Saskatchewan volleyball tournament celebrates teen’s legacy

Watch the video above: Local volleyball tournament celebrates teen’s legacy

SASKATOON – More than 1,800 people came from across Saskatchewan were in Saskatoon for a special volleyball championship to celebrate a teen’s legacy.

Over the weekend, 52 high school women’s teams took part in the second annual Jordan Zacharias Memorial Volleyball Classic in memory of Jordan Zacharias.

Zacharias was a vibrant, energetic athlete from Waldheim, Sask. who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at age 15.

“Which for a 15-year-old is almost unheard of, it doesn’t happen in young kids, it’s not supposed to happen in young kids,” said her father Derek Zacharias.

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He said Jordan went through seven rounds of chemotherapy and surgeries and started to feel better.

“We had an opportunity to take a trip down to Jamaica as a family through Children’s Wish Foundation, that was Jordan’s wish,” Zacharias said.

But the cancer came back and she passed away in 2011.

“It’s just really sweet to know that people are supporting our family first of all and then the bigger picture of cancer and raising money for people and families who’ve gone through what we’ve gone through,” said Jordan’s sister Samantha Zacharias.

Jordan loved volleyball and her family says this is how her legacy lives on.

“What was once one person is now many people helping,” explained event volunteer Roger Shultz.

And this year’s turnout at Henk Ruys Soccer Centre shocked organizers.

“We just heard that admission passes are gone, they don’t have any left, so that means a lot of people have come in the doors to support this weekend,” Shultz said.

All proceeds from the event will go to the Saskatoon chapter of the Children’s Wish Foundation.