Photo by Erin Nelson
Spain Park’s Emily Breazeale (6) spikes the ball at the net in the Class 6A state semifinal match against Sparkman at the Birmingham Crossplex on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. Spain Park swept Sparkman to advance to the Class 7A state championship match. Photo by Erin Nelson.
Spain Park High School’s volleyball team is hosting the HeffStrong Volleyball Tournament this Friday and Saturday, Sept. 23-24, in honor of former Berry Middle School volleyball and basketball coach Erin Heffner.
More than 75 varsity and junior varsity teams from all over the state will gather to compete in the Finley Center at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex. The teams will cover all sizes of schools (1A-7A).
The tournament begins with 30 teams on Friday, with pool play starting at 3 p.m. Then on Saturday, pool play starts at 7 a.m. The Finley Center is large enough to accommodate 16 simultaneous volleyball matches.
"We are excited to host the sixth annual HeffStrong Volleyball Tournament, especially since Spain Park High School is hosting.” Finley Center General Manager Shannon Ealy said in a news release. "Seeing volleyball players attend from all over the state here is always exciting."
Heffner, for whom this tournament is named, played volleyball at the University of Alabama from 2001 to 2004 and in her senior season went with her team to the SEC Western Division title match.
In 2010, Heffner became a physical education teacher and coached basketball and volleyball at Berry Middle School. She died in 2014 after battling cancer.
Spain Park volleyball coach and tournament director Kellye Bowen said her program is excited to host the sixth annual HeffStrong Volleyball Tournament in honor of Heffner. “I am happy that we have grown in such a short time, play for a great cause, while honoring an amazing coach," Bowen said.
Tickets for the tournament are $10 per day, but children ages 5 and younger are admitted free. Tickets will be available at the door and online at gofan.co/app/events/709742?schoolId=AL2217.
For more information, contact Bowen at kbowen@hoover.k12.al.us.
