The Treaty Six Volleyball Club (TSVC) Impact clinched a first place finish after going undefeated at provincials.
The U16 team, which consists of players from Kehewin Cree Nation, Saddle Lake Cree Nation, and Goodfish Lake First Nation, took home gold after two days of competition.
"It was a good experience for our girls. One reason why I started this club is I see a lot of good First Nation athletes and volleyball players that don't get the chance to make a club because it's very expensive," noted head coach Lorne Cuthand.
Each athlete’s commitment to the sport was evident through their actions on the court. Provincials was held in Leduc Friday, May 3 to Sunday, May 5.
"Everything we trained for... it all came together that weekend. There's some tournaments where we weren't quite there yet, and I think everything from January until today just came together, and I think that's why we were successful," Cuthand detailed.
Player Aiyana Watchmaker, 15, said, "For myself, it was the first time I ever won a championship. It was a phenomenal experience, and I would probably relive the moment if I could."
While she believes they could have performed better, Watchmaker was excited with what the team accomplished on the court.
"We worked hard together and communicated as we should have. Just being able to experience that with the others was just amazing," she expressed.
The victory means that much more for the team due to the extensive travel times they have when attending practice. The team was only able to practice once a week leading up to the tournament because of the long drive some of the players faced.
Regardless of their barriers, Cuthand felt it was the team's love for the sport that pulled them through.
"I've been playing since Grade 6, and it's one of my favourite sports," Watchmaker said. "I'd love to continue playing it because I like being competitive sometimes, and going head-to-head with other people is kind of fun."
Riding on the high of their latest victory, the TSVC Impact now have their sights set on nationals in Regina from May 17 to 20.
"It's going to be very competitive, but I'm looking forward to seeing the other teams from across Canada," Cuthand detailed.
He offered his congratulations to the team for not only bringing home gold, but finishing provincials undefeated.
Cuthand said, "I'm very proud of the girls for how they played, the result, and for the commitment that they're showing."
Watchmaker agreed with her head coach.
"Thank you for coming together as a team, working with one another, being able to communicate and talk to each other, and helping each other out about things we need to work on."
