A players serves on the grass courts in Frisco with Peak One in the background during the annual Putterhead Doubles volleyball tournament on Aug. 13. Now in its 26th season, the tournament drew more than 600 teams from across the state for two days of sand and grass volleyball in Breck, Frisco and Silverthorne. Phil Lindeman / plindeman@summitdaily.com |
Kara Smith of Monument (left) goes for the kill with teammate Dana Krivanka (middle) while Kelly Pfannenstiel of Denver blocks on the grass courts at Frisco for the Putterhead Doubles volleyball tournament on Aug. 13. Phil Lindeman / plindeman@summitdaily.com |
Megan Filbin of Denver preps for a serve on the grass courts in Frisco during the annual Putterhead Doubles volleyball tournament on Aug. 13. Phil Lindeman / plindeman@summitdaily.com |
Breck local Dean Kuoni (far right) reaches for a spike with teammate Matt Kuchar as opponent Kevin Mollman (left) of Parker waits for the dig on the sand courts in Silverthorne during the annual Putterhead Doubles volleyball tournament on Aug. 13. The tournament continues today with play in Silverthorne, Frisco and Breckenridge. Phil Lindeman / plindeman@summitdaily.com |
Brian Jones of Lakewood hits a spike into Matt Kuchar of Breckenridge as Dean Kuoni (left) and Kevin Mollman of Parker (right) stand guard on the sand courts at Silverthorne during the annual Putterhead Doubles volleyball tournament on Aug. 13. Phil Lindeman / plindeman@summitdaily.com |
Sam Lambert (right) spikes the ball into a block from Mike Sauro of Minneapolis on the sand courts in Silverthorne during the annual Putterhead Doubles volleyball tournament on Aug. 13. Phil Lindeman / plindeman@summitdaily.com |
Denver's Liz Car (near) sets up for a serve during a match with her teammate, Heather Lorince, and fellow Denver opponents Karina Goodwin and Mallory Deneen at Carter Park in Breckenridge for the annual Putterhead Doubles volleyball tournament on Aug. 13. Phil Lindeman / plindeman@summitdaily.com |
Mallory Deneen (left) of Denver goes for the kill while teammate Karina Goodwin guards and opponent Liz Card (right) jumps for the block on the sand courts at Carter Park during the annual Putterhead Doubles volleyball tournament on Aug. 13. Phil Lindeman / plindeman@summitdaily.com |
Denver-based pro Kris Bredehoft (left) unleashes a massive hit to Denver's Katie Vatterrodt (middle) and Krystin Rodrick (right) on the sand courts at Carter Park in Breckenridge during the annual Putterhead Doubles volleyball tournament on Aug. 13. Phil Lindeman / plindeman@summitdaily.com |
AVP pro and Colorado native Emily Stockman jumps for the spike and teammate Kris Bredehoft (left) guards while Denver opponent Katie Vatterodt (on net) goes for the block on the sand courts at Carter Park in Breckenridge during the annual Putterhead Doubles volleyball tournament on Aug. 13. Phil Lindeman / plindeman@summitdaily.com |
AVP pro and Colorado native Emily Stockman waits for teammate Kris Bredehoft to serve on the sand courts at Carter Park in Breckenridge during the annual Putterhead Doubles volleyball tournament on Aug. 13. Phil Lindeman / plindeman@summitdaily.com |
Doubles teams play for glory, bragging rights and $1,200 in cash during the annual Putterhead Doubles volleyball tournament at Carter Park in Breckenridge on Aug. 13. Phil Lindeman / plindeman@summitdaily.com |
AVP pro Emily Stockman serves on the sand courts at Carter Park in Breckenridge during the annual Putterhead Doubles volleyball tournament on Aug. 13. Now in its 26th season, the tournament drew more than 600 teams from across the state for two days of sand and grass volleyball in Breck, Frisco and Silverthorne. Phil Lindeman / plindeman@summitdaily.com |
“Any chance I get to come home to Colorado I’m all in,” said Stockman, a Colorado native and two-time All-American with Wichita State who now travels the world playing on the Association of Volleyball Professionals circuit. “This actually fit perfectly because of the Olympics. I’ve had a significant break with that, and any chance I can see my family it’s great.”
This weekend, Stockman and her partner, fellow pro and Putterhead veteran Kris Bredehoft, join more than 600 amateur teams from across the state for the Putterhead Doubles tournament. It’s the largest event of its kind in Summit County, with a whopping 140 grass and sand courts split between Silverthorne, Frisco and Breckenridge for two days of pool and elimination play. The competition is stiff — these teams might be amateur, but more than a few boast former college and AVP players — and it only gets better with temps in the low 70s. It’s why elite players like Bredehoft and the rest keep coming back year after year.
“What don’t I like about this?” Bredehoft said before her second match on Saturday, sweeping her arms across the sand courts at Carter Park in the heart of downtown Breck. “It really doesn’t get much better than this. I also like that it’s so close together and relatively small. It’s like a big old family reunion.”
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