Rempel named to Youth National Volleyball Team
Wymark’s Henry Rempel has only been playing organized volleyball for four years, but his hard work over that time has landed him a spot on the U18 Youth National Volleyball Team.
The 6’6’’ outside hitter was recently named to the 26-player roster that will comprise two U18 Youth National Teams this summer.
Rempel has been a member of Team Saskatchewan for the past two seasons. After competing at Nationals he was identified as one of the top players in the country to fill two teams of 13 players that will represent Canada this summer.
“It’s been a goal for quite a while,” said Rempel. “I’ve played Team Sask for the last two years and last year I played on the Canada Games team for Saskatchewan. That was just the starting point where I just wanted to advance and play more I guess and this was it.”
He is one of two players from Saskatchewan who will represent Canada this summer with the U18 teams.
“I’ve just worked hard I guess. I’ve been training so much lately and just hitting the gym a lot. Without that I wouldn’t be anywhere. I just train a lot and try and put the effort in. The coaches and players around me they just help me out.”
It has been a fast track to the upper echelons of the sport in Canada for Rempel. He didn’t start playing volleyball until he was a grade eight student in Wymark.
“At first I didn’t know what I was doing, but then slowly the athleticism it just got me there slowly,” he admitted.
Rempel will take part in a training camp in Calgary for two to three weeks in July. From there the team will fly to Tulsa, Oklahoma for the USA High Performance Championship from July 24-28. The tournament will feature over 100 teams, including USA Volleyball Regional High Performance and international teams. Teams from Brazil, Chile, Dominican Republic, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, and Puerto Rico have all taken part in the past.
“I have been kind of waiting for that awhile now. To play for Canada and just represent the country that feels kind of good,” said Rempel.
The grade 11 student athlete also helped the Swift Current Comp. Colts win their first provincial volleyball championship in 18 years last November.
“It was an awesome feeling. We were working for that the year before that, but couldn’t quite make it. This year, we just stepped up, had a great team, great coach, and fully got there. It was just an amazing feeling,” said Rempel.
He is hoping to win a third straight medal with the Colts next season.
“I think we’ve got a pretty good chance to medal again. We have a tonne of good players still that played Junior Sundogs this year. I think we will be positioned good.”
The Colts have lost many of their players from the 2017 provincial championship squad, including Braedon Friesen, who was recently named to the Junior National Team and will suit up for the University of Alberta Golden Bears next season.
Rempel, along with veteran setter Brett Thiese, will look to lead the Colts back to the medals.
“In my senior year I need to lead the team a little bit with one other player, one of my best friends. We will be able to show the younger guys stepping up and see how they do and lead the team.”
Rempel has not yet committed to a university program, but has visited a number of schools and has some visits left to make in September as well.