Volleyball in 100 Mile House took a step forward this month with the creation of a Club Volleyball team for U16 girls, aka the Panthers.
Organizer and coach Shaun Ells was inspired to start the club after his family moved from Edmonton where his daughter Brooklyn played competitive club volleyball.
“So when she came out here, one of the biggest things was there wasn’t a club volleyball program for her,” he said. “So we discussed last winter starting up a club team and I kind of looked into it and it was a lot of work and I haul logs during the winter. I have a really kind of crazy schedule, right?”
Shaun did not think the idea would work and wound up volunteering as an assistant coach for the school volleyball program instead. He was surprised to see that over 30 girls wanted to play on the team. With so many girls interested there was not enough playtime for all of them, plus it was non-competitive.
“So I just started looking into it further and just said, ‘Well, whatever’ - I just started that application and went through the whole process.”
Shaun said his daughter is “beyond ecstatic” that they have formed a team. Their season runs from December until May so the girls will have something to do the entire winter.
“I just really find that the community has been lacking (in winter activities),” Shaun said. “There’s nothing for the girls. Even not just the girls but just a lot of the youth unless they’re into hockey. There’s really nothing for them to do.”
Volleyball was one of the things Brooklyn has missed the most since moving to the South Cariboo.
“It was a big part of my life when I was in Calgary and Ponoka,” she said. “I live an hour out of town … so it’s nice for me to get out of the house and have some socializing with other people my age. To have a team and not just being in my room all the time.”
She likes volleyball in particular because you have to be close to the people that you play with to succeed. She enjoys having a close group of girls to befriend and go to tournaments together.
One of the benefits of being approved by Volleyball B.C. is the team is covered by the association’s blanket insurance coverage. It also means the team is struggling a bit, as fees for each player are $650. They have had some sponsors step forward and Shaun hopes to get some fundraising underway as the season progresses to help make fees more affordable.
In addition to 100 Mile House, they have girls from Clinton and Williams Lake interested in the club. Shaun said while they have a great group of athletes they have been set back by two years due to COVID-19.
“We have a really great group of girls, actually a lot of skill there. I just feel like COVID set our teams back two years, right - so our 16-year-old girls - their skills are only developed to 14 years old,” Shaun said.
Kayla Johnson was one of 14 girls who tried out for the Panthers last Sunday. She welcomed the introduction of a new extracurricular sports team.
“We don’t have a lot of after-school sports, especially for sports like volleyball,” Johnson said.
Johnson thinks it will be a lot different than what they play in school as they get to travel and have a set team position.
Volleyball B.C. runs three tournaments that are a requirement for the team to attend in Langley, Kelowna and Vancouver Island. The team is also allowed to set up its own invitational tournaments throughout the year and any exhibition games they choose to put on.
Shaun said if other coaches are interested in creating a boys’ team or other ages, they can contact him and see about getting registered under the Panther’s Club.
