WOW!

History was almost made; and, history WAS made at last year’s MotherLode.  For the first time, ever, the Winners of the Men’s Masters Division (37-over) also made it into the finals of the Men’s Open.  And, they darn near won it, losing to the Bomgren brothers, out of Minnesota, in a hotly contested Championship Match.

Where history was made, though, was in the Men’s A division.  Although The ‘Lode has had junior players finish well in our amateur divisions (an 18 year old senior in high school won the Women’s A division one year; but, she was playing with an older, more experienced player), we have never had a pair of junior players win the division; and, that happened as a team made up of a 15 year old and a 17 year old dominated the finals to take home the “A” Championship. 

The finals in all divisions were fantastic matches that saw winners from 8 different states of the Union crowned as ‘MotherLode Champs’.   And, the “buzz” in town with over 1,000 players, their families, friends, and entourages was palpable – parties everywhere with large groups from Texas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, and 29 other States of the Union and Canada turning Aspen into their own private volleyball festival.

This year, The MotherLode, truly, becomes more of a “Festival” as it, now, is a 6-day tourney with the addition(s) of a Men’s 55-over division and a Women’s 45-over division.  As well, the tournament organizers are taking pains to create a new format that allows for all participants in the multi-day divisions (Saturday-Monday) to “break” pool and to move into playoff competitions with the top teams moving into the “MotherLode Championship” division and the rest of the teams moving into the “Festival” division:  Plenty of play; and, still, plenty of time for fun.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in Aspen over Labor Day Weekend.

Sincerely.

Leon Fell (along with Volleyball Colorado, Mountain States Marketing, and the rest of the Staff)
Producers, MotherLode Productions