A volleyball tournament to help students

Doña Ana County Community College (DACC) will host its annual volleyball tournament geared towards assisting student families on Saturday, April 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The tournament will be held at the Intramural fields inside the NMSU Recreational Center found at 1600 Stewart Street.

According to Public Health Outreach Specialist for DACC, Tanner Getz said, this tournament is always done for a good cause.

“We do it to help the families at DACC that can’t afford to get diapers. We are trying to start a diaper bank here at DACC to use, to help get any families in need, diapers or what they may need,” Getz said.

To register players and teams must go online at Play It Forward: DACC 2nd Annual Volleyball Tournament.  The fee to register for the tournament is one box of diapers per team or baby wipes totaling $50. The diapers will go to student families from DACC. Donations are also accepted.

There will be both competitive and recreational divisions so people playing just for fun can also join in.

Want to compete?

The tournament is for both men and women, but teams are required to have two women on the court. Teams can have up to 12 players, but space is limited.

There are 10 open spots for both the competitive and recreational brackets. As of March 21, only eight teams have registered.

There are awards for first, second and third place. The awards have not been decided.

“The volleyball tournament supports the diaper bank at Doña Ana Community College, providing an essential resource for parents,” Getz said.

According to the 2023 Survey of Student Engagement, 61% of DACC students with children are single parents. Getz said this emphasizes the importance of this resource as the students have fewer resources and a greater need.

A diaper bank at DACC is still in the works, but diaper and wipe donations come in daily.

DACC’s Health, Wellness, and Title V-Excelencia programs, and the Student Government Association will host the event.