Photo by David Leong
Vestavia Hills teammates celebrate during action at the Juanita Boddie Tournament at the Finley Center in Hoover, AL on Fri., Aug. 21, 2026. Photo by David Leong.
Vestavia Hills High School's volleyball program is taking its game outside for what is believed to be a first for high school volleyball in the area, if not the state.
The inaugural Vestavia Hills Outdoor Contest is set for Saturday, Aug. 29, at Wald Park, bringing together Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, Spain Park and Thompson for a full day of ninth grade, JV and varsity matches played on a portable court set up on the park's turf baseball fields.
The idea has been in the works since the start of the year, according to Vestavia Hills head coach Ashley Hardee, who worked alongside athletics director Laura Casey to bring it to life. Hardee pointed to outdoor exhibitions in other sports, including hockey and college basketball, and noted that a handful of colleges have staged outdoor volleyball matches of their own in recent years, some on a much larger scale.
"There's been some colleges that have done some of these outdoor volleyball games and kind of just the showcase of the program, of all the talented players that they have, very similar to us," Hardee said.
The court itself is being rented from a local group, which Hardee said belongs to the Birmingham Volleyball Club. It sets up on top of any surface, turf or concrete, using weighted barrels in place of poles anchored into the ground to maintain net tension.
"We have some great turf fields there that are level, that are well lit," Hardee said. "They have everything that we need."
The matches will be held in the corner of one of Wald Park's baseball fields. Fans can bring lawn chairs to set up along the outfield fence, sit on the grassy hill nearby, or gather on the field itself.
Weather is the biggest variable for an event like this, and organizers have a plan in place. The court can be broken down quickly if a passing shower rolls through, and Vestavia Hills' high school gym is on standby as a backup site if heavier rain is forecast.
Play will follow standard AHSAA rules, with one adjustment: teams will switch sides after each set to offset any advantage created by wind or sun position.
Hardee credited Mountain Brook's Mattie Gardner, Spain Park's Justin Kisor and Thompson's Judy Green for their willingness to join in on something new.
"Birmingham itself has got a long tradition of good volleyball, really good volleyball," Hardee said. "We got a lot of good programs that aren't joining us this year that maybe could come and join us next year."
Vestavia Hills arrives at the event on a roll, sitting at 7-2 on the season after opening the year with a win over Bayside Academy and winning the Silver bracket at the Boddie Tournament with a win over Hoover. Setter Elle Hill has piled up 99 assists, 43 digs and 15 aces over the last week, while libero Lillie Hill has added 109 digs, 15 assists and 13 aces. Outside hitter Hollyn Smith has contributed 73 kills and 19 digs.
The Rebels play at Mountain Brook on Thursday before closing out the week at the outdoor event Saturday.
SCHEDULE
- 1 p.m.: Mountain Brook vs. Spain Park, ninth grade
- 2 p.m.: Thompson vs. Vestavia Hills, ninth grade
- 3 p.m.: Mountain Brook vs. Spain Park, JV
- 4 p.m.: Thompson vs. Vestavia Hills, JV
- 5 p.m.: Mountain Brook vs. Spain Park, varsity
- 6:30 p.m.: Thompson vs. Vestavia Hills, varsity
