Parksivlle Community Park was jump’n Saturday as nearly 200 players (196 to be exact) took to the sand courts for the ninth annual Vancouver Island High School Beach Volleyball Championships.
“I thought it went really well — we had a lot of positive feedback,” Stephen Epp, regional coach for Volleyball B.C., said after, adding “the weather held out for us and the kids had a great time.”
There were 98 doubles teams in all entered this year, with Timberline from Campbell River sending the most teams at 17. Oceanside had three teams from Ballenas Secondary School competing at the big annual, for boys and girls Grade 8 through 12.
Parksville’s Mariah St. Pierre and her partner Breanna Harvey went 3-1 pool play and undefeated at 3-0 in the playoffs to garner gold in the nine team Grade 10 Girls division, while Jenna Pearce and Alex Cloutier were 3-0 in pool and 2-1 in the playoffs to take silver in the 20-team Grade 11/12 Girls division.
Ballenas Grade 10s Jacob Cloutier and Aiden Collins were the only local boys in the mix.
Caitlin Leachman and Tahlia Smith from Kwalikum Secondary played three games, but were sidelined with injuries.
Parksville is the permanent home for the Island’s “because it’s the only beach that has enough courts to run it.
“It’s awesome — it’s the best beach, best location in the province, I’d say,” said Epp.
GAMES ON: Volleyball B.C. is back June 23 and again July 7 for the Sand Series youth tournaments, and on July 20 Parksville will play host to the inaugural Island Beach Volleyball Championships, which will run in conjunction with an adult pro event.
The action gets underway at 9:30 a.m. and runs through to the around 6 p.m.
