Penn State to Host Thousands for Happy Volley Championships

In minivans and station wagons, from a dozen states and as far north as Canada, about 410 girls’ volleyball teams will converge Friday at Penn State University Park.

More than 4,000 players in all — and a projected 1,000-or-so relatives and friends — will spend Memorial Day weekend at the Happy Volley Club Championships and Camp, now in its fourth year.

‘I think the greatest thing is for kids who like volleyball — they get a chance to see some of the Penn State (women’s volleyball) players … who are national champions,’ said university women’s volleyball Coach Russ Rose. His players won four consecutive national crowns through 2010.

Many of those Penn State players become court managers, help run volleyball clinics and sign autographs at Happy Volley, whose participants range in age from 12 to 18. At last year’s Happy Volley, university players spent five hours signing autographs.

‘It’s a camp and a tournament for the kids,’ said Penn State assistant women’s volleyball Coach Dennis Hohenshelt, who highlighted the disc-jockey entertainment and athletic skill-building sessions in store. He said the participants get a college-esque experience over the holiday weekend, with a festival-type atmosphere.

Happy Volley has taken on a more local, community-centered air than the East Coast Volleyball Association championships that it replaced in 2008, area observers said.

The annual East Coast championships, run by an outside organization, took root at Penn State University Park for about 20 years before relocating to Pittsburgh in 2008. By that point, the East Coast championships were attracting some 650 teams and close to 7,000 players.

It had grown so large that it spread beyond the University Park facilities, filling venues in the Bald Eagle Area School District, at Lock Haven University and elsewhere, as well.

When the East Coast operation moved to the Iron City, Penn State and the Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau collaborated to create the Happy Volley championships — to keep a local volleyball tournament rolling and to support the State College-area economy, leaders said.

‘I indicated that it was always my opinion that people referred to the tournament as ‘the Penn State tournament,” Rose said. ‘They didn’t really look at it as the East Coast tournament. …

‘We’re here to try to help spur the development of volleyball,’ he went on, ‘as well as provide an opportunity for our players.’

The university volleyball program has taken a central role in the Happy Volley effort, which began with about 230 teams and has steadily grown.

Organizers have made it a priority to keep Happy Volley’s events easily accessible on the walkable University Park campus, where 57 courts at eight venues are being set up for the weekend. All the venues — including at the Jordan Center, Rec Hall, the White Building, Holuba Hall and the Multi-Sport Facility — will be open to the public. Matches are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, with play-offs set for Monday. (Team registration and preliminary events will be held Friday. The official Happy Volley website is available here.)

All told, it’s a sizable operation, with well more than 100 workers — paid and volunteer — helping to keep the events ticking. Each team pays a $620 entry fee.

Every team enrolled also represents an economic boost in the hospitality sector, where visitors fill up area hotels and dine in area restaurants. Happy Volley’s annual economic impact locally easily exceeds $1 million, said Betsey Howell, the executive director for the visitors bureau.

‘Our goal is to keep it as family-affordable as far as costs for the teams coming in, for the families staying overnight,’ Howell said.

That’s also a prime objective for Hospitality Asset Management Co., a hotel group in State College, said its president, Mark Morath.

‘I believe the hotel community attempts to keep its room rates reasonable’ for Happy Volley, which is regarded as family-oriented and homegrown, Morath said. His group includes the Hilton Garden Inn, Carnegie Inn and Spa (formerly the Carnegie House), Quality Inn, Days Inn Penn State, Super 8 and the Nittany Budget Motel.

Different from the East Coast championships, Happy Volley ‘is developed by a local entity to try to make an impact,’ Morath said.

‘It feels better because Coach Rose has put it together. It feels more local,’ he said. ‘It’s a warmer feeling versus an outside promoter just using the area and the facilities for self gain. (Rose) is not doing that. He’s promoting volleyball; that certainly is the feeling we get.’

As for Penn State, Rose said he doesn’t think the May volleyball tournaments over the years have necessarily ‘generated a large number of players for the (university) volleyball team.’

But he ‘would be certain that it has resulted in a number of individuals who’ve elected to attend Penn State,’ Rose added. ‘They feel comfortable, excited.’

Some of the players stay in university dorms for the weekend, and many end up visiting the Berkey Creamery, too, organizers said.

‘It’s not going to be too long for them before they’re making college choices,’ said Dick Bartolomea, a coordinator for Penn State sports camps. ‘And they’re getting a long weekend here’ already.

Happy Volley may grow in the years to come, though exactly how much isn’t clear. Organizers said they are nearing current facilities’ capacity on campus. But the planned Pegula Ice Arena, to be built along University Drive near Curtin Road, may soon offer an additional venue for more courts.

However Happy Volley may evolve, organizers appear committed to keeping the event venues on the University Park campus.

‘I don’t think our goal is to … have people driving all over the place to play,’ Howell said. ‘ … That’s not something that the players — and their families — are real fond of. That’s a lot of driving.

‘Of course, with today’s gas prices, it’d be even worse,’ she said.