2025 Keeper of the Plains Classic
The Keeper of the Pains event in Wichita was started in 2016 with about 100 teams. The first annual two-day tournament in Wichita grew quickly to 200 teams in 2019. Thanks to the great facilities that are available in Wichita, we are able to keep growing the event. Many clubs from neighboring regions have discovered the event and travel down to join.
The event has been named after the famous “Keeper of the Plains” statue by Kowa -Comache artist Blackbear Bosin. The sculpture stands at the confluence of the Arkansas and Little Arkansas rivers in Wichita, adjacent to the Mid-America All-Indian Center.

Dates: February 22 & 23, 2025

Schedules: Schedules will be posted on AES, about 10 days before the event

Combine: A recruiting combine will be held in conjunction with the event on Friday evening, February 21 from 7 till 8:30 at Farha South. To register for the combine, click on this link.

Format: We try to get as much as possible pools of 5 teams. The teams play a round robin in their pool on Saturday. We play from 8 am till about 5 pm. On Sunday there is a challenge round followed by single elimination playoffs. Play is scheduled to complete around 4 pm on Sunday. If we end up with 4 team pools, there may be some cross matches on Saturday afternoon to give teams 4 matches on Saturday.

Match format: In 5-team pools, the challenge round and playoffs, play is best 2 out of 3 sets format. First 2 sets to 25 points, starting at 4-4. Third set, if needed, is to 15 points, starting at 0-0.

Ties: All ties are broken on paper. No tie-breaking sets are played. Teams that are tied after pool play will be seeded as follows: 2-way ties: head to head match result will determine the higher seed. Three or Four way ties will be broken in the following order: Overall set percentage, overall point percentage, head-to-head set percentage, head-to-head point percentage. It still tied, a coin flip will determine the highest seed. For pools where automatic 3 sets are played, the final finishes will be based on MATCH records in the first place. If teams are tied in MATCH record, the procedures above apply.

Officiating: R1’s are provided for all matches. Teams will be responsible to provide the rest of the work team. A rostered coach (head or assistant) has to be the R2 or the Scorer for the match.

Credentials: All coaches are to wear their HOA credentials visible at all times. Coaches who do not have a picture on their credentials will have to check in and show a picture ID, to get a wristband to prove that their identity is checked. Coaches from other regions will have to show their membership card and a picture ID at check in. These coaches will receive credentials and wristbands for the event.

Locations:

We are pleased to announce the playing locations for the Keeper of the Plain event in Wichita on February 22 & 23

18’s Division:
17’s Division:
16’s Division:
15’s Division:
14’s Division:
13’s Division:
12’s Division:

Farha Andover, 640 YMCA Dr, Andover, KS 67002
Farha South, 3405 S. Meridian Avenue, Wichita, KS 67217
Newman University: 3100 W. McCormick, Wichita, Kansas 67213
Heskett Center: 1845 Fairmount St, Wichita, KS

Outside food and coolers are not allowed at these locations.

Hotels: You can find hotel information on the HOA website. These are hotels that work with HOA and have special rates for us. You do not need to stay in any of these hotels if you prefer other opportunities.

Out-of-region teams: Teams that are not registered with the Heart of America region of USA Volleyball, but are registered with another region, can sign up for this event, by mailing their Webpoint roster, together with their entry fee and a note with the tournament and division to sign up for to the HOA office: 548 South Coy Street, Kansas City, KS 66105. Make your check out to HOA.

Entry Fee: The entry fee for this event is $ 300. No spectator admission is charged.