Tryouts for the fall sports season were already underway last week at École Innisfail Jr./Sr. High School.
“Next year is a developing year for us,” said Jeff Anderson, athletic director and vice-principal for the school.
He said tryouts for the senior girls volleyball team drew about 20 hopefuls to the gym last week which is good news for Anderson who is also the senior girls coach.
“We lost a big crop of Grade 12s who were with us on the team. We will only have two veterans coming back so it's going to be a whole new world. I'm excited.”
He said another reason to start tryouts so soon was because the first tournament of the year starts the first weekend back to school.
Final tryouts will be held Aug. 30 and 31 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the high school's main gym. He said the girls who came out for the first round of tryouts were “just like sponges” wanting to learn and working hard. So far, he sees at least eight or nine potential players for the senior team and about 11 for the junior girls team, to be coached by Jennifer Litke.
“For me, it's about the skills. I don't take girls to take girls,” he said of the relatively small team size. “I need to have girls who have some strong skills that aren't going to get hurt playing at the senior level. Safety is always number 1 for me. I need to know they can control the ball and they have those reflexes and reactions so they won't get a ball in the nose.”
Last season the senior girls placed third for the Central Alberta Sports Association and were the division champions for Chinook's Edge North Athletic Association.
“We had a really strong group.”
He said while it's a new year for the seniors this fall, he sees a lot of potential in the eager players.
Meanwhile, on the boys' side of things, Anderson said a new teacher, Deen Lockhat, with level two coaching is joining the ranks. He'll be taking over the boys team which was revived for the first time in years this past season.
Players will consist of Grade 10 to 12 students.
“He (Lockhart) has coached a very high level. He's going to come in and hopefully whip our boys in shape here to get the program going.”
Anderson also said a volleyball camp will be held at the school this August before tryouts for any student looking to get a few pointers. A camp for middle school boys and girls will run from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. August 13 to 15 with a jr./sr. high camp running from 1 to 4 p.m. Aug. 13 to 16. The camp is being run by Jocelyn and Brianna Fehr, both former students of the high school. For more information, email either sister at [email protected] or [email protected].
