The Reigns are just starting their fourth season as a registered volleyball club on the North Island, and their coach Justin Reusch is excited to see a new group of youth learning to play the sport.
“We’ve only got three players returning from last year, every other player is brand new and never played before,” he said, noting that “all in all, they are coming along very well and I’ve got a couple parents that have stepped up this season to give me a hand.”
The Reigns travelled down island to Nanaimo last weekend to compete, which Reusch stated was going to be a big learning experience for the team as they would get the opportunity to see competitive play and “get some game experience.”
Volleyball season opens in January and ends in mid-May, and Reusch has 10-15 girls on the roster this year, ranging from grade eight to grade 12. “I had one group that stayed together for all those previous years and they’ve all left now — this group wanted to get into volleyball so now I’ve got a brand new group to teach.”
Grade eight student Mackenzie Moore said she had played volleyball previously at Avalon for three years, and she said the sport is “really fun”, which is her main reason for continuing to play.
She noted she’s learned a lot over the three years, such as bumping and setting the ball, and her favourite part of being on the team is “getting to hang out with my friends and having a good time.”
Hannah Henschke has been playing volleyball for two-and-a-half years now, all with the Reigns, and she said it’s fun getting to hang out with her friends, and her favourite things are “the teamwork and the trips we take down island.”
The Reigns will be making their annual trip out to Abbotsford to compete in the BC Provincials during the last weekend of April.
