It's not exactly traditional volleyball but Chinese volleyball. The game isn't as well known in the U.S., but it is a global event.
Every Labor Day weekend, a tournament is played, and this year up to 3,000 players will take part in the 79th annual North American Chinese Invitational Volleyball tournament at San Francisco's Moscone Center. The event was last held in the city in 2007. It's a celebration of sports, history, community and family.
San Francisco natives Justin Lam and Jonathan Lee grew up with Chinese volleyball in their families. The childhood friends started the San Francisco team "Paai Kau Smash." Paai Kau means volleyball in Chinese.
The game, which started in China, developed in the U.S. during the Chinese Exclusion Act. Former Chinese volleyball player and now coach, Robert Lew, said, "It was during the times where it was really depressed for Asian men. They can't travel. And, if you're already in the U.S., you can't get out of Chinatown."
Lee said his father told him back then "Asians weren't always included in sports. So, a way for them to have their own version and kind of escape would be able to play this in their Chinatowns."
The escape was to play after work or on days off. In San Francisco, games were once played on what was then called Chinese Playground on Sacramento Street.
"Chinese playground, the gravel, cracked concrete, there's glass," Lew said. "Chinese playground is now called Willy Woo Woo. It's painted, resurfaced, is clean, is nice. The newer generation now have it made. It's easy."
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For their day jobs, Jonathan Lee and Justin Lam, along with a third business partner, own Wooly Pig, a cafe in the city's Dogpatch neighborhood. Their common bond: Chinese volleyball. All three men have played in the tournament.
Lam said, "To be able to see this sport grow to what it's at now is just the exposure of Asians in America. We're talking on television right now about this sport and we wouldn't have gotten this exposure five years ago. It's great to see people acknowledging what this is, how big of a tournament it is and what this is going to bring to San Francisco."
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San Francisco's team "Paai Kau Smash" will be one of 182 teams participating in this weekend's tournament. On Sunday, a night market will take place at "The Crossing at East Cut". Find out more about the NACIVT tournament and events.
