Gamma Phi Beta hosts Moonball volleyball tournament

The Gamma Phi Beta sorority hosted a “Moonball” volleyball tournament last Saturday in the Schellberg Gym. The competition featured twelve teams, most of which represented other MNSU Greek Life organizations, playing single-elimination matches.

The event was organized in order to raise money for Girls on the Run, a cause that works to “inspire girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running,” according to their website, www.girlsontherun.org.

The Moonball tournament is not the first time Gamma Phi Beta has been involved with Girls on the Run.

“We train girls from grades three to five for ten weeks to run a 5K,” says Becca Schenck, a member of Gamma Phi Beta who works with the program. “It’s to build their confidence, because so many girls starting around third grade begin to lose their confidence.”

“A lot of our sisters will volunteer to be coaches for the Girls on the Run program,” says senior Haley Severson, the Moonball coordinator. “We really believe in building strong girls [and] we want to build them into being confident women and powerful women.”

$600 were raised through the tournament’s team registration alone, in addition to a raffle that was held to generate further proceeds. “100 percent of it” will be donated to Girls on the Run, says Schenck.

Severson explains that the Moonball tournament event wasn’t just limited to MNSU.

“[Gamma Phi International] encouraged us all to start a new philanthropic event called “Moonball,” and we could choose between a volleyball, basketball, or kickball tournament. Our chapter chose to do volleyball. It’s our first event on campus,” he said.

The name is derived from the sorority’s symbol, the crescent moon, says Gamma Phi Beta member Monica Waite.

Gamma Phi Beta announced the tournament’s grand champion as “Phi Kappa Strike,” a team representing the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. Each winner received a Scheels gift card as a prize.

After the event, Gamma Phi Beta posted to their Facebook page saying, “Our first Moonball event was a HUGE success! Thanks to all of the teams who participated and people who supported us! We appreciate you so much and couldn’t have done it without every single one of you!”