Grade 12 - Reflection - Athletics - Volleyball Coaching

       I have played volleyball for as long as I can remember at Collingwood. It is my favourite sport and I have been very involved throughout my years here. Unfortunately, I couldn't participate on the Sr. team this year because of school work and university applications. I wanted to play for the Stars Volleyball Club like I had done for the past three years in the Spring, but because of Grade 12 activities and other commitments, we didn't have enough girls for a team!

     After having shown interest in staying a part of the Stars and volleyball community in general, I was asked to Jr. Coach the U16 team with three of the other girls on my team from last year. Since January we have been present at every practice; running drills, helping out where needed, and being extra players if some of the team was missing. Every second weekend we would go to tournaments and be in charge of running warm-ups as well as taking stats on the bench and facilitating the time-outs and pep talks! I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this group and being in this new and different role. It has allowed me to stay involved in the sport that I love and inspire the younger girls to keep playing and to try their best. It has also strengthened my relationships with some of my old coaches and my former teammates, which I have really enjoyed.

   This year, our team qualified for Nationals in Regina, Saskatchewan! This was definitely the highlight of the year for both my self and the girls on the U16 team. We played very well and, although it might not have showed in the overall rankings, we gave 100% and played the best we has all season. This was an awesome experience for me because I had been on the player end of this trip and it was interesting to be on the coach end and see what goes on behind the scenes there.

     I hope this year I have inspired the girls to continue playing and have made their season all the more fun. I learned a lot this year about problem solving, organization, and time management from this opportunity and I am very glad to have had it. I hope next year at university I can play again myself and become more involved in the sport once again weather that be playing intermural or varsity volleyball for McGill!