CRIT senior center draws 32 teams for chair volleyball tournament

Thirty-two teams filled BlueWater Resort and Casino for CRIT’s Mo-Che-ho-na chair volleyball tournament, and the Pala Turtles finished first. The June 11 event was built around more than the bracket, with a special dinner the night before, introductions from emcees Jaymee Moore and Jackson Short, and a rules explanation that helped make chair volleyball accessible to spectators who were seeing it for the first time.

The tournament started with all 32 teams on day one, then narrowed to 12 teams advancing to day two. That format gave the event enough staying power to keep players, families and spectators engaged over multiple rounds, while the final games sorted out winners’ bracket, losers’ bracket and championship play. The result was a structured competition, not just a recreational outing, with the Pala Turtles coming out on top after two days of play.

The setting added to the scale. BlueWater Resort and Casino, which CRIT describes as a state-of-the-art resort, includes more than 200 hotel rooms, more than 450 slot machines, restaurants, a conference center and a multi-screen movie theater. It is also a familiar site for major community and government events on the Colorado River Indian Reservation, which made it a natural fit for a senior-centered gathering of this size.

The tournament also drew a visible tribal presence. Chairwoman Amelia Flores, Vice Chairman Dwight Lomayesva and Councilwoman Vanessa Welch were all in attendance, underscoring the event’s place in tribal life. After the games, the program shifted from competition to celebration with performances from CRIT Royalty, the Mohave Bird Singers and dancers from the United River Tribes Dance Group.

The event was hosted by the CRIT Senior Center, formally the Senior Citizens Mo-Chem-Ho-Na program, which the tribe lists with the phone number (928) 662-4283. A 2012 newsletter archive shows the Mo-Chem-Ho-Na Senior Citizens Center has been part of CRIT community services for years, and the turnout suggests it remains a steady gathering place for older residents in the Parker and CRIT area.

Chair volleyball has been gaining traction in Indian Country as a senior sport that blends movement, camaraderie and competition. With 32 teams on the floor at BlueWater, CRIT’s tournament showed how that trend has taken root locally, giving seniors a place to compete, socialize and stay active in one of La Paz County’s most important community venues.