Volleyball is a sport meant to be played outdoors

BARRHEAD-The Barrhead area is well known for turning out strong volleyball players, which is why it is surprising that for the last few years it has lacked a summer volleyball camp.

However, former Barrhead resident Belle de Vries took it upon herself to change that with the help of Lakeland College Rustlers' Women's Volleyball head coach Austin Dyer.

In addition to being the Rustler's head coach, Dyer runs several youth volleyball development camps during the winter and summer breaks.

From Aug. 4 to Aug. 7, Dyer and de Vries, along with other current and former Rustler players put a group of about 30 young volleyball players from Grades 5-12 through their paces during an outdoor camp at Cecil Martin Park.

Since graduating from Barrhead Composite High School in 2016, de Vries has been a mainstay of the Rustler's roster where she was an outside hitter while at the same time completing her bachelor of general science degree.

"I want to be a teacher," de Vries said, during a break during the Aug. 6 morning practice. To achieve that goal, she has enrolled in Concordia University's education program this fall.

But before she did, de Vries wanted to return home and help Barrhead's young volleyball players improve their skills by passing on what she has learned playing for the Rustlers in the Alberta College Athletic Conference.

"Barrhead and Neerlandia is a hotbed of volleyball for the area and there are so many talented young players it did not seem right that there wasn't a summer volleyball camp," she said.

And if anyone would know it would be de Vries as she played on both the Neerlandia Public Christian School Eagles and the Barrhead Composite High School Gryphons. She also kept an eye on the local volleyball scene by keeping tabs on her younger siblings.

"I've been mentoring with him and helped him coach at some of his other volleyball camps and I know how big and important volleyball is in the area so I thought it would be cool to bring it here," she said.

Dyer said because of the type of player and individual de Vries is, it didn't take a lot of effort for her to convince him that Barrhead would be a great spot for a summer development camp.

By December, he had secured the gym space at one of Barrhead's schools and had already had several players signed up.

Unfortunately by March, the province put in several restrictions to slow down the spread of the coronavirus put a nix in his plans.

"All you could do is watch and see if the restrictions would lift," he said.

Eventually when the province decided to ease the restrictions as part of its economic recovery plan he wasn't able to secure gym space as Pembina Hills School Division had decided schools would remain closed until their September reopening.

"So we decided to move it outside and have a grass camp," Dyer said, adding he is so glad he did. "It has been wonderful. Who doesn't want to be outside on a gorgeous summer day like this?"

He added he isn't the only one that thinks so saying he has gotten several comments from parents and players thanking him for bringing the outdoor camp to Barrhead.

Dyer added he sees the high skill level and passion for the sport de Vries told him about.

"She wasn't exaggerating," he said, adding while it might be the first time he has run a camp in Barrhead, it most likely it won't be the last.

The only real question is next summer will it be indoors or out. Given the popularity of the grass camp, odds are a return to outside.

Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com

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