A batch of new sand at the Miners Park volleyball courts could be just what Carbondale needs to carve a new destination niche.

On tap to help spread the word is the return for a second year of the Carbondale Open youth doubles outdoor volleyball tournament on Saturday, July 18, at the Miners Park courts.

The inaugural tournament last summer, hosted by the Maroon Belles volleyball club, drew more than 25 youth, mostly girls, in the U14 and U16 age groups who teamed up to play in the double-elimination tournament, with games on both sand and grass.

It was noted then that the old aggregate river sand, which was dusty and full of gravel chunks, was not the most ideal playing surface for a competitive tournament.

“It wasn’t a good player experience,” Town of Carbondale Parks and Recreation Director Eric Brendlinger said. “The courts didn’t really get a lot of use outside the neighborhood, and the tournament let us know what improvements we needed to make.”

Brendlinger worked with the Maroon Belles and United VBC, another youth volleyball organization, to successfully pitch the idea to the Carbondale Board of Trustees during budget time last fall.

As a result, the Town ponied up to replace the old sand with $35,000 worth of washed, fine beach-style sand, along with other improvements including new adjustable posts and nets.

The old sand was repurposed at the single Sopris Park volleyball court, the horseshoe pits at Glassier Park and at the Gus Darien rodeo grounds, Brendlinger said. 

“When you look at what has been happening in Aspen with the Motherlode tournament every year, it can be a real economic driver,” Brendlinger said.

Laird Little is on the board of the nonprofit Maroon Belles club, and is the main organizer of the Carbondale Open.

He would also like to build more of a volleyball culture downvalley, especially on the youth front.

“There are a few youth tournaments in Denver, but nothing really up here in the mountains,” Little said. “Kids can play in some of the adult tournaments, but there’s nothing just for them.”

The Carbondale Open invites both boys and girls in the U14, U16 and U18 age divisions to double-up and enter for $20 per team. Games will be played on both grass and sand courts.

“We’ve changed it up from last year’s tournament with some great prizes this year to try to entice more kids and make it more about youth sports in general,” Little said.

Prizes include four-day teen ski passes from Aspen-Snowmass, Carbondale Youth Rec Center passes, and youth day passes from Aspen SkiCo and Sunlight Mountain Resort as door prizes. “We are happy to have donations from local businesses and plan to grow those partnerships in future years,” Little said. “We are amping up the prizes this year and are offering experience-based prizes rather than physical ones.

“The idea of this tournament, open to all volleyball players regardless of club or school affiliation, is to promote youth sports and get local kids more active,” he added.

The Maroon Belles youth have been practicing at the Miners Park courts every Wednesday, and are impressed with the improvements, Little said. 

“They’re certainly getting a lot more use, and everyone playing on it really likes the new sand,” he said.

Outdoor, two-person volleyball is also a good way for young athletes to improve their skills for the indoor hard-court school seasons for middle and high school girls.

“The great thing about two-person is that you get to touch the ball more and really work to improve the passing and hitting skills,” said Little, who was a regular in the Motherlode tournaments for many years. “It’s a great way to let them have fun, get better at volleyball and enjoy the competition.”

He said the hope is to grow the youth tournament each year and make it a regular community event that could attract young players from around Colorado.

The tournament is run by volunteers, and the Town of Carbondale covers park use fees, so that the player fees can be put toward the prizes, he said.

For more information and to register for the tournament, visit carbondale-open-volleyball.eventbrite.com