A sunny spring Saturday morning was a super start for many who arrived at the Woodbridge Sports Dome in the City of Vaughan to hit the courts at the ALS Double Play's fourth annual charity Spike ALS indoor volleyball tournament. 

It initially began as an indoor beach volleyball tournament and was held annually at Beach Blast in Toronto in honour of Christopher Chiu who battled and succombed to ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in 2016, a progressive neurodegenerative disease with no known cure. Christopher had actively played in a beach volleyball league at Beach Blast prior to his diagnosis of ALS and his teammates at the time wanted to do something to help. Unfortunately, Beach Blast is now closed and it was decided the tournament would move to hardcourt after a forced layoff because of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Christopher Chiu was also the loving brother of Cherrie Chiu, ALS Double Play's Founder and Executive Director. Cherrie created ALS Double Play to honour her brother and to make a difference in the fight against ALS.  For 2022, the Spike ALS volleyball tournament would mark the beginning of ALS Double Play's spring and summer schedule of active-oriented fundraising and ALS awareness-building events.  

Learn more: ALS Double Play - Leveraging the power of purposeful play and meaningful movement

Multiple co-ed teams came ready to hit the courts with the primary objective to enjoy the camaraderie of play and together do their part to help raise awareness for the devastating disease that ALS is and much needed funds for ALS research. Numerous tournament volunteers were also courtside ready to support the play on court and the players throughout the day. 

Cherrie's own support network of friends and family members, including her mother and aunt, were on hand to lend a hand. This year's tournament was particularly meaningful for Cherrie as the husband of one her close high school friends had been diagnosed with ALS just last year.  Since his diagnosis, her friend Sonia's husband Gianni has lost his ability to speak or to eat his favourite meal. 

One important way Sonia felt she could support her husband Gianni and her family involved bringing together the women who have been there for her since high school to play as a team. 

It also meant encouraging her children and the children of her high school friends to create a team and play. It meant a determination to be there for each other and together support ALS Double Play's Spike ALS tournament.  The power of many and the power of play was clearly on full display at Spike ALS 2022.

SWSCD Photo Highlights - Spike ALS

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