With mostly new players at the helm, the St. Martin de Porres senior boys’ volleyball team is in a state of transition.
Last year was a highly successful one for the Kodiaks, as the squad earned a silver medal in Division 2 of the Calgary Senior High School Athletic Association (CSHSAA) and a spot in the 2018 3A provincial championships.
But with the graduation of several players from last year’s roster, the team has its work cut out for it.
“We’re definitely less experienced than we were last year,” head coach Edmund Crame said. “We did have three guys who returned, and one of our key players – Sean Kriwokon – definitely helps to lead the team and keep things organized. I think, right now, our priority is to become better individual volleyball players and learn to play our positions.”
Crame said, this year, he opted for the team to compete in Division 3.
“Sometimes, if the level of competition is too far in advance, I don’t think you get the development you want out of your team,” he said.
“Ultimately, the speed of the game is faster when you get to more competitive levels. We can execute skills and plays, but at the end of the day, how hard the serves and hits are coming at you – those are some of the big factors in terms of whether or not you can play at that level.”
Despite a lack of experience, the team is still playing well and churning out results. Four games into the campaign, St. Martin de Porres is fourth the nine-team division. The Kodiaks boasted a 2-2 record, as of Oct. 8, with its last win coming in a three-set sweep Oct. 3 over the Central Memorial Rams.
“The two games we won, we swept, and the two games we lost, we lost in the fifth set,” said Kriwokon, a senior outside hitter. “We just need to find some consistency, which comes with experience.”
Alongside its league schedule, the senior boys’ team has also competed at three tournaments, according to Crame.
“[Tournaments] give the players a lot of opportunities to get on the court and try different things – especially when you have a team that is developing and you’re trying to find out the best positions or systems for your team,” he said. “It gives us a lot of opportunity to experiment with different factors."
Tournaments also offer the Kodiaks the chance to play against teams from Airdrie’s other three high schools, Crame added – something St. Martin de Porres doesn’t do during its regular season.
“It’s always a treat for our boys to be able to play against some of their friends, and the people they know from around Airdrie,” he said.
St. Martin de Porres will host its own senior volleyball tournaments later this month, when the school puts on the annual Kodiak Classic. The 12-team boys’ tournament, which will feature teams from Airdrie, Calgary and communities throughout southern Alberta, will run Oct. 18 and 19. The girls’ tourney will follow Oct. 24 and 25.
Along with plenty of volleyball, the yearly event doubles as a food drive, according to Crame. Teams and spectators are not charged admission, but are asked instead to bring donations to the Airdrie Food Bank.
“Last year, we were able to put in about 2,000 items, between the girls’ and boys’ tournaments, so we’re hoping to match those donations this year,” he said.
