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The third annual Dig Like Kim Volleyball Tournament will be hosted by the Village of Palmetto Bay on Sunday, May 7, in Coral Reef Park at the Kimberly Latshaw Ortiz Volleyball Courts, which were named in honor of the long-time Palmetto Bay resident who passed away in January 2021 after a 21-month battle with pancreatic cancer.
A graduate of Miami Palmetto Senior High School, Latshaw loved all sports and earned full volleyball scholarships to Miami Dade College and the University of South Alabama, graduating from those schools. She was head volleyball coach at Barbara Goleman Senior High School and Palmetto Senior High School, taking teams to district and state championships and receiving Coach of the Year awards several times.
Her father, Charles Latshaw, spoke about the tournament created to honor her and to continue her work helping young athletes.
“Last year we were able to provide seven student-athletes with a total of $7,000 in grant funds,” her dad said. “These funds were used by the recipients for training, coaching, volleyball camps, tournament fees and costs, and fees for organized teams.
“In one case the recipient was able to attend a camp on the campus of the college she hopes to attend and in another case funds were used for exposure in tournaments which resulted in a college scholarship. In one case the funds were used for training to help the student get back to varsity team play following an injury,” Latshaw added.
This year’s tournament will feature an increase in the number of Grants being awarded, the addition of a 14 U division to the open and recreational levels, food trucks offering snacks and lunch, a deejay providing music throughout the day and Kids Zone Activities.
“This season we are able to provide almost double the amount of grant money and help more athletes thanks to sponsors, donors and the volleyball community,” Charles Latshaw said. “It is a lot of work but very rewarding when you experience the gratitude of the student winners and their parents. Helping high school students is what our daughter did. We are just trying to follow in her footsteps.”
For information on the tournament visit www.diglikekim.org.
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