Young volleyball players in Westlock and the surrounding area will have a chance next week to work on their skills under the watchful eye of three international coaches.
The Impact Volleyball Camp is open to athletes ages 13-17, said director Nathan Bennett, and will run July 25-29 at R.F. Staples.
Bennett is from Athabasca, and said he chose to hold the camp in Westlock because he remembers competing against Westlock teams when he was younger.
He has also enlisted the help of Keith Szautner in getting the camp up and running because he has fond memories of playing against teams coached by Szautner.
The purpose of the camp ultimately serves two purposes, Bennett said — teaching volleyball skills and giving back to the community.
“For me, it’s just about giving back,” he said. “That was the idea when we started the camp.”
Bennett added that he and the two men who started the camp, Ryan Pomeroy and Daniel Kurylo, got their education thanks to their involvement in volleyball, and wanted to bring their opportunities to kids who may not have the means to travel to the big cities for specialty camps.
“Now we just want to make sure the camp gets to the smaller communities, because we know how difficult it is when we were growing up to go to Edmonton to the bigger camps,” he said.
Skills development will be the focus of the camp, Bennett said. Each day a different set of skills will be taught, and at the end of the day those skills will be incorporated into game action.
At the end of the week, the camp will wrap up with a mini tournament for all the participants.
Bennett will not be in attendance at the camp because he is currently in England practising with the English national volleyball team in advance of the London Olympics next summer.
In his place will be two coaches from the Netherlands, he said, continuing the camp’s tradition of bringing in international coaches. In addition, he said this is the first year the camp will be run without a Canadian coach.
More information about the camp can be found at www.impactvolleyballcamp.com, Bennett said.
Athletes who wish to register have until July 24, and can contact Szautner at 780-349-4681.
