Spike It Up is a fundraiser run by the Student Council and the Letter Club (Athletes for a Better Community) to honor Pierce Slutzky, a former Schreiber student.  

Slutzky was a student at Schreiber in the class of 2020 who was diagnosed with medulloblastoma and sadly passed away in 2019.  He was a beloved friend and played on the soccer team.  To honor his life and encompass his love for sports, the school decided to raise money through a volleyball tournament.

Spike It Up is played by students in teams of five to six.  They come up with fun names and shirts to show their excitement for the event.  There can be as many as 48 teams playing, and although it does not always reach maximum capacity, there are always enough teams to keep the event going for hours.

This was not the first year the event was hosted and so many kids participated that both school gyms had to be used.  Even though there are lots of teams in the tournament, the gym bleachers are always full of students.  For the kids who do not play, it is still a fun day because they get to cheer on their friends and watch the tournament unfold.  

Many seniors play with their friends, as it is a great opportunity to spend more time together, support their school, and have a blast as they near the end of their high school experience.  

“Watching Spike It Up as a junior this year makes me more excited to sign up next year with my friends and wear team shirts,” said junior Tori Kaufman. 

For some students, it has become a tradition to watch or play in Spike It Up every year.  Coming up with creative and funny shirts is a great way to get excited about this event.   There were all sorts of team shirts this year from matching colors to cool slogans, even some restaurant-themed.  Even though the shirts can be funny, it also exhibits the commitment students have to this event and how much it means to them.  

“I didn’t participate this year, but I loved getting to root for my friends and classmates throughout the day,” said junior Haley Hyman. 

There are a lot of students who prefer to not play in sports tournaments or be in the “spotlight,” but many of them still love Spike It Up and use their lunch and off periods to support their classmates.  

“I was so excited to have 4, 5, and 6 off on the day of Spike It Up because I love the games, and this meant I was guaranteed to see most of the games if I wanted to,” said junior Jordan Morley.

Since teachers also love this event, many of them take their classes to watch the games.  It is fun for teachers to watch their students outside of the traditional classroom setting playing with their friends.  

The tournament is a bracket setup similar to March Madness.  This means not everyone plays each team but the winners of each game move on to the next.  The tournament can get competitive even though there is no material prize.  Students also get the chance to play against their friends which fosters some friendly competition.

 In order to make sure that the tournament doesn’t run too long, multiple games are played at once.  Eventually, the final game is held on the center court in the large gym.  All students surround the court and cheer on their classmates as the tournament comes to an end.

The event has always proved successful and serves a fun way to raise money for years to come.