Fernie’s 18U girls volleyball team took home a win from the provincial championships in Okotoks, Alberta.
After a five-game day, the girls came out in first place, along with two players earning a spot on the tournament’s all-star team.
Head coach Andrea Reed said the team worked well together through each match.
“The whole experience was positive, they celebrated each point and when the game wasn’t going their way, they found a way to encourage each other on the court to get control of the game again,” said Reed.
Going into the championships, the girl’s team from Fernie was ranked 13th of 23 teams. They overcame that initial ranking and battled their way to the win in the championship game.
“In our final match, in the third set, we were up 11-1 at one point and then at the end, it was about 15-10 for us,” said Reed.
Reed said each player on the team had at least one parent in the crowd cheering them on.
“It was a group celebration, the girls were jumping and cheering on the court, everyone ran off the bench, but we also had a standing ovation and clapping and cheering from the crowd,” said Reed.
The coach was proud of the ability on display from the girls over the weekend.
“As a coach, you always see the potential of the team, you know the skills they have and their abilities. Once they see that in themselves, that’s a huge accomplishment as a coach,” said Reed. “I really saw their confidence grow, not just as individuals, but as a team together.”
The team will be on the road to Edmonton for May long weekend, as they move on to compete for the national volleyball championship.