MKA to Host Volleyball Tournament in Memory of Valeria Reyes

Hosted by Montclair Kimberley Academy, Saturday, October 6 will see volleyball teams from across New Jersey joining two Puerto Rican volleyball powerhouses at the MKA Middle School campus for the second annual Valeria Reyes Memorial Tournament.

The tournament, which took place last year in Puerto Rico, benefits the Smiles Make Miracles Foundation, supporting families with a child just diagnosed with a brain tumor.

The tournament is named for Valeria Reyes, who was adopted by the Montclair Kimberley Academy Volleyball team through the Friends of Jaclyn program. Friends of Jaclyn aims to prolong and enhance life for children with brain tumors by connecting them to sports teams.

Montclair Kimberley is believed to be the first high school team to adopt a child. Most other adoptions are done by college teams.  Valeria, from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, was seven when diagnosed with a brain tumor. The MKA Volleyball team adopted her in 2008. She died in 2009, but the team’s relationship with the family continues.

In addition to MKA, other New Jersey teams participating in the tournament are West Essex, West Orange, Westfield, Glen Rock, Paramus, Kinnelon and Roselle Catholic. The teams from Puerto Rico are Escuela Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos and Escuela Adela Rolon Fuentes.

During their stay in New Jersey, the Puerto Rican squads will practice at MKA on Friday, compete in the tournament on Saturday, and tour New York City on Sunday.