You are not alone if you have no idea what Mintonette is.
It is the original name of the game of volleyball. It was invented in 1895 by William G. Morgan. The game was designed to be a combination of basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball. The first volleyball net, borrowed from tennis, was only 6’6″ high (people were shorter in the nineteenth century).
In 1896, a spectator, Dr. Alfred T. Halstead, suggested that “volley ball” would be a better name for the sport since the game primarily consisted of volleying a ball back and forth. In 1952 the two words were combined.
John Roccasanto, Captain of the Sun City FDG Fusion Flyers Volleyball team, said “Two teams from Del Webb are competing in the 6-County IPRA Senior Olympic Volleyball Tournament in Schaumburg on July 12. Both teams will be practicing at Fusion Volleyball.”
Illinois Park & Recreation Association IPRA celebrates 75 years of supporting the professionals in the field of parks and recreation in 2019. The six-county senior games are celebrating its 38th year this summer. There are twenty different events scheduled including softball, volleyball, pickleball, track and field, swimming, golf, bowling, table tennis, billiards, trap shoot, and more.
Roccasanto said, “Our team is named the FDG Fusion Flyers. Our players are as follows: John Roccosanto, Paul Flentge, Barry Cianciarulo, Don Wickersham, Bill Klingler, Jeff Gatti, Holly Rudolph, and Cary Niewold.”
The Heaters, like the Flyers, are also competing for the gold in the volleyball division.
Nick Konnen said, “This is the Heaters sixth year in participating in the quest of the gold.”
Leo Brandenburger added, “We are the defending Champions. We took the gold two years in a row and the silver the year before.”
The FDG Fusion Flyers plan to change that this year and give the Heaters some competition.
The team members for the Heaters are: Ed Fabro, Captain, Scott Phillips, Nick Konnen, Dion Zinnel, George Goodhue, Dan Vital, Leo Brandenburger, Frank Yacono, Mike Fitzgerald, and Wayne Markett.
Konnen, a member of the Heaters, said, “I’ve been playing for the last 10 years and lucky enough to be able to make six trips to the Senior Games.”
The competition is open to seniors 50 years and older and IHSA rules apply. It is a Round Robin tournament and open to recreational division teams.
Fabro said, “We will be playing teams that have 50 years old. We have four players in their seventies. That makes a big difference.”
Most of the players on both teams play a variety of sports here in Sun City. They are also softball players, tennis players, pickleball players, bocce and golf to name some. Roccasanto is on the Softball board and Konnen is a Certified Personal Trainer.
Konnen said, “I do keep busy with all the activities. I am on three Softball Teams, Pickleball and of course volleyball. And I also attend my grandkids’ game. I have both a granddaughter and grandson that play hockey and I try to attend as many games as I can. They are here in Huntley, so it makes it easy. \I am having fun. That is the bottom line.”
What do the Flyers predict?
“The Flyers are going to wail,” said Wickersham. “We are bringing home the gold. I have lived in Sun City for 14 years and I love it.”
Rudolph is the only female on both teams.
“I don’t feel any different,” she said. “I started playing volleyball as senior here in Huntley. I never played in high school. There were no sports for girls when I attended. I am not that tall anyhow and it seems like you have to be tall for all sports nowadays.”
While the Flyers played against the Heaters at Fusion Sports Center in Marengo, the ball kept going back and forth and the players were competitive. But it also was a group of people having a lot of fun and trading mild insults. It was a close game, but noticeable filled with good comradery and laughter. The competition was friendly and both sides cheered for teammates.
