PrepVolleyball.com’s 2019 National Qualifier coverage is sponsored by TeamSnap. Visit TeamSnap to discover how much time your organization will save each week.

The Northern Lights Qualifier (NLQ) is unlike other events of the year for several reasons. First, it’s only 16s and 17s (as well as younger age groups we don’t yet cover), making the gym feel spacious with room to move through the courts and the whistles aren’t as headache-inducing.

Another reason it’s different than any other event of the year is that there are 10 or more qualified teams in both 16 and 17 Open – that’s a huge amount!

Finally, NLQ (and Far Westerns, also happening this weekend) is the final qualifier of the season, and teams are rushing to qualify and rack up wins against the field. Watching a team lose and be out of Gold on Day 1 is not easy because the emotion and stakes are higher than ever!