Move over pickleball. There’s a new hot game being played in Lowell Township’s Riverfront Park. Eight volleyball courts have been constructed on the south side of the park and could draw players from across West Michigan to participate in camps and tournaments.
“I can only think of two places in the state that have more than four courts,” says Jordan Drake, the varsity volleyball coach at Lowell High School. “Eight courts is pretty awesome.”
The courts are installed at the South Grand River Riverfront Park. The park can be accessed from Grand River Drive, and visitors should follow the drive to the right to find the courts near the far soccer fields.
While Drake anticipates his volleyball teams will use the courts, they weren’t constructed or paid for by the school district. Instead, the courts are owned by Lowell Charter Township and paid for by a combination of grants and private gifts.
Team USA Volleyball Player’s Club Spurs Project
The vision for the volleyball courts took shape after Lowell Township Supervisor Jerry Hale stopped by to see a volleyball camp hosted by resident Bill Genovich. Known as Coach Bill to his players, Genovich is the owner of T.A.G. Beach Volleyball Club, named for the initials of his three children.
Genovich started playing volleyball when he was 18 years old and eventually went on to play in a World Cup event as part of Team USA. It was a great experience, and he decided to share his love of the sport with kids by starting a beach volleyball club.
“I thought it was going to be very small and intimate,” Genovich explains. However, in the first week, his club attracted 30 kids, and it was quickly apparent that he would need a larger venue.
The club also attracted Hale who stopped by to see the action for himself. “I looked at [the kids] and thought, they aren’t doing this,” he says, pantomiming someone using a handheld device. “It just popped into my head that we could make something out of this.”
Hale previously spearheaded the development of the North Grand River Riverfront Park, located behind the Walgreens in Lowell. That project saw the addition of pickleball courts, a replica fur trading post, playground, trails and concession stand. Plus, the township added a wooden beam pedestrian bridge over the Grand River to connect the north and south Riverfront Parks. Most impressively, all this was done using almost entirely grant dollars and donations.
For the volleyball courts, Hale envisioned placing them on a little used section of the south park. As with the North Riverfront Park, the supervisor didn’t want taxpayers to have to foot the bill. The township applied for a grant from the Lowell Community Fund, Canfield Plumbing & Heating pitched in $10,000 and Timpson Transport donated their service to haul in sand.
Now, the eight courts are ready to host practices, camps and tournaments and are expected to draw volleyball players from across the region.
Fast Growing Sport for Boys and Girls
Volleyball has surged in popularity, and beach volleyball has been the fastest growing NCAA Division I sport during the past five years, according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Drake has witnessed firsthand how the sport has also experienced explosive growth locally.
While girls’ volleyball has long been a varsity sport, Drake says interest from boys is on the rise. Just two years ago, Lowell was one of four schools to field a boys’ club volleyball team. This year, 24 teams were signed up for the spring season prior to its cancellation because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Volleyball teams are also growing at the middle school level with an introductory program for 5th and 6th graders drawing 74 participants last year.
Although the school teams play indoor volleyball, Drake says beach volleyball can help students become well-rounded players. “I’m a believer that learning how to play on the beach teaches you all the skills of the game,” he says.
Beyond that, beach volleyball is simply fun for everyone, Genovich adds. It gives kids a chance to be outside in the sunshine, and younger siblings are often able to amuse themselves in the sand away from the court.
Volleyball Events in Lowell
With the addition of the volleyball courts, Lowell is poised to becoming a volleyball community just as it is a football community. “We don’t have anything like this in West Michigan,” Genovich says.
Drake anticipates the courts will be used by his teams for outdoor practice when indoor practice isn’t feasible. Meanwhile, Genovich has big plans for offering clinics, camps and tournaments onsite. Among those will be at least one or two free clinics. He says, “I’d love to have a few hundred kids out there over the course of a few days.”
The first free clinic to be offered by the former Team USA player will be in conjunction with Pink Arrow Community Day on August 21st. T.A.G. Beach Volleyball Club and the Lowell High School Girls Volleyball program will run that free clinic from 5 to 6pm for kids of all ages. It will be followed by an exhibition game with current professional player for the public to enjoy from 6 to 7pm.
The first tournament on the courts will be hosted by T.A.G. Beach Volleyball Club on August 8th from 10am-4pm. Athletes from ages 10-18 can participate, and the club may be able to help participants find a partner if they don’t have one already. Registration for the tournament closes on August 6th.
The tournament will be an opportunity for the community to see firsthand the potential of the volleyball courts. There will be prizes for competitors and spectators alike. A DJ, Kona Ice and local restaurants should be on-hand as well.
“It should be a fun event and bring lots of families into Lowell,” Genovich says. “This event is all about the kids, healthy lifestyles and competition.”
To register for the tournament or sign up for coaching, visit the T.A.G. Beach Volleyball Club website or Facebook page. For more about the Lowell Red Arrows volleyball programs, check out their Facebook page and Instagram account.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated at 9:45am on July 27, 2020 to clarify the funding sources for the volleyball courts.
Leave a Reply