Emily Jo Duits
www.emilyduits.com


 

2010 rEMember tourney recap

Em’s 5th Annual Volleyball tournament was yet another huge success with around 350 friends/volleyball enthusiast in attendance.  We had 20 teams this year and  it enabled us to do a bracket tournament and provided for more play time for the teams.

True to every tourney so far, we felt God’s presence and Em’s smile, as we had great weather again.  It had rained the morning of but began to clear just in time for the games to begin.  It also allowed for some good mud volleyball which many seemed to thoroughly enjoy and fun also for spectators to watch.  We saw many of our faithful teams come out again that play year after year.  We love that you do that for us, and for Em.  We also met new friends that we hope will continue to come out and play for the love of the game.  We saw some tremendous talent that made us wonder and say, “How in the world could they do that?  Did you seen that? That was incredible!”  We were also blessed to see the over 30 crowd come out and sacrifice their bodies because they wanted to pay tribute to Em.  There were those who simply knew of Em and share her deep love for the game and have come to love our Em through her story. Many of her high school teammates came as did her FarOut teammates once again. We thank you FarOut teammates for your determination to come play with your own busy summer schedules with college volleyball. Thank you also to Han and Aust who continue to always and forever carry Em with them wherever they go.  You guys are awesome! And thank you to those of you who came to play even after injuries you‘ve endured….Chels, Toni, Heather and the other Emily Jo…it means a lot that you come and take part in it all.  Em’s ball girls always come to play and they’ll always have a special spot because of what we all went through together.  (Thanks Kel, Lex, Anna, Nan and Kenz). There was also one team that played together because of their deep love for Em and that was a crew that found themselves together again without one of their besties - Em.  This group came out to play without one of their own.  It was a group that found themselves in the Wacky Woody section and tailgate parties together, classrooms, homecoming dances and at each others house quite regularly.  So a special thanks to Lace, Rach, Sylv, Lindz, Mal, Kels, and Meg (and Sade…thanks for the phone call even though you couldn’t be here.)  It was so sweet of you to play together for your beloved friend.  A special thanks also to the men in her life that came out to play. She adored you so much… so to you Nic, Big E, Ashton, Andrew, Matt, Scott and Cam.. thanks for  continuing to remEMber.

The tournament champs were again Chelsea Brehms team. They are a team loaded with talent that play at Grand Valley together.  They are the standing champs for 3 years now and have brought excitement and fun to Em’s tournament every year.  We consider it a blessing to call them new friends that we have had the pleasure of meeting through Chels, whom we care and love so much.  It’s just kinda how the tournament has evolved.  We have met so many new friends because of our Em and our story.  That story continues to be written as we meet new people and share about our life….both the sorrow and the hope. We find that with every tournament it’s a time to renew old and treasured friendships also. It enables us to see beyond the pain and see the blessings still before us.

The chicken bbq and ice cream wagon was another hit as well.  We will continue to try and provide a good time with good food as long as the tournament continues.  It’s all part of the fellowship that we enjoy and what sets Em’s tournament a part from others.

We would like some input back from any of you that played this year.  We want to continue to provide a fun filled tournament that makes many mEMories while still celebrating Em’s life, but also want to make it where it’s a tournament that appeals to those that love the game.  So, if you that played could shoot me an e-mail and let me know your preference on whether you liked the 2 day or would prefer a longer one-day tournament, that would help with our planning.  We appreciate your feedback of any kind. (duitssm@yahoo.com)  THANK YOU!

We’d like to say how much we appreciate each and everyone of you that have been involved in Em’s tournaments.  Your continued support has enabled us to somehow carry on.  It’s something that we hold close to our hearts.  The tournament and weekend that we remEMber are ways that encourage us.  It’s also a way to celebrate Em’s life during the time of her birthday which otherwise could be a very painful time but because of you and your support, we choose to celebrate it by doing what she thoroughly enjoyed.  So we do what she would have loved for us to do and maybe, just maybe, she is watching from Heaven.

Hoping to see all of you again next year as we continue to remEMber!

 

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