SPRINGFIELD – High school volleyball fans are set for a new experience later this month when the inaugural North Star Volleyball Jamboree is held at Springfield High School on Aug. 29.
The tournament features a jamboree-style competition among the Class 5A Millers and Thurston Colts, Class 4A Cottage Grove, and Class 3A Creswell and Pleasant Hill.
The tournament is a partnership among The Chronicle and the five schools whose boys and girls teams the paper covers every week of the school year. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit The Chronicle Foundation and the participating schools.
The Chronicle Foundation was established in 2023 and helps fund special events and coverage specifically around high school education and the nonprofit community.
The name of the event is based upon The Chronicle’s mission to super-serve readers with hyper-local coverage – the paper’s “North Star.”
“It should be a really good time for everyone,” said Audrea Shelley, Springfield’s athletic director. “We’ve never staged a jamboree before, so it will be someone new. Players will receive T-shirts and goodie bags, too.”
The volleyball competition is scheduled for 12:30-3 p.m., and tickets are $7 at the gate. Prior to the volleyball games, the players for each of the five teams will be treated to lunch and a keynote speaker, beginning at 11 a.m.
“We’re thrilled to work with these schools to help give the volleyball players in our area a bigger stage,” said Noel Nash, publisher of The Chronicle. “We committed to covering the players, coaches, boosters, and fans at these schools because they deserve it. Sadly, there would be virtually no coverage of these schools otherwise.”
The plan is for the jamboree to rotate among the schools, so each of the five will play host to the event.
“Audrea has been an invaluable leader on this effort,” Nash said. “She’s helped in every aspect. Her experience hosting state championship volleyball events has paid off with our planning and organization.”
This past season, both the Billies and Colts made the state semifinals in girls’ volleyball. In Class 3A, the Billies made it to the state title game before falling to No. 1 Sisters. In Class 5A, the Colts lost to No. 1 Crescent Valley in the semifinals but beat No. 3 Crater to earn third place.
