Newman Center missionaries decided this month to switch to twice-a-week Newman Night Volleyball games at St. Thomas More church because of the large number of people who wanted to play.

For several years, Newman Center missionaries have hosted volleyball matches in the gym of St. Thomas More Catholic Church located on the south side of Brookings. These matches take place every Monday night of the school year from 9 to 11 p.m.

Newman Night Volleyball’s main purpose is for SDSU students to come together, make friends, pray, take part in physical activity, and have fun with one another.

But in recent weeks, Newman Night Volleyball has faced a new challenge that hasn’t occurred in the past. There has been a spike in attendees at the event, causing some people to lose out on playing time.

SDSU senior Johnny Pfeifer is one of the original participants of Newman Night Volleyball, as he has been attending since his freshman year and has seen its popularity increase throughout his time in college. He has been getting upset about his recent lack of playing time because of attendance.

“It’s annoying to have to wait so long, but it’s cool that so many people are starting to get involved,” Pfeifer said. “When I first started going, there was only about 12 people on average and we only set up one net. Now, there are around 40 to 50 people showing up each week, so I’m sitting out half the time.”

Freshman Ashley Bondesen is a new member at Newman Volleyball this year. She heard about the event from friends five months ago and has been attending every week since then. Bondesen said she thinks that the reason attendance has increased so much at Newman Volleyball is because attendees keep inviting their friends every week. Additionally, those friends invite people they know the following week, and a chain reaction of invites is created.

Bondesen does not enjoy the crowds and hopes that attendance will decrease soon.

“I do feel like there are too many people showing up… from the increase in attendance, I feel like you don’t get to play as much,” said Bondesen, “I personally would like a smaller group, half the size of what we have now.”

As the attendance at Newman Night Volleyball started getting out of hand, a solution was offered by Newman Missionary and Bible study leader Dan Stara. He decided to start up volleyball matches on both Sunday and Monday nights.

Stara does not mind the increasing number of attendees because it gives him an opportunity to chat with new people on the sidelines, but he understands why some are getting upset about the crowds and thought that adding another night of play would satisfy everyone.

“We’ve only done it a handful of times, but I think it’s been a positive change so far,” Stara said. “While some double-dip and attend both nights, it has reduced daily attendance to a manageable amount.”

The rise in attendance at Newman Night Volleyball has brought both excitement and challenges for its participants. While some enjoy the growing community, others find the large crowds frustrating because of limited playing time. By introducing a second night of games, the Newman missionaries have taken a step toward balancing inclusivity with playability. As the event continues to evolve, only time will tell if this adjustment will fully address the concerns of both new and longtime attendees.