ts/mv history
Tim Blakeman, President
27203 Trinity Bend
San Antonio, Texas 78261
210-385-1326, timblakeman@hotmail.com
In the beginning, the terms "Master and Seniors" were reversed to this day in time; Masters was anyone 35 and older and the Seniors did not exist. A Master's volleyball team existed in South Texas playing mostly n the Lone Star Star Region. You could say it was an older group of men finding it hard to fit in with the younger players, thereby, the older bonding together forming a team bearing the name "Texas Masters." This group was headed by a gentleman of Houston; Leonard "Red" Kleinhenz, consisting of men from several large and small cities throughout Texas. They participated in the early and middle 1980s and then the first Senior Olympics had its first event in 1987, hosted in St. Louis, which (Red being in the oil industry), organized the team named "Texas Roughnecks," traveled to St. Louis and won the first National Championship, which at that time, the minimum age was 55. Two years later, the National Senior Olympics being a bi-annual event, was held for a second time in St. Louis; the Roughnecks returned to repeat as champions. During these times, local Senior games began in Houston, San Antonio, then Dallas and then several other cities and many men and women teams were created. In 1991, we lost Red on the volleyball court in Houston. Shocked and saddened, Red's wife Mary, forwarded to Gene Chambliss, the volleyball correspondence relating to the team along with the list of players.
Thus, Gene in one of the wildest dreams desired to create an organization of "Masters," "Seniors," and "Juniors" of Texas to participate, further the growth, and improve the skill of the youngest to the oldest players, to create more teams, for fellowship, and health benefits. In 1992, Gene, Henry Martin, Van Shaw, and Alex Beall, submitted to the State, the Texas Senior/Master Volleyball, Inc. (TS/MV), which was approved in 1994 as a non-profit organization structured in three divisions. Gene headed Seniors in 1993 - 1995; Ralph Comer took over in 1995 - 1997; Jess Williams 1997 - 1999 and in November of 1998, still no masters divisions had formed, a juniors program with two teams that lasted for two years each and then ceased, a meeting was held in Dale, Texas, to create the TSVA, which Ralph had created the name only. By-laws, policies, and a committee were created. During those early years, play days were held in Garland, Tyler, Fort Worth, Conroe, The Woodlands, Austin, and Dale, Texas.
For Senior volleyball info, click Seniors below: