Best volleyball players in B.C. training in Kamloops

“It’s a national championship every year,” says U-16 Boys coach Nathan Bennett, who’s also an assistant coach with the TRU Wolfpack women’s team. “These tournaments are a chance to make the national program, so it’s a tryout as well at the same time as the tournament.”

Twenty-four of the best players in each age group will stay for an extra week after the tournament ends on July 24 to train as part of the National Youth Development Program.

“That would be incredible,” says Téo Ardanaz, who’s part of Team BC. “It’s already incredible being on Team BC, but to train with athletes from all across Canada, I think that would be an amazing experience.”

All the players would love to one day play for Team Canada. But Bennett says most, if not all, will play university volleyball.

“In the history of Team BC, every athlete has played post-secondary somewhere, and that’s where these guys go. It’s few and far between that they get selected for a national team, but some of these athletes definitely have a shot,” says Bennett.

Twenty-four of 30 players on the team are making the trip to Kingston and Richmond are looking to play well, of course, and catch the eye of scouts.

“I want to have a good result for BC, of course, see how high we can go up,” says Teo. “Individually, you always want to be seen by these guys and make that gorup of 24 to 30 kids that’ll stay and train. But most of all, I’m trying to get the best result representing BC.”

Max Haronga and Ardanaz are some up-and-coming players on the U-16 team that will have a chance to stay with the development team. It speaks to the grassroots movement of the sport in B.C.

“It’s definitely growing,” says Teo. “When I started, there’s always that idea of your Grade 6 gym class, so everyone standing around, a ball flying back and forth. But the more that I’ve been playing it, you discover at these higher levels that it’s a ridiculously fast sport. It’s super intense, and I think the more kids that transfer from basketball to volleyball are starting to discover their love for the game.”

by Chad Klassen

Best volleyball players in B.C. training in Kamloops

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