Fully volunteer-run and operated, Spectrum Volleyball is an affordable ($7 for two hours of play), fun way to be active and meet likeminded individuals. The Friday friendly session takes place in Calgary from 8pm to 10pm, while the competitive time slot is slated from 4pm to 6pm Sundays.
Kitt, the Friday night coordinator for Spectrum Volleyball, recently chatted with GayCalgary on changes that have been implemented into the Apollo Sports community and what it means for players.
GC: Thanks for taking the time to chat with GayCalgary about Spectrum Volleyball. Can you tell us a bit of the history and the current changes?
Kitt: For 30 years Apollo Friends in Sports has been the umbrella organization for many LGBT sports in Calgary. Since 2013, however, Apollo removed sport directors from its Board of Directors. Individual sport leagues, such as curling, bowling and volleyball, now operate as separate entities. Apollo focuses now on organizing of the annual Western Cup multi-sport tournament held every Easter in Calgary.
GC: What will these changes mean for the community?
Kitt: For leagues such as volleyball, it meant the incorporation of our own society, the search of a new brand, and setting up to operate our own league. For smaller sport groups, unfortunately, it signalled the end of the group, such as tennis, badminton and squash.
GC: What other changes can be expected?
Kitt: This is an opportunity for individual leadership to take place. Volleyball has rebranded itself to become Spectrum Volleyball Calgary. After 30 years operating under the Apollo Friends in Sport and Inner City Volleyball, the club was incorporated as a society in August 2014.
GC: How can readers get involved in Spectrum?
Kitt: We are a drop-in league, so people can just show up and play with whoever is present. This allows new people to join at any time of the year without feeling isolated. The league caters to all skills levels. We have a recreational league on Friday and a competitive league on Sunday. We used to play all together at one point, however, we found that more beginners would stop coming out after one or two visits. By separating the different level of play, we have been more successful in keeping members. Friday is for recreational players, or those that have not played since high schools. We play mainly for fun and to improve our skills with practice. Sunday, from 4pm to 6pm, is the competitive crowd. These players know their positions very well and have winning strategies.
GC: What are the goals for 2015 that you would like to accomplish?
Kitt: Promote gay-friendly volleyball in Calgary. Our main goal is to get our name out there and get people out to play. We have a new name, but our group is the same as the one under Apollo. As part of our new society mandate, we will also vote in our first board by the middle of this year.
Meetups take place at the Hounsfield Heights Briar Hill Community Gym, behind the Briar Hill Fire Station no. 10, at 1909 16th Ave. N.W., Calgary. The gym offers two courts, so 24 players can easily be accommodated.
