Vernon’s Sky Volleyball Club is celebrating another solid year of growth, but as registration fills up for its 2020 season its pushing for more dedicated gym space in the city.
This coming season, Sky Volleyball will have more than 300 players and 23 boys and girls teams competing in U12 to U18 age groups. The club will also run a youth program called Flight School for players in Grade 5 and 6.
“This makes it one of the largest volleyball clubs in B.C.,” said Club President Troy Lorenson.
However, as the club continues to grow in popularity, gym space is becoming harder to come by. The club already relies heavily on local schools to accommodate practice times for its teams, and Lorenson says the five additional teams slated for 2020 will put more strain on these resources.
“A big push for us over the next few years is to see a volleyball facility built in this town,” said Lorenson.
“The sport is growing at a rapid pace, and we simply need more courts. The ability to host tournaments, ideally in a four-court facility, would have a huge impact on our community.”
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“We are grateful to all of the local schools who have stepped up to accommodate our kids, but it is reaching the breaking point,” Lorenson continued.
For two decades the not-for-profit club was known as the Vernon Volleyball Club before it was re-branded in 2017. The name change was made because the club’s membership had spread beyond Vernon, throughout the North Okanagan.
“Players now come from not only Vernon but a large surrounding area to play in Sky,” said Lorenson.
“We love to see the kids compete hard for their respective schools, but it’s heart-warming to see these players come together as teammates during club volleyball season. It has created a special bond between all of us.”
As of Thursday 46 coaches have signed up to voluntarily run the teams, and registration is still open for parents to volunteer in a number of capacities.
For more information or to register for the upcoming season, visit skyvolleyballclub.ca. Those wishing to become involved with Sky Volleyball Club are invited to contact Lorenson at info@skyvolleyballclub.ca.
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