The whistles blew rhythmically, players changed positions on 15 temporary courts at Tucson Convention Center, and red, white and green balls popped overhead.
It's a volleyball tournament for about 1,000 top-notch junior players.
The USA Volleyball High Performance Championships will narrow the talent pool for the U.S. junior national team.
Athletes from 83 teams have been in Tucson all week competing for national division and international division titles.
Most of the athletes can agree on two things: It's hot in Tucson, and the tournament is truly exciting.
The Star asked players from three regional teams to tell us about their experiences at the matches and around Tucson.
On the competition
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● "It's intense. It's harder than clubs, but more fun. All the teams are good. There are no easy matches," said Bailey Tanner, 13, of San Clemente, Calif.
● "Just to be in the same place as all the quality players, the best of the best … it's an honor to come here," said Jeremy Wood, 16, of Hilliard, Ohio.
● "U.S. teams usually underestimate us because they have no idea where we're from. That's good for us," said Ali Beaver, 18, of Nova Scotia, Canada.
● "Most of these kids we've played against the whole year. Coming together as a team was a little bit different. He beat me in the state final," said John Barry, 17, of Worthington, Ohio, pointing a finger at a teammate.
On the temperature
● "It's so hot when you go outside and we have to wear our sweats. It's like a sauna in your pants," said Samantha Stevens, 14, of Santa Rosa Valley, Calif.
● "I think I sweat more walking outside than in a game," said Wood.
● "It's really different. Everyone kept telling us it was really dry, and it's been muggy so far. Being in the desert is a different experience. We're used to seeing mountains, but there's usually lots of snow on top," said Beaver, eating a blue snow cone.
On getting to Tucson
● "We were kinda crazy on the plane. We were really hyper," said Jacqueline Macy, 13, of Walnut, Calif.
● "Five of us didn't make it on one of our connecting flights, so they got here way later than the rest of us," said Beaver.
On the food
● "We went to the oldest Mexican food restaurant in the U.S.: El Charro. The guy there talked about the founder. … It was cool," said Jessica Kennedy, 13, of Arcadia, Calif.
● "The facility is nice. It's nice and open, a lot of area for chairs. The food's great," said Mike Messina, 16, of Cleveland.
On winning and losing
● "It's more fun when you win and it's a close game," Kennedy said.
● "We had a lot of people cheering for us. Both girls teams came and watched. It was fun," Barry said.
● "The first time we lost, we thought of it as a warm-up, and you shake it off and move to the next match," said Micaela Anderson, 13, of La Cañada, Calif.
