ST. PAUL – The players swiftly positioned themselves during the practice play, their sneakers squeaking on the polished gym floor at Glen Avon School, following the movement of the volleyball slammed by the team on the other side of the net.
The coaches’ voices rose as they shouted instructions.
On July 21, the five-day Jump Volleyball Camp marked its final day. It was attended by around 40 athletes from Grades 5 to 12. Youn athletes were coached by university-level athletes from MacEwan University.
Tyler Jodoin is the owner and founder of the camp. He previously played high school volleyball at Mallaig School, and played for club teams in the area such as the St. Paul Rage, Lac La Biche Mad Dogs, and Plamondon Volleyball Club. After high school, he chose to pursue a degree in science at MacEwan University in Edmonton and played volleyball at the post-secondary level with the MacEwan Griffins.
Jodoin's inspiration for creating the camp stemmed from his own experiences as a young athlete in the area, where opportunities for volleyball training were sometimes limited.
When Jodoin was in high school, he recalled the area not having many opportunities to train in volleyball. “When I was young, [St. Paul Rage] was the only club, and they had a really awesome volleyball camp that I loved.”
But he also had to travel to Edmonton to attend camps, which were expensive. The admission, hotel accommodation, and the driving costs added up for his family.
“So, I wanted to bring the same opportunities closer to home for local athletes. That was my goal.”
Seeking to provide local athletes with accessible and high-quality training, Jodoin established the camp in 2017, and it has grown ever since.
In sports, including volleyball, getting as much exposure as possible is crucial to improvement, says Jodoin. He explained camps are a great chance to expose athletes to a sport because it is a low-risk environment.
Athletes also feel more confident trying out new things, and are encouraged to do so, as opposed to a real match, where players may feel afraid to make mistakes.
For the Jump Volleyball Camp, the camp pushes open-mindedness, trying out new things, not being scared to make mistakes, and “just getting out of your comfort zone,” he explained.
In addition, the camp was also an opportunity for the athletes to make friends. “You’re here to have a great time and get better.”
Tenley Krankowsky attends F.G. Miller Jr/Sr High School in Elk Point and will be Grade 8 for the upcoming school year. She said she had a lot of fun during her second year attending the camp.
“It’s really fun, actually,” she said, adding she improved and learned a lot, particularly with diving.
Jodoin commended everyone who attended the camp. “It’s amazing how much they’ve developed, and you can see their skills and confidence increasing.”
The camp will also be taking place in Plamondon in August.
