It's going to be a busy volleyball weekend for senior high school players throughout B.C., with provincial championships set to happen at several different locations.
In South Surrey and Delta, Earl Marriott and Seaquam secondary schools are hosting the senior girls quad A provincials Nov. 28-30, along with other venues throughout B.C., including Vancouver Island, Vernon, Vancouver and Abbotsford, which are set to host all other divisions (single A through quad A for boys and girls).
With four pools of four, 16 teams total will take to the courts at EMS and Seaquam starting Thursday (Nov. 28), including EMS, Cloverdale's Salish Secondary, Seaquam, Delta and South Delta secondaries, as well as high schools from Vancouver, Vancouver Island, the Interior, Okanagan and elsewhere across B.C.
EMS athletic director Russ Heggie praised senior girls volleyball head coach Rob Stevens as being instrumental in putting the school's volleyball program on the map, with several banners, golds and titles won by EMS teams over the past few years.
"Something that's really struck me is the growth of the game — not just in South Surrey, but in the South Fraser region — we've definitely noticed the amount of time and effort parents and kids putting into the sport, girls and boys," he said.
The depth of the program at EMS, from Grade 8 all the way through Grade 12, stand out, Heggie noted.
"The biggest piece for me is that collaboration and the relationships from Grade 8 through 12, for boys and girls," he said. "Success doesn't happen without everybody believing in a program, and having the idea that we're all one family means everything... from the mentorship aspect to the energy and support of all the parents."
Stevens, in return, credited much of the volleyball program's success — across all age groups — to Heggie, whom he says has "generated significant enthusiasm for sports and school spirit," as well as promoting inter-team co-operation and involving athletes in community service.
EMS's Grade 8 girls and junior girls volleyball teams both placed second at regionals, Stevens added, and also, pointed to other schools in the area who performed well.
"It's a real program as opposed to individual teams," Stevens said.
He noted how Heggie organizes the EMS Cup each year by reaching out to local schools to invited their Grade 7 volleyball teams for a tournament at the end of the season. This year, the tournament is Dec. 4 for boys and Dec. 6 for girls at the school.
EMS's current students referee and mentor the Grade 7 players, Stevens continued, allowing them the opportunity for leadership as well as giving back to the community, and helps give Grade 7 players a taste of the high school ethos.
Heggie is hopeful the community will come out and support local high school athletes for the provincial championships; admission is at the door.
"(Fans) have been filling the gym, the atmosphere has just been electric," Heggie said.
"When (a program is) organized well and the excitement is there, you can't help but be successful when everybody is rowing the boat and pulling in the same direction."
Provincial championship play starts at 10 a.m. on Thursday (Nov. 28) at EMS, with championship medal games set for Saturday (Nov. 30).
After winning the South Fraser Valley tournament — their first time since 2017 — WRCA's single A team travels to Nanaimo to compete in provincials Nov. 28-30, along with Elgin Park's senior boys triple A volleyball squad, who also won the South Frasers regional banner. They now head to triple A provincials Nov. 27-30 in Oak Bay on Vancouver Island.
