Volleyball Tourney Enters 2nd Decade

Memorial Day weekends are full of family traditions, and for one Duluth neighborhood that means one thing -- volleyball!

For the past 21 years on the Saturday before Memorial Day, Carriage Gate residents have spent the day at the neighborhood's sand volleyball court either playing or cheering on their family members.

For the players, it means competing in the annual Ground Pounder Tournament and a chance to get their team's name on the "Harvey Cup," a coveted trophy that now has over two decades of team winners listed on it.

It's a friendly rivalry but competitive enough for players to vie for the bragging rights for a year should their team win.

The annual Ground Pounder Tournament was born from a thawing turkey. It all started when former Carriage Gate residents Don and Carol Harvey had a freezer that was on the blink, and they had a 30-pound turkey that was going to soon start to thaw.

So neighbors were called, the tournament quickly organized and the potluck dinner that followed included the Harvey's roasted turkey.

Some of the original players no longer play but their sons and daughters, just toddlers when the first tournament was played, are taking over to continue the tradition.

This year four teams, the Pounders, Diggers, Spikers, and Setters (20 men and three women), competed for the Harvey Cup.

The Spikers and Setters were eliminated in the semi-finals, the Diggers and Pounders advanced to the finals.

The Pounders prevailed, winning in two games against the Diggers in the finals.

The 2012 Champions are:

• Matt Dugan (son of Duluth City Council Member Jim Dugan)
• John Stoy (who lives in the neighboring Riverbrooke subdivision)
• Frank Simon (former resident whose parents live in Carriage Gate)
• Bill Day (Carriage Gate resident)
• Karen Love (former Carriage Gate resident now living in Florida)
• Dane Keller (Carriage Gate resident)

"It's was another great tournament," said Al Neal, who organizes the neighborhood event each year. "We're all looking forward to the next one."