The Selkirk Storm senior girls volleyball team is heading to provincials next week, and head coach Joe Ambrosio thinks his group will be top contenders.
The Storm haven’t won a tournament this season, but have finished in the top three in six, with numerous runner up honours.
“We’ve had one goal all year, which is to medal at provincials, and actually, this team, with a little bit of luck, could win provincials,” said Ambrosio. “Nothing’s guaranteed right? But this is a team that has the experience and the balance to have a real good shot at it.”
Over two consecutive weekends during the season, the Storm attended high-profile tournaments in Kelowna and played very well against some top teams in the province.
“They were extremely competitive against them and I was very pleased with that and so were the girls,” said Ambrosio.
The Storm head out to provincials next week, which is jointly hosted by Selkirk College in Castlegar and L.V. Rodgers in Nelson.
A bigger bench of Grade 11 and Grade 12 athletes that mixes experience and a will to succeed are what Ambrosio likes about his team.
“Just that experience has brought a sense of composure on the floor,” said Ambrosio. “They never get too excited, they never get too down on themselves because they know they just need to score points as long as they keep a level head.”
The Grade 12’s have the experience, while some of the younger Grade 11’s have benefited from club play with the East Kootenay Volleyball Club, added Ambrosio.
He singles out Teagan Jarrett and Annie Stewart as two players who’ve made a big impact with the team.
They were starters on the floor three years ago when they in Grade 10 on a team that went to the provincial tournament.
“They’ve had three years of senior, been to provincials and last weekend at zones, they were the two best players in the gym,” Ambrosio said. “They definitely rose to the occasion, which was great and we’re actually looking at them to lead us at this year’s provincials.”