The 2014 Comox Valley Volleyball Camp was a smash.
“It was a great week with an awesome group of athletes who pushed themselves, improved their skills and team play, and had a lot of fun,” said camp co-ordinator and coach Brian Stevens.
The athletes in the Youth session of the camp, ages 11-14, always show the quickest and most gains in the week long camp – and this time was no different.
“These athletes were all keen, coachable, and ready to try new techniques. Smiling and working hard were definitely themes of this group for the week,” Stevens said. “By the end of the camp these athletes were playing solid volleyball and understanding the game at a higher level.
“It was nice to see a solid turnout of athletes for the Elite/Older (15-17) camp this summer,” Stevens added. “With this group we were able to really break down the game play and skills, and have the athletes ‘tweak’ parts of their game to help them excel.
“The athletes were also able to work on specific positional play. A strong focus on core, strength, and flexibility training were additional elements of this group with a mini workout starting each session,” said Stevens.
“Due to our amazing weather, both the Youth and Elite/Older sessions had the opportunity to practise their outdoor volleyball game on our two grass courts. The outdoor game is a great way to work on an athlete’s all round skill set. The athletes really enjoyed going outside and playing on the outdoor courts – a little variety from the indoor game is great,” Stevens said.
“My two coaches truly did an amazing job at the camp. Michaela Roelants, going into her second year at VIU and earning rookie of the year honours, is a passionate, energetic young lady and a great coach in training.
“To show her commitment and love of the game of volleyball, the first day of camp Mickey was rushing back from a doubles tournament on Salt Spring Island where she earned first place. She got off the bus in Courtenay and came right to the camp – a true champion!,” Stevens said.
“Angus Ireland, going into his third year at Douglas College and placing fifth at Nationals this past year, is a very talented volleyball player with a lot of knowledge and experience. Angus set for many years but also played libero (defensive specialist) on his team – this demonstrates his elite skill level and ability to learn and understand the game at a very high level.
“Angus explains the game very succinctly and was great with the campers. Both Angus and Mickey attended the Comox Valley Volleyball Camp in previous years. It is always great to see local athletes excelling at the sport they love and now giving their knowledge and experiences back to the young volleyball players in the Comox Valley,” Stevens said.
“The water balloon toss on the last day for each session was quite the hit. On such a hot day and after working hard at the camp, the athletes, parents, and of course the coaches, all had huge smiles on their faces. A special thanks to Old Victoria Water Company for donating water to the camp and keeping the campers and coaches hydrated during such a great week – you guys rock!”
– Comox Valley Volleyball Camp
