A club volleyball team based in Airdrie, with players from towns like Crossfield, Carstairs, and Didsbury, is preparing to compete against some of the best 14U teams in the country.
The Airdrie Hawks 14U Girls will be heading to the 2024 Youth Volleyball Nationals in Richmond B.C. from May 10-12.
“This team is probably one of the hardest working groups of athletes that I've seen in a long time,” said Hawks coach Stephanie Crofts. “They've really come together and overcome obstacles, [and] they just work as well as a team.”
Crofts, who has coached club teams for six years and has coached volleyball at École Olds High School for the last four years, said that the group of athletes on the Hawks have been a pleasure to work with.
“These athletes definitely make my coaching a lot easier because they're dedicated and determined and they know the sport,” said Crofts, who mentioned that club volleyball has exploded in popularity the last couple years.
According to Crofts, there is an increasing demand for club volleyball teams, but not enough capacity to accommodate everyone who wants to play.
“I played all the way until university and it's a completely different concept from what I used to play. There are not enough clubs out there [for the amount of players],”she said.
The Hawks play tournaments called premiers throughout the season against other club teams from their division, which includes teams from towns like Strathmore, Drumheller, and Cochrane. Their next scheduled premier is coming up on March 23 in Calgary.
Crofts felt that club teams are reasonably priced and have a very competitive feel. Aside from that, they also gives club athletes the opportunity to be scouted for Olympic teams and to get scholarships.
However, the downside to club popularity is that the number of playable courts have not increased to match the number of players or teams. Club teams like the Hawks are beholden to local schools for gym usage, and besides that not every gym has the proper equipment that teams like the Hawks require to simulate play.
“We have to play on specific courts,” said Crofts. “Each court is different and we need a specific size and proper equipment to play. There is a safety reason with equipment because we want to make sure we're following specifications as a coach because you deter the ability to develop those skills to continue moving forward.”
Crofts admits that the lack of gyms is a big drawback, but it hasn’t stopped the Hawks from competing on similar levels to club hockey teams.
“Players get to [go to] conditioning camps and they go to mental health camps that help with mental health on and off the court, [and teach] how to handle injuries on and off the court. Nutritional camps [and things like that]. It's gaining [a lot] of popularity,” said Crofts.
With the Youth Nationals coming up in May, Crofts said her expectations for the team are pretty straightforward.
“Just absorb it and have fun. I don't like to put a bunch of pressure on my team just because that's when you have failure…[if] they play how they have played before and give 100 per cent that's what is gonna make them get to the top.”
Crofts continued by saying that the expectations were to just have fun and for the team to strive to do the best it can.
“This is an opportunity they will never forget,” she said.
