MAPL

New to the Power League Tournaments... Can anyone give some insight about what to expect with the MAPL ... other than some great volleyball, of course! Is it like the regional tournaments where teams set up the smorgasbord tables for snacking and lunch? Will we be inside or outside? Do parents bring chairs to watch, or is there seating?

 

I attended the MAPL tournaments at the Greensboro Sportsplex the last couple of years and the one at Triangle last year. The smorgasboard set up was the same as any other regional tournament. Some teams did it and some teams didn't I have never been to this location of this weekend's tournament, so I don't know what to expect. Looking at mapping software, there are a lot of restaurants nearby.

Regarding the volleyball, my thoughts are:
1) A lot of volleyball. I looked at the schedule and the teams will play three matches Saturday morning in the Round 1 pool and two additional matches on Saturday afternoon in the Round 2. Five matches in one day. Then they will play two matches in the Round 3 pool on Sunday morning starting at 8 am. Then single-loss eliminations start on Sunday at noon. The girls need to stay off their feet between matches.

2) The younger teams have nothing to lose. With 16s, 17s, and 18s all playing together in Round 1, the older teams hold their breath to finish in the top two of their pool. They want to stay in the top half of the bracket where most of the other older teams will end up. If they have an off day and fall in the lower pool after Round 1, they will fall down to the pool where most of the younger pools will end up and will miss out on the competition that they came to the tournament for.

3) Two teams from China are in the tournament. I think they are 16s and 15s.