IRVINE, Calif. – On Saturday, April 9, UC Irvine will debut "Court 21" a custom Taraflex court prior to the match against CSUN. The first serve will take place following a brief dedication at 7:00 p.m.   

UCI will be one of only six men's programs in the nation to play their home matches on a Taraflex court -- the official flooring of the NCAA Championships as well at the Olympic Games.   

The court's name "Court 21" is a tribute to the life of Tim Vorenkamp who signed with UC Irvine in the class of 2015. Tim was diagnosed at age 13 with synovial sarcoma, an exceptionally rare form of cancer. Over the years he experienced countless chemotherapy and radiation and relapses. But through it all, he continued to play volleyball, wearing the number 21. And while he did not play at UCI (passing away on January 10, 2016) in what would have been his freshman year, his legacy will live on in the Bren Events Center. 

The gift was made by The Vorenkamp Family as a means to inspire current and future UC Irvine teams, and to honor their son. 
 

When the court and design were first presented to the team, Pieter Vorenkamp said on behalf of the family "Through this process we spoke to several alumni and it was so inspiring to hear how this experience, this program, has shaped their lives and their decisions. We hope this court and this program do the same for you." 
 

"Tim had three passions in his life: Never give up. Hope. Living for others," he continued. "We hope that every time you step on this court, that you might think about that. How can I play that role moving forward as well to live and play for others"

Before Tim passed, he created the Live For Others Foundation (video link) as an inspiration and a call to action for those still on life's journey.