By Stephen Lylyk on November 15, 2021
The official volleyball for this weekend’s provincial tournament
This weekend kicks off the beginning of SHSAA Volleyball provincial championships, as schools all across Saskatchewan will host the culmination of this volleyball season.
“(This) weekend is the 1A to 4A girls and both the 5A girls and Boys, and the following weekend is for the 1A to 4A boys provincial,” said SHSAA executive director Dave Sandomirsky.
Excitement is felt across the province from all the schools that have qualified for this weekend.
“We are definitely excited for our girls’ volleyball team to be heading to provincials this coming weekend,” mentioned Kathleen Christoffel, Principal of Harvest City Christian Academy.
In a response from Lloydminster coach Doug Smith, he stated that his players mentioned how they were “so thankful that we had an entire season of volleyball. We are in the hunt for a medal, hopefully gold.”
A representative of Weyburn Comprehensive high school said in response, “We have a long history of attending provincials and it’s wonderful to be continuing that tradition,” Weyburn has made the provincial volleyball playoffs every year since 1997-1998.
“it’s definitely exciting,” said Lashburn head coach Christina Schmidt. “This is the first time for many of these girls to head to a provincial event. So it’ll be a really good weekend for them.”
“Absolutely. You know I mean you’re going into the highest level of girls volleyball competition that you can get, you get the 5A Category you’re going down to Swift current. You’re gonna have the top 10 teams in the province battle it out for the provincial championship,” said Balgonie Greenall senior girls volleyball team Head Coach Grant Fuhro.
Provincials this weekend marks the culmination of a full season, the first of which since the COVID-19 pandemic affected Saskatchewan.
Businesses that partner with the SHSAA were impacted as a result of COVID-19. Alan Huber owner of Just Volleyball, one of the SHSAA sponsors mentioned how last year negatively impacted “our business tremendously. For a whole year and a half, it’s been crazy.”
Schools have noticed a positive effect as a result of the return of athletics.
“The return of volleyball has been immensely positive for Rouleau school. The culture of our building has returned to its previous levels… In a school where over 80 per cent of our student body in Grade 7-12 participates in volleyball it’s a significant factor in our student experience,” Responded Mitchell Singleton principal at Rouleau High School.
Doug Smith head Coach of Lloydminster Senior Boys volleyball mentioned how “Student engagement and their sense of belonging was severely impacted during the last year and a half… With the return of sport and other extracurricular activities, we are seeing an increase in student pride… Extracurricular teams and clubs play an integral role in defining school culture and making the school a vibrant place to learn and belong.”
Cherrelle Cadrain head coach of the Senior Girls of John Paul II Collegiate in North Battleford also commented in stating that “their mental health is better for doing activities they love. They can play as a team and focus on positive goal setting.”
To minimize the spread of COVID-19 measures at the host schools are being implemented. A representative at Moosomin high school had this to say on the matter regarding some of the listed mandates
“All spectators must be masked at all times. Only players who are actively on the court can be unmasked. Only players who are actively on the court can be unmasked.”
The Volleyball action kicks off this Friday at various locations Across Saskatchewan.
