The Vestavia Hills High School volleyball program is hosting a very special event this weekend on Saturday, August 29 at Wald Park as the indoor sport prepares to take things into the elements.

Having games during the day and at night under the lights, the Rebels program is excited to be hosting the community event that is open to all — from huge fans of the game to folks who are just getting into it.

Participants — other than Vestavia Hills — will include Spain Park, Thompson and Mountain Brook High Schools with freshmen, JV and varsity programs all participating in the event.

While speaking with Yellowhammer News, Vestavia Hills head coach Ashley Hardee explained why the program thought an outdoor event was a great idea.

“There have been a number of traditional indoor contests that have been played in an outdoor setting in recent years including NHL Hockey, NCAA Basketball on an aircraft carrier, and college volleyball. Nebraska filled their football stadium with a volleyball match,” Hardee said.

“So, we looked around and figured out that nobody in Alabama has ever done one and we decided to try and be the first. We have a really strong tradition of high school volleyball in Birmingham so scheduling it was not difficult at all, and we have an amazing staff at Vestavia Hills that has helped pull all this together.”

Hardee is excited about the community coming together for this special event.

“Our communities are rallying together to celebrate the tremendous talent of our athletes and these memories will last a lifetime for those involved,” he said when asked why folks who may or may not be fans of the sport should come out. “Also, volleyball is a fast paced and exciting sport that is really fun to watch. It’s going to be a great atmosphere and we are going to experience something a little different.”

Folks who are already experts in the game are not going to see much of a change outside of some precautions due to the heat.

“Volleyball is often played outside in the sand and on the beach with a different set of rules,” Hardee said, clarifying that this is not a beach volleyball event. “We are taking the indoor game outside and the majority of our rules will stay the same. We might need an extra water break or two because of the heat, but the excitement will all be the same.”

Vestavia Hills, Thompson, Spain Park and Mountain Brook will all be taking the court this weekend. More information can be found here.