Landon’s Light Foundation Hosts First Ever Outdoor Volleyball Event

EIGHT TEAMS FROM THE FM AREA PARTICIPATED, BUT THE EVENT WAS MORE THAN JUST THE GAMES.

WEST FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) –Tuesday marked a first for North Dakota athletics: outdoor volleyball. But the event, Landon’s Light Invite, was more than just a game.

“I mean, it’s making history,” said Landon’s light executive director Julie Christianson.

It wasn’t your average day in North Dakota Tuesday. Fargo Shanley and Fargo Davies kicked off the first ever outdoor volleyball event in the state’s history.

“I mean, it’s so amazing,” said Davies senior Fallon Passanante. “This was so fun, and the atmosphere is just great. It’s a little different playing outside, but we knew that coming in, and it was really fun. I hope they do it again next year.”

The weather was beautiful for an outdoor volleyball event, but in a sport of hand-eye coordination, the sun was a factor. But nothing sunglasses couldn’t handle.

“It was pretty hot,” said Passanante. “But we knew going into it that the weather and like the sun stuff would be a factor. Both teams have to deal with it so we were just like whatever.”

While the volleyball games counted towards records for the teams involved the event is bigger than the sport. It is a community celebration in memory of Landon Solberg who passed away in 2019 at the young age of 12 following a battle with an aggressive brain tumor.

“You know it’s really special to our foundation because this would have been Landon’s senior year,” said Christianson. “Some of his classmates at Sheyenne are playing in the games tonight. All of the proceeds will go right back into our mission and that is serving kids when they are suffering through medical challenges that they never expected to endure. So, we get to provide some hope and joy on a journey, supporting their families, giving them a moment of peace, letting them feel like a kid and we’re just so grateful to be able to do that.”

A meaningful day for everyone involved but for Davies sophomore Marie Hanson, she was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma at 12 years old. She has since been doing incredibly well. Participating in an event held by an organization she’s been a part of is something she will cherish forever.

“It means so much because there was a point in my life where I maybe thought I was never going to be able to play sports again,” said Hanson. “Now getting to come out here and play this for Landon’s Light that helped me, it’s just magical.”

For the eight total teams involved, they’ll forever remember the day they helped make history.

“Just the experience, honestly,” said Davies head coach Stephanie Oliver. “Coming out, doing the lineups the way that they did, and then just having this whole atmosphere here. It’s such a special event and the girls are going to remember it forever, especially being the first ones to actually win and be on that court. So it was fun.”

Christianson said the idea for outdoor volleyball came from Sheyenne parents who wished to replicate what the University of Nebraska did playing outdoors in 2023.