The Haili Tournament is back in business after a 3-year hiatus due to COVID-19.
Three days before the tournament in 2020, the pandemic shut everything down and canceled the popular competition that brought in players from around the country.
The 63rd annual Haili Tournament is resurrecting, though, and will bring in junior and adult volleyball teams from around the state and parts of the mainland to Hilo for a week of competition.
“We’ve been down for so long, we really want to get the word out to other islands and organizations that haven’t signed up just yet,” said organizer Lyndell Lindsey. “We’re working on getting back into the swing of things and getting our feet wet again.”
When it comes to team sports, there are not many places that take to volleyball like Hilo, according to Lindsey.
At the core of that love resides the tradition of Haili, a decades old tournament that involves everyone, including keiki boys and girls, to high school, college and senior players, without restrictions to gender or age.
“The initial idea behind Haili was to facilitate camaraderie, sportsmanship, meeting new friends and making memories,” Lindsey said. “For all of us, especially old timers, having Haili back is like bringing back a part of our life.”
Junior teams will compete from Monday, March 13 to Wednesday, March 15, and adults will play Thursday, March 16 to Saturday, March 18.
All matches will be played at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium, the Hilo Armory, Kawananakoa Gym and the UH-Hilo gym.
Teams can sign up for the competition until Saturday, Feb 11. Applications and more information on the tournament can be found at mokuregion.com.
