Final round of national volleyball to begin Thursday

DHAKA, June 21, 2025 (BSS)-The final round of the National Volleyball competition (30th men’s and 25th women’s) will be held from June 26-30 at Shaheed Noor Hossain National Volleyball Stadium in the capital.

A total of seven teams of men’s section and six teams of women’s section will directly participate in the final round.

The seven men’s teams are defending champions Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Air Force, Bangladesh Navy, Kushtia, Dhaka, Bogra, and Rajshahi districts while the six women’s teams are reigning champions Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defense Party, Bangladesh Police, Satkhira, Rajshahi, Chattogram and Jessore districts. 

Talking to BSS today (Saturday) Bangladesh Volleyball Federation general secretary Bimal Ghosh Bhulu said before the final round of the men’s competition a two-day men’s selection round would be held from June 23-24 at the same venue with the participation of six teams. 

He informed that Bangladesh Ansar and VDP, Bangladesh Police Volleyball Club, Bangladesh Krira Shkiia Protisthan, Power Development Board, Titas Club and Bangladesh Jail would take part in the selection round. After the selection round, top four out of six teams would qualify for the final round.    

Bimal said the national volleyball competition has been postponed for a long time but now we are going to revive the meet. Since we have SABA International Volleyball competition in October in Dhaka, so we have plan to select forty to forty five players from the national competition and bring them under long-term training.

The AVP beach volleyball tournament is set for June 21-22 in East Hampton, NY, featuring both men’s and women’s matches. Competing teams include the Dallas Dream, Austin Aces, New York Nitro, and Brooklyn Blaze. Currently, the women’s Blaze boasts an undefeated 4-0 record, while the Aces hold a 2-0 record, with their matchup on Sunday expected to be a highlight. Matches will air live on The CW and CBS Sports Network, and viewers can stream them on Fubo, which offers a free trial.

By the Numbers

• Four men’s games and four women’s games will be played over the weekend.
• The women’s Brooklyn Blaze is currently 4-0, while the Aces are 2-0.

State of Play

• The two best performing women’s teams, Blaze and Aces, will clash on Sunday, potentially affecting their undefeated statuses.
• Matches will be broadcasted live on The CW and CBS Sports Network, with additional streaming options available on Fubo.

What’s Next

As the tournament unfolds, expect thrilling matches that will impact team standings in this early-stage competition. Key matchups this weekend could set the tone for the rest of the season.

Bottom Line

This weekend’s matches in East Hampton could significantly influence the race for the top seeds, especially with the Brooklyn Blaze vying to maintain their undefeated record against strong competition.

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Lodging, dining, a waterpark, mini golf, groceries, and more await

By Ross Boissoneau | June 21, 2025

Go ahead, call it glamping if you must. But please don’t call Alpen Bluffs a glampground. “It’s Michigan’s first outdoor hotel,” says Rob Platt, one of the owners of the newly opened Gaylord facility.

With cabins, yurts, and RV sites that all include hookups to city water and sewer, plus a restaurant, market, and other amenities, it’s hard to argue with that term. “It’s an RV resort plus 44 accommodations that are not RVs,” Platt says.

Indeed, with all its amenities, Alpen Bluffs is much more than just a campground or glampground. Start with Inukshuk Shores, an aquatic waterpark that features an inflatable obstacle course floating on a man-made pond, a sandy beach area, comfy chairs, locker rooms, and a concessions area. Alpen Point is an 18-hole mini golf course. Youngsters can mine for gems at Matterhorn Mine, a gem mining sluice.

Mulligans at the Bluffs is a full-service restaurant with seven indoor golf simulators, an expansive outdoor patio, and lawn games, including shuffleboard, bean bag toss, a putting green, lawn bowling, and croquet. The resort includes a grab-and-go store at its welcome center and Alpen Market, a full-service grocery store.

All those are open to both the public and guests. Those staying at the resort can also take advantage of other exclusive amenities: pickleball courts, a dog park, a playground, horseshoes, table tennis, sand volleyball, golf cart rentals, pedal cart rentals, bicycle rentals, food trucks, and communal fire pits.

But wait, there’s more: The upcoming Bluff Club will include a shipping container bar with food offerings from the grill and smoker, a resort-style outdoor pool, hot tub, and cabanas.

The Bigger Picture

It’s all part of a plan, according to Platt, one that came about when he saw property across from Otsego Resort was for sale. He and his business partner Craig Snyder purchased it, then began working to buy other contiguous parcels, ending up with 45 acres within one of Michigan’s Opportunity Zones. The Opportunity Zones offer tax deferral and potential tax-free growth on investments held for at least 10 years.

Platt and Synder’s backgrounds include work in construction, property management, and mixed-use development, including properties featuring living spaces, coffee shops, valet parking—even rooftop pools and restaurants. It all dovetailed nicely into the creation of Alpen Bluffs, where they wanted to bring such design details and what he calls “experiential living” to an outdoor space rather than an urban property.

The 45-acre resort is located just outside of Gaylord proper—literally one and a half miles from the heart of downtown. Platt and his partners don’t see Alpen Bluffs as competition for other resorts, but rather another attraction within northern Michigan. They say the goal is simply to offer another exciting and memorable option for families looking to have fun together. “Downtown Gaylord is unique, plus the Golf Mecca, skiing—you can walk across the road to golf and ski at Otsego Resort,” says Platt.

The Opening Slate

He says all the purchases and planning took place during the heart of the COVID lockdown. He and his partners recognized the immediate appeal of outdoor activities and business and believed that would be a long-term attraction. “Up North and the U.P. were always great destinations for outdoor hospitality,” he says.

The first part of the plan came to fruition last September with the opening of Mulligans at the Bluffs, offering winter golf leagues. Also opened were outdoor games associated with the restaurant, as well as the mini golf (including nine holes designed for ADA accommodations) and the gem mining sluice.

The next phase came in late May, with the opening of a number of RV spaces, four cabins, two pickleball courts, dog park, pedal cart, bicycle, and golf cart rentals, the bathhouses with laundry facilities and Alpen Market. Inukshuk Shores, the aquatic waterpark, opened Father’s Day weekend.

The last phase includes the balance of the resort’s 30 cabins, 14 yurts, and remaining amenities, as well as the outdoor pool. All those are scheduled to be open and available sometime between mid-July and mid-August.

The Year-Round Mindset

Platt says a key consideration was creating accommodations and attractions that could be open year-round. The cabins and yurts are open in the winter, as is Mulligans at the Bluffs. That allows them to keep a large portion of staff on payroll throughout the year.

Platt is also cognizant of the challenge endemic to virtually every business of finding enough staff. When fully open, he estimates there will be 45 to 50 staffers needed for the aquatic water park, and close to 60 for housekeeping. That’s more than 100 just for those two parts of the operation.

He also recognizes the concurrent need for housing for employees. “It can be difficult to find housing,” he admits, noting they rented one of the cabins to their new food and beverage manager.

When it comes to more housing, Platt hopes they’ve found at least part of the solution. “We own 37 acres less than a mile south. The intent for our next project is [building] a single-family-home neighborhood,” he says. He believes the cabins they purchased for the resort could be used or modified for use on that site, depending on zoning.

The Alpen Bluffs team plans to expand the resort’s social activities and offerings when the build-out is complete. That includes live music on the weekends at Mulligans, the haunted house in the cart barn at Halloween, and pig roasts, all of which will be open to the public. There are plans for special services for guests as well, including offering food delivery services to the individual campsites and intimate dining experiences along the water of Inukshuk Shores.

Though just barely open, Platt says they are already fielding requests for reservations for 2026. “We’re getting good feedback from people already. They are booking for next year,” he says.

Learn more about Alpen Bluffs at alpenbluffs.com.

Winter Park Volleyball Club (WPVC) 16 Armour Black’s Teagan Mitchell-Timmons,(5) left and Kennedy Walker, (2) right, attempt to block the ball during their match in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center. Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

(Left to Right) Top Select 16 Elite of Orlando’s Kennedy Lang, (3), Alexandra Kennedy, (17) and Jenny Glushakov (2) prepare for the serve during their match in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center. Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Winter Park Volleyball Club (WPVC) 16 Armour Black’s Teagan Mitchell-Timmons,(5) spikes the ball during the match in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center. Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Top Select 16 Elite of Orlando’s Alexandra Kennedy, (17) hits the ball during their match in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center. Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Winter Park Volleyball Club (WPVC) 16 Armour Black players celebrate a point during their match in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Winter Park Volleyball Club (WPVC) 16 Armour Black’s Avery Valentine, (12) drives the ball during their match in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center. Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Top Select 16 Elite of Orlando’s Kaleigh Lang, (33) taps the ball over the net during their match in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center. Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Top Select 16 Elite of Orlando’s players celebrate a point during their match in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Winter Park Volleyball Club (WPVC) 16 Armour Black’s Keely Starnes, (6) hits the ball during the match in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center. Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Top Select 16 Elite of Orlando’s Joanna Cen, (7 ) bumps the ball during their match in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Winter Park Volleyball Club (WPVC) 16 Armour Black’s head coach Matthew Jackson coaches the players during their match in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Top Select 16 Elite of Orlando’s head coach German Del Valle, coaches his players during their match in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Top Select 16 Elite of Orlando’s Kaleigh Lang, (33) hits the ball during their match in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Winter Park Volleyball Club (WPVC) 16 Armour Black players listen to coach Matthew Jackson and celebrate their match win in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Top Select 16 Elite of Orlando’s Joanna Cen, (7 ) hits the ball over the net during their match in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Winter Park Volleyball Club (WPVC) 16 Armour Black’s Teagan Mitchell-Timmons,(5) left and Kennedy Walker, (2) right, attempt to block the ball during their match in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center. Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Top Select 16 Elite of Orlando’s players celebrate their match win in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

Massive 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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Winter Park Volleyball Club (WPVC) 16 Armour Black’s Teagan Mitchell-Timmons,(5) left and Kennedy Walker, (2) right, attempt to block the ball during their match in the 52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships at the Orange County Convention Center. Orlando, Fla., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)

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