Terrace’s elite club volleyball players are en route to the Baden Cup tryouts in Smithers – a location first for the northwest.
For the 16U girls, Brooklyn Ruffle, Cassidy Kitchen and Morgan Monkman (who plays in Terrace but is from Smithers) will attend the tryouts, held today, May 31 and tomorrow, June 1. The athletes are anticipating fierce competition as the Baden Cup, held in Kamloops July 1-4, is the path to the provincial and national team.
For the 14U girls, Mya Siemens, Correina McNeice, Lauren Root, Delany Kitchen, Suttira Johansen, and Brianna Greer will attend, gaining a wealth of experience but with less pressure.
And 16U coach Carmen Didier says it’s a big deal that BC Volleyball is hosting these tryouts in our area for the first time.
“It tells us they are recognizing that there are athletes in the northwest they have noticed to have good enough skills to be playing the sport at a higher level,” she said.
"This 16U team loves the sport and many of the girls want to play college or university someday," she said. "Like every other minor sport in the northwest our biggest challenge has been travel time and expenses to get competition. This age is a critical stage in their sport development where they have to get the battle scars with the high intensity competition in order to gain the game confidence and experience."
Tryouts are also being held in Prince George this weekend, and Didier says BC Volleyball will choose approximately 6-8 girls from the the north, northwest and northeast to go to Baden cup. Seventy girls in total are chosen from around the province.