WESTLOCK – The Westlock Volleyball Club 16U Blue had a near-perfect weekend striking for silver at their eight-team home tournament played Feb. 11 at the Rotary Spirit Centre (RSC).
The Blue shone throughout, posting a 4-2 set record during the round robin before downing Raven U16 two-straight in the semifinal. In the final, the Blue faced Park Elite U16, the only team to beat them in the round robin (21-25, 26-28), and fell by scores of 22-25, 23-25.
Coach Aaron Graf, who’s also the bench boss for the R.F. Staples senior boys volleyball team, said it was a good day for the boys and allowed them to showcase their skills in front of friends and family as the vast majority of events they attend are in either Edmonton or Calgary.
“I saw some very, very good things from the boys and it was a good experience for them playing for a title,” said Graf.
Graf also made special mention for all the work the parents did to pull off the event which served as a fundraiser for the club.
“The parents who put this on, they did a bang-up job and we’re thankful to have them … they’re a really good group. And thanks to the refs too and all the teams who came out to support the event,” he said, adding that without the RSC they couldn’t have hosted it.
This was the club’s first exhibition tournament, with a second set for March in Edmonton while play in the first and second premier seasons are over, with a third premier season upcoming followed by provincials in April then the nationals, which go in May in Edmonton.
“These exhibition tournaments are less formal and allow the guys to get more touches,” he added.
And while the 16U Blue are at the top of the ladder, they’re not the only local club volleyball team playing out of Westlock this year. As it stands there are 12U boys and girls teams, a 13U girls club, 14U boys and girls team, plus girls teams at the 15U and 16U levels.
