FRUITA, Colo - The stigma of volleyball being a "girl's sport" is being broken by a group of Grand Valley boy's volleyball players. But they need the help of the community.

Boy's high school volleyball began in the Grand Valley on the unsactioned club level in 2003. What began with a handful of athletes and a desire to play volleyball has grown into the state's third place team from last year's championship tournament.

But you won't find them in the record books. That's because boy's volleyball is not sanctioned by the Colorado High School Athletics Association.

There is growing pressure from around the state for CHSAA to sanction boy's volleyball. But one of the problems is that the sport needs more players and more teams on the Western Slope to provide balance with teams from the Front Range.

That creates a catch-22. It's more difficult to get kids to play because they have to pay their own way. Boy's high school volleyball does not receive funding because it is not a sanctioned sport, thus creating a cyclical problem.

The club team from Fruita Monument is taking advantage one small loophole that being non-sanctioned provides; Athletes from any school are able to join the team, allowing them to use the best players anywhere from Fruita to Palisade to Montrose. In Fact, they are hoping to have enough players become involved to allow them to create a second team that can compete for the (unsanctioned) state title.

Like many fledgling athletics programs the players and parents foot the bill for much of their costs. But they have found a unique way to raise money and awareness in the community. The tream will raffle off a car on May 1st, using proceeds of the raffle to fund the program.

The winning raffle ticket holder does NOT need to be present to win, although you must be 18 or older to purchase a raffle ticket. For additional information on how to join the team or to contribute to the program by purchasing a raffle ticket, go to www.fmhs.k12.co.us or contact Coach Shane Allerheiligen at 970-234-1607