Ardens attend Team Sask volleyball camp
Four Swift Current female volleyball players took part in the Team Saskatchewan volleyball camp in Saskatoon this summer.
All four were a part of the Swift Current Comp. High School Ardens Volleyball program last year.
Avery Tonnies and Abby Sauder are both on the Youth White Women’s roster this summer. Mackenzie Mcintyre was named to the Selects Green team, while Reese Evjen was on the Selects White squad.
Evjen was the youngest of the four. The 15-yearold outside hitter was a redshirt with Team Sask last summer and played this past season with the SCCHS Junior Ardens before being called up to the Senior Ardens late in the season.
“It was awesome. I got to meet a lot of new girls. I saw girls from the past year that I played with. It was really fun. I had played middle the past year and this was my first year playing outside. It was really good. Our coaches were really good. We had all setter coaches, so they really helped our setters out. We did a lot of good training,” said the 6’0’’ Evjen.
Camp consisted of oncourt training, mental training, workouts, and team bonding.
“It was good. I was definitely sore for a few days. It was hard getting back out there and going for four hours a day. The first few days I was a bit rusty, but once you got the hang of it, at the end we played a little six-on-six and everyone played awesome. It was such a cool experience, everyone did amazing.”
Evjen and Mcintyre have teamed up in the sand to play some beach volleyball this summer.
“It’s been super fun. We get to see a lot of other people and we are really competitive and we really want to win. Sometimes it’s a little bit harder than indoor because it’s really hot outside. It’s really fun,” said Evjen.
“It’s definitely a lot harder because there’s only two of you and moving in the sand is a lot more difficult,” added Mcintyre. “A lot of girls decided to do it this year because there’s no provincial team so it’s got a lot more competitive. I think it’s just been really fun because you’re always touching the ball, whereas in indoor you might not get set or they might not serve to you. In beach if you’re not touching the ball you will the next touch. You’re always in the play.”
Mcintyre is a 5’11’’ outside hitter who is entering her grade 11 season at the Comp. after suiting up for the Senior Ardens last season. She sounded content just to get back on the court for another Team Sask event. “It was really exciting. I was glad that there was something that we could do. It was fun to just play with the girls that I hadn’t seen. Since it was a higher level of players it was good intensity and good competition.”
She said camp had a bit of a different feel this time around.
“It went good. It was a little different because of all the protocols that were in place for the corona and keeping everyone safe. But there was still lots of reps and lots of practices. We weren’t sitting around too much. Once we got into the gym and got playing things weren’t too different. It was just kind of entering and exiting and stuff like that.”
Mcintyre was pleased with her performance alongside the province’s elite volleyball players.
“I thought I did better than I was expecting because I hadn’t played indoor volleyball in so long. I had Stealth camp the week before so I got some touches in, then I played beach volleyball most of the summer so I got touches there. I was lucky that I had opportunities to touch the volleyball before. It went better than if I wouldn’t have touched a volleyball for six months.”
Tonnies, who has played two seasons with the Senior Ardens as she heads into grade 12, was making her third appearance with Team Sask and that experience helped her this time around.
“Yeah it definitely makes it a lot easier and helps a lot because you’re not as nervous going into it anymore. You kind of know what to expect and you know what the coaches expect of you.”
The 5’11, right side hitter said the camp went well. “It was good. I was a little rusty, but that’s expected after you’ve had such a long time off not playing anyone or anything. It went really well actually. It was great to be back with the all the girls on the court and see all the coaches and everyone. I had a fun time.”
Both Tonnies and Sauder won bronze with Saskatchewan at the 2019 Western Canada Summer Games in Swift Current.
“It was an amazing experience, especially being at home. I got to see the hometown crowd and all the friendly faces and familiar faces, which was nice. It was just an allaround good experience. I got to meet a bunch of new people from all over the west side of the country,” said Tonnies.
Mcintyre, Evjen, Tonnies, and Sauder could all be teammates with the SCCHS Senior Ardens this season, if high school athletics are allowed back on the court in some capacity.
“I am really hoping just to get a lot more reps in,” said Evjen. “Last season for high school I made Junior and then I got pulled up to play at Regionals and Provincials. I didn’t play at Provincials but I got to be there, which was a super cool experience. Coming into this year I am really hoping I can make Senior and play with those girls and have lots of fun.”
“I’m just, at this point, hoping it’s going to happen because it is my last year,” added Tonnies. “I’m hoping if it does happen I just have an all-around great year. Hopefully I get to have a bunch of new experiences if it does happen because of COVID. We’ll just have to see what happens I guess. Hopefully I do get to play post-secondary after high school.”