VAIL — Colorado's largest outdoor volleyball tournament and one of Vail's oldest consecutive-running events, the annual Vail King of the Mountain Open, kicks off Friday.

Every Father's Day weekend, hundreds of beach doubles volleyball players from all over the Rocky Mountain region and elsewhere come to town for one of Rocky Mountain region's most popular volleyball tournaments.

Last year, 600 teams flooded into the Vail area to vie for the crowns of king and queen of the mountain in 26 different divisions of play. The King of the Mountain Open brought thousands of players, spectators, entourages and family members serving up volleyballs on 75 different courts and cheering for their favorite competitors for three straight days of outdoor volleyball mayhem on the courts at the Vail Athletic Field and at the Eagle-Vail Community Fields.

The King of the Mountain Open has something for everyone in the family to join in including juniors, adults, co-ed, masters and seniors and special Father's Day divisions. Also, there is a "volleyfair" at the Main Championship Courts, located at the Vail Athletic Field on Vail Valley Drive, a barbecue, and music all day long.

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The free Juniors' Beach Volleyball Clinic (held Friday at the Eagle-Vail Community Fields) is coached by a cadre of professional beach volleyball players — Team Vail — and directed by USA Volleyball's Director of Special Events John Kessel.

From Friday through Sunday, there are all levels of play from amateur to pro with different divisions playing on different days.

If anyone is interested in playing, late registrations are accepted, on-site, space available. For more information regarding schedule of play or registration, go to http://www.KingoftheMountainVolleyball.com.