By Joe Potter
Laker Correspondent
When you put eight adults, a volleyball, a net and the East Pasco YMCA together and blend thoroughly you have a recipe for the beginning of a spring adult coed volleyball league.
The YMCA is trying to determine if there is enough interest for a spring league to happen for the first time this year said Shawn Brown, the YMCA’s program director for adult sports, youth sports and summer day camp.
The YMCA usually has its adult coed volleyball leagues in the fall. Some people expressed an interest in possibly having a spring league, Brown said.
Open nights will be each Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. during the next few weeks to give interested adults an opportunity to play pick-up games of volleyball. If enough interest is shown the league could be formed. It would have a six to eight-week season.
Normally there are eight to 10 teams during the fall with six to eight people on each. There is no way to predict how many teams there might be if a spring adult coed volleyball league is formed, Brown said. It would depend on how many people turn out and show an interest, he continued.
Eight adults showed up on April 20 to check it out.
Jeff Dicken of Zephyrhills said he had been playing volleyball for only a week. He added he was trying to find a sport he and his wife, Molly, could play together. She played volleyball in high school, so he decided to try it Dicken said, adding, “It’s a lot of fun.”
Heather Morris, of Dade City, also previously played volleyball in high school. She has never been a member of an adult coed volleyball league, but has played volleyball “for fun.” She said she might be interested in playing in the new league if it were formed.
Neil Libby of Wesley Chapel said he thought it would “be fun” if the YMCA decided to have a spring adult coed volleyball league. Libby previously played volleyball both in high school and college. He also played in some of the leagues at the East Pasco YMCA.
It looked like all of those playing April 20 were having a good time as the volleyball soared over — and sometimes under — the net. An occasional serve resulted in the ball hitting the net head-on. Other loftier serves placed some of the overhead lights in the gym in jeopardy, but there were no casualties.
Close up action at the net was intense at times as team members tried to get the ball past adversaries whom they might embrace after the game was done. The battle lines were clearly drawn, but they did not overlap the lines of friendship between the players.
For more information about the possible spring coed adult volleyball league at the East Pasco YMCA, either call (813) 780-9622 or visit the YMCA at 37301 Chapel Hill Loop in Zephyrhills at 7:30 p.m. on a Tuesday.
