If you don’t yet know how to set, spike, dig or dump, this might be the summer to learn.
Thanks to a joint effort between two North Shore indoor volleyball clubs, Lower Lonsdale now has five sand courts at the shipyards site. One member group is BCO Volleyball Club whose 18U Elite girls team recently won both the provincial club championship and the Div. 1, Tier 1 title at the 2015 Volleyball Canada Championships.
Club administrator Deb Janzen explains that a joint committee was formed between BCO and another indoor club called North Shore Stars to help put the sand courts in place. They were installed in 2013, but work at the shipyards to remove a large ship’s hull last year meant they weren’t accessible in 2014.
Open for business again this summer, the courts will host two summer camp programs for teens. One court is always available to the public (unless there is a special event or tournament on), even when camp is in session, and the other four courts can be reserved through the North Vancouver Recreation Commission.
Train and Play is a summer volleyball program for teens ages 12-15 who are new to the game. The group will meet at the sand courts once a week. The focus of the camp will be to learn some skills and enjoy some fun play. The other camp is a high-performance program geared toward youth players who are looking for more intensive training or cross training for their indoor game.
“We’re just really encouraging kids to come out and learn some basic skills and find a place to play that meets their skills,” explains Janzen.
She notes that both indoor and outdoor volleyball are growing in popularity with kids and adults, adding, “You can play at all different levels.”
Part of the appeal of the summer program will be that players are outside, enjoying the sun, and meeting new friends, she notes.
In addition to the summer programs, BCO is also hosting a fun tournament on June 13 taht is open to all players ages 13-15, of any skill level. And while beach volleyball is usually played two-on-two, Janzen explains that can be a bit difficult for new players since it’s a lot of sand to cover, so the tournament will feature six players a side.
“We just want to encourage kids to get out and try it and find out how much fun it is,” she says.
For more information about the summer programs or to register for the tournament visit bcovolleyball.com.
This story originally appeared in a special section of the North Shore News focused on summer camps.
