MISSOULA — When the temperature rises, so does the desire for more outdoor activities, and a local organization hopes to make volleyball the choice for Missoulians.
Dig Missoula Volleyball was created by Paul Standen and turned into a non-profit in 2017.
They work to bring the community together by encouraging people to participate in volleyball. They've recently built two more courts at Playfair Park to fulfill this goal.
Being a lifelong volleyball enthusiast, Standen started looking for a volleyball community as soon as his family came to Missoula 20 years ago. He worked with his friends and the city to revamp the courts at Playfair Park.
The courts were previously poorly maintained, with shallow sand and big rocks. Now, Standen says it is Montana's state-of-the-art sand volleyball facility.
"Basically what I've done is I've surrounded myself with people that are really passionate about volleyball and building community, which is our mantra," he says.
Since the courts have been revamped, locals have flocked to the area to play volleyball, either in leagues or just for fun.
“We did this and then it just exploded and now on any given day or night, you can come out here and see the courts being used," Standen says. "And that's what we do. We sort of build it and they will come, and they did."
Dig Missoula offers youth programs, scholarships for kids wanting to play volleyball and leagues throughout the year.
More information on Dig Missoula Volleyball can be found here.
