Beyond the Court: Sky High Volleyball Club
08/16/2019
In the wake of two Category 5 hurricanes, Maria and Irma, in 2017, the Virgin Islands and its Sky High Volleyball team were left crippled in damage. Adversity was around every corner for the team as they struggle to even find a place to practice.
In the wake of two Category 5 hurricanes, Maria and Irma, in 2017, the Virgin Islands and its residents were left crippled in damage. With thousands of homes destroyed and the lack of electricity, many of the islanders took shelter back on the main land of the United States. The Sky High Volleyball team had its players scattered across the nation.
Once the island became habitable again, practices and training for the club were rare as gyms and beaches were badly damaged or destroyed, and what gyms were standing were used for shelters. For the 2018 year, Sky High Volleyball did not have the players or funds to send a team to the AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships.
“At the beginning of this year, Sky High made a concerted effort to keep our mission alive,” said Coach Anthony Benware. “Our focus shifted towards ensuring that our student athletes had an outlet to remove themselves from their reality by getting back on the court. Some players continue to suffer from depression, anxiety and PTSD.”
Determined to continue playing, the players raised their own money or contributed 100% of the funds needed to travel and compete, and the Sky High team is proud to be able to bring a 16U Classic team, composed of girls ages 14-16, to the 2019 AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships.
The girls have not played against outside competition in two years. However, “the smiles and joy on their faces when they step foot on the courts in Orlando will be enough for us to bring back happiness to their lives in some way,” concluded Benware.
