Why We Built the Friday Jr Beach Tournament Series

Alison Zimpfer
Feb 14
2 min read

Over the past few summers, one thing has become clear: our junior sand community is growing.

More athletes want competitive beach opportunities. More families want structured match play. And more indoor players are realizing how valuable sand is for development.

So instead of simply adding “more of the same,” we built something intentional.

The Friday Jr Beach Tournament Series is designed to provide high-quality competition in a format that makes sense for young athletes, busy families, and long-term growth of sand volleyball in the NW Metro.

The Structure: Clear, Competitive, Efficient

Each tournament weekend includes two waves:

Middle School (AM Wave)
High School (PM Wave)

Each wave is capped at 12 teams.

With three courts available at The 152 Club in Albertville, we’ve structured the day for maximum competition without creating an 8-hour marathon.

Format:

3 pools of 4 teams
Pool play within each court
Crossover match(es) following pool results
4 guaranteed matches per team
4–5 hour maximum per wave

This gives athletes meaningful, competitive reps without wearing them down for the entire day.

It’s structured. It’s efficient. It’s competitive.

Why Fridays?

We know Fridays won’t work for everyone. Summer schedules are busy.

But here’s why we chose them intentionally.

Fridays allow athletes to:

Compete without giving up an entire weekend
Avoid conflict with Sunday league play
Participate before family weekend travel
Recover before Monday practices or camps

By splitting MS and HS into separate waves, we also create a focused competitive environment within each age group.

It keeps the day tight. It keeps the energy high. And it respects family time.

Why Competitive-Focused?

Beach doubles volleyball develops complete players.

With only two athletes on the court, there’s no hiding. Every player passes, sets, defends, communicates, and problem-solves.

This tournament series is built for athletes who want to compete — not just drop into open sand.

We are offering one competitive level per division to maintain intensity and structure. Athletes will be placed appropriately within Middle School or High School waves to ensure balanced competition.

Building Sand Culture in the NW Metro

Our goal isn’t just to run events.

It’s to build sand culture.

We want:

Indoor athletes developing in the sand
Middle school players gaining confidence early• High school athletes sharpening decision-making and court awareness
A consistent competitive environment year after year

Long-term, the vision is bigger than a few summer dates.

We want to create a junior sand circuit in the NW Metro — one that gives athletes a true competitive pathway during the summer months.

This Friday format is the first step.

What to Expect

Each tournament will include competitive prizes — gear, gift certificates, and event-based awards — for top finishers.

More importantly, athletes can expect:

Structured match play
Clear format
Limited team caps
Competitive intensity
Efficient scheduling

Four guaranteed matches.

Focused waves.

Intentional competition.

The Bigger Picture

Beach volleyball isn’t just a summer activity.

It builds:

Ball control
Agility
Endurance
Leadership
Communication
Mental toughness

For indoor athletes, sand is one of the most powerful off-season development tools available.

The Friday Jr Beach Tournament Series gives West Metro athletes another structured way to grow.

We’re excited to see this evolve.

See you in the sandbox.

—Alison Zimpfer

Director, Northbound Beach Volleyball

Hosted at The 152 Club | Albertville, MN