聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 *bang bang* 鈥溌槎故悠礶ast!鈥� *bang bang* 鈥溌槎故悠礶ast!鈥� *bang bang* 鈥溌槎故悠礶ast!鈥� The gym echoed as a large crowd amassed to cheer on the volleyball teams at the Sask Summer Games.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It was quite the experience at the Games which ran from Sunday, July 24, to Saturday, July 30. I was able to be part of it as an assistant coach to the Team 麻豆视频east 14U girls volleyball team. Our competition block was set up in the latter portion of the week, so the girls got in a short practice on Wednesday, July 27, and were ready for competition when July 28 rolled around.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The girls took on Team North in a three set match and then Lakeland in another three set match, winning both they went on to be first in their pool. After being repooled they took down Team Saskatoon in two sets and then lost to Team Regina, which sent us to a quarterfinal match instead of a by to a semifinal. From there we faced Lakeland again, which was another tough battle as the girls came out a little shaky. The home crowd rallied behind their team and the 麻豆视频east 15U boys volleyball team began chanting in the stands. The gym was electric as the girls headed into the second and third sets earning a spot to the semifinal and a guaranteed medal battle following the results of that game.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Saturday morning the girls took on Saskatoon again, this time it took three sets to earn the win, but the girls found success and earned their way to the gold medal match. They ended up facing Team Rivers West in the final who had knocked out the top seeded Regina team in an earlier battle. Again the gym was electric as the home town crowd rallied behind their team.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The girls played the match of their lives. They never let up and pushed Rivers West every step of the way. It was Team 麻豆视频east鈥檚 day as everything they did seemed to go right, including six let serves which hit tape and trickled over onto the opponent鈥檚 side for service aces. The girls won gold: smiles, tears, and excitement abounded.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 But, these young ladies earned their success through putting in a lot of work and effort; in fact, I鈥檓 not sure if I鈥檝e ever been around nine 14U girls so dedicated, hardworking, and completely focused before. Our practice schedule leading up to the games wasn鈥檛 easy; they did two-a-days, three days in a row, for three weeks. There were no complaints and they worked tirelessly at these practices to improve themselves while becoming a tight group, which showed on and off the court.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Kudos to the head coach Riley Singleton for deciding to do blocked training like that as I feel like it was a main factor in the girls鈥� success at the games. They became friends off the court and became focused as a team both on and off the court. They were disciplined throughout training and at the games.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It was in individual meetings with Riley and myself that we discovered all of the girls wanted to medal, while I would say the majority of them went so far as to say their goal for the team was to earn gold.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 They were an absolutely fantastic group to coach and the parents were more than accommodating for the vision the coaching staff had鈥� this included having the girls stay at their homes as a group bunking together and ensuring we were all fed. Additionally we had help from older athletes in both Oxbow and Weyburn during our practices who aided in pushing the girls to improve, including Presley from Oxbow who attended nearly all practices to help with training.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The girls were propped up by giants and battled through each match to earn success, win or lose they played phenomenally, but that gold medal is definitely a testament to the hard work and dedication of this group of young ladies.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I鈥檓 really excited to watch them grow and evolve over the next few years as I run into them in the world of volleyball.
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