The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The first tournament of the season is going to be a test for the Creighton Community School Boys' senior volleyball team. This past weekend the team of 15 travelled with 12 players to La Ronge to compete in their first action of the season. This season, the Kodiaks are looking at a different approach to the game as coach Janel Pearson says they have taken a step back from all of the fancy play. "We're going back to basics," says Pearson about the team's systems. She says they are going to keep things simple and add as they see fit. On the court, Pearson says the players are "really good" and notes there are some strong leaders on the team. With only four returning Grade 12 players, the team is made up of a number of Grade 9 and 10 athletes. Though they haven't had much time on the court, Pearson says so far the team's strength comes in numbers. "The Grade 12s are put in the leadership role before leading our...Grade 9 (players)," says Pearson. Going back to the system change, Pearson says they now have one setter as well as four powers. "We're expecting a lot from our setter and powers," she says, noting that the four powers are all Grade 12 athletes who have been on the team since Grade 9. As a whole, the team is working on passing. "It comes with being a very young team," she says as the team is always working on passing. As well, the team is working on being aggressive, which she says will come with experience. In an interview Thursday evening, Pearson said she thought this past weekend was going to be "pretty good." Returning player, and newly named captain, Tory Nasselquist wasn't sure how the weekend was going to go. "We should do OK," he said. "We have a lot of young guys and not a lot of experience or size." As a power this year, the Grade 12 athlete says he is excited about his position change as he gets to hit this year. But coming back to the weekend, he says it's "going to be a lot of learning for the younger guys." Adding on to that, Pearson says the weekend was going to "be a learning curve" for the team. They were going to be able to "find the strengths and weaknesses of the Grade 9 and 10 players." Also participating in the weekend tournament were the Kodiak Senior Girls' team. Named to the boys' team this year are: Tyler Rice Tory Nasselquist Lloyd Kawa Scott Klemmer Carson Maconka Kyle Storey Keegan Eastman Darcy Rothlander Zach Garret Kirk Traschel Brandon Bowes Chase Eplin Ty Wheeler Mark Linnick Tristan Bryson Coaches Janel Pearson and Eric Nasselquist
