Members of Red Rocks Church join at Lakewood Park in Lakewood, Colo. to play volleyball (Photo credit: Charlotte Orrino)
Red Rocks Church, considered a “megachurch” of Denver, hosts a competitive volleyball league during the summer. Teams play their way through a bracket style tournament with games every Friday night, until one final team is declared champion at the end of the season.
At 6:15 p.m. this past Friday night, June 30, team Michael Scott Paper Company battled against Too Legit to Hit for the third week victory. MSPC won all three of their games against TLH, retaining their undefeated status thus far through the 2017 league.
All teams meet at Lakewood Park in Lakewood, Colo. to play. Players and teams can arrive early to grab a bite to eat and get warmed up.
Boomer Bate poses on a volleyball court during a warm-up session with his team. In the back (from left to right) are teammates Hannah Hock, Davis Butler, and Joe Duffy (Photo credit: Charlotte Orrino)
Minutes before the games start, players join in a large circle for prayer, then head back to their courts to begin.
Each team consists of four players, two males and two females. MSPC lead members for the Friday night game were Boomer Bate, Davis Butler, Hannah Hock, and Charis Courtney, with Nick Arroyo, Joe Duffy, and Connor Mateer as sub-ins.
While playing their first game, won 21 to 13, many friends came and sat nearby offering encouragement to MSPC. Although many people beyond players were present in and around the park during the games, sideline encouragers were not common for most other teams and this could have been a key factor towards MSPC and their success. Be it that or their effective communication and advantageous sub-in system, MSPC had a strategic benefit over their opponent team.
An RRC member serves the ball during a game (Photo credit: Charlotte Orrino)
MSPC won the second game with a score of 21 to 18, and the third with 21 to 11. Courtney said after the third game, “We’re a solid team with great communication. It probably helps that we’re all friends too. I think a lot of people in this league just play with strangers.” Courtney mentioned that all the MSPC players and sideline friends attend the church’s Young Adults program together every Thursday night. Afterwards they typically go up to The Oasis Sports Volleyball Complex in Broomfield, Colo. to play.
When talking with Bate, he also mentioned the key element of community. He didn’t refer to his “team” solely as the players on this year’s MSPC. He said every year the players and team name may change, but the friend group is inclusive and consistent always, and volleyball just happens to be a passion. He said, “Every year we decide who wants to be on a team in the league and we get super competitive to win. But the team isn’t just who’s playing because that changes. Last year we had a team with a couple different players but it was still the same friend group.”
The MFJS Reporter -- Summer 2017 
Betsy, I loved this article. It was really fun to read- partly, I’ll admit, because of how fun the team names were- but also because you did a great job making the reader feel included in the event. Your photos, especially, show the fun, easygoing mood that you describe. And, as an aside, your photos are incredible! Great work there. Great job not only detailing the event, but making it engaging and enjoyable. Your interviews with Team Michael Scott Paper Company really shed light on the easygoing, fun, community vibe that your entire story captures. Again, I really enjoyed reading your article. Great work!
LikeLike
Betsy, I really enjoyed reading your article. It was engaging and captivating from the title. The images were greatly captured as well, vivid and provided a great image to the story you shared. As a reader I felt as if I was there experiencing the event, and shining light on the teamwork and communication aspect of the game was a great focal point to your story.
Thank you for sharing!
LikeLike