After a difficult and tumultuous start to the school year, girls and boys, coaches and parent volunteers in School District No. 46 returned to the volleyball courts and finished with their year-end playdays in early December.
At the girls’ playday, the brand new school — with no gym — Gibsons Elementary was clearly the class of the day.
Sue Fitchell has groomed these Grade 7 players since they were in Grade 4, and all those early years of skills training paid off with their teams winning the A flight over arch rival Roberts Creek, while the consolation final was won by the B team over Ecole du Pacifique.
The West Sechelt girls were B flight champions, defeating Roberts Creek, while Halfmoon Bay won the consolation final in the B flight.
In maybe the most exciting game of the day, it was Cedar Grove prevailing 26-24 to win the C flight division over Davis Bay.
On the boys’ side, it was the perennial champs from Roberts Creek coming back from an earlier loss to the strong Langdale team to win the final 25-21 and keep the A flight trophy for another season.
The B division was another close battle, but the Gibsons boys defeated a game group from Ecole du Pacifique, 25-20.
It is hoped this next season, with the assistance of volleyball guru Jan Richey, that the athletes will be switching to the triple ball format of play that Volleyball BC has now incorporated for youth under 14.
Players and coaches would like to thank John Brisebois and his staff, especially Clint Fox and the Elphinstone girls’ referees, for the use of the gym. Also, the boys would like to thank the head of the Sechelt Learning Centre, Phil Luporini, for having the Sechelt gym ready for this year’s boys’ tournament. Thanks go out also to Chatelech coordinator Ellen Thomas for allowing Kelsey, Emma, Bailey and Cole to referee and oversee the boys’ day.
