The Gadsden Volleyball Club will host its fourth annual Pat Martin Memorial Tournament on Saturday, March 20. Sixty-three teams will compete in seven divisions ranging from 12 and under to 18 and under. Sites include Glencoe High School (15’s), Glencoe Middle School (13’s),
Hokes Bluff High School (12’s), Rainbow Middle School (14’s), Southside Elementary School (16’s), Southside High School (18’s/16’s) and Jacksonville High School (17’s).
Fomerly known as the City of Champions Tournament, the even was re-named in honor of Pat Martin (pictured above), who lost her battle to liver cancer in March of 2016 at the age of 65. Martin was a nationally known official, volleyball coach and teacher/trainer of officials across the state of Alabama. While at Gadsden High School, she and her Lady Tiger teammates won the state volleyball championship in 1968. Martin was one of only six girls who lettered in a sport at Gadsden High at the time.
In 1997 Martin became the PAVO Chair of College Officials in Alabama, covering 27 colleges and universities in the state. She stayed on the road constantly, calling college and junior college volleyball matches alt over the United States.