The Battlefords Volleyball Club’s Atomic Smashball Program is all about introducing the sport to children at a young age, offering a fun approach to the game while teaching the fundamentals to tomorrow’s club volleyball players. (submitted photo/Shari Dueck)
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Battlefords Volleyball Club offers sport for all ages

Oct 31, 2019 | 2:24 PM

As the school volleyball season begins to wrap up early November, the club volleyball season is just getting started.

Already underway at the Battlefords Volleyball Club is the youngest age group, the Atomic Smashball Program, which serves as a fun initiation to the sport for children in Grades 2 to 6.

Coach and manager, Shari Dueck, has been with the club for the last five years.

The Atomic Program runs for eight weeks, with this year serving as the first time the club has held a fall semester. Dueck said the program is all about introducing the sport of volleyball to children at a young age by using an adaptive environment to make the sport an enjoyable experience for children.

Those adjustments include using lighter balls and badminton nets, to help the kids build their skills from an attainable starting point.

She said more than anything, the main goal of the Atomic program is to help instill a love of the game in the youth who attend.

“Our number one focus that we really stress with our player coaches that are helping out is just having fun with the kids,” Dueck said. “That is what is going to keep them coming back and playing volleyball, is the fact they are having fun and being successful.”

However, the youngsters aren’t the only ones set to bump, set and spike their way through the cold winter months.

The Battlefords Volleyball Club is also hosting upcoming tryouts for their 12U, 13U, 14U woman’s teams Nov. 17, while tryouts for 15U, 16U, 17/18U woman’s and all men’s age categories will take place the weekend to follow, on Nov. 24.

The official club volleyball season runs to around late April and early May.

Between 110 and 125 athletes from the Battlefords and area are expected to try out for the main club teams this year.

While many local high school students will play to stay sharp during the ‘off season’ from the school team, other youth from as far as Maidstone, Edam, Medstead and Wilkie will also travel to the Battlefords’ community to get in on the volleyball action.

Dueck said she is happy to see how the club has grown through the years, adding the best way for those interested in getting their child involved in the program or other programs in the future is to find the Battlefords Volleyball Club on Facebook here.

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1

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