shocked; it’s never been this many,” Patsche said with a chuckle.

Because of so many participating teams, the room to compete was slimmed. GHEC rented out its gymnasium for the sake of the tournament running smoothly.

“I’m really grateful for GHEC,” Patsche said.

Before the tournament, there were no qualifying championships. According to Patsche, the tournament does not turn away any teams an is built solely from teams willing to engage in competition.

“The more teams you get, the more competition there is. It’s more fun,” Patsche remarked. “It’s a big fundraiser the Fairmont Volleyball Association does, so we go big with it.”

Additionally, the tournament allowed families and friends to watch the numerous volleyball players compete in nearby gymnasiums, especially without traveling. Because of the number of teams competing, the supporting audience was generously sized.

“There was a great attendance,” Patsche said.

She agreed that the increase in attendants and teams participating will help the fundraiser for the team grow.

“The tournament was great,” Patsche said. “We have an amazing team. Board members have put in countless hours. We hope we represented Fairmont well while the other teams were here. We’re growing every year. That’s what we like to see.”

Proceeds from fundraising will offer more opportunities for volleyball players, including more camps.

For additional information regarding the Fairmont Volleyball Association, upcoming competitions, and how to support the local teams, visit fairmontvolleyballassociation.com.