By Teena Monteleone

Volleyball players ready to hit new beach courts

May 10, 2017 | 1:06 PM

A major bump by the Prince Albert Volleyball Association (PAVA) has set the ground for a new beach volleyball court in the city.

The sand courts, located just North of the Alfred Jenkins Field House, will serve the needs of all ages with youth development programs and games, along with various adult leagues starting later this month. 

Randy Emmerson from the Prince Albert Volleyball Association said the sport has a long history of high level participation and achievement in the city.

“There are currently men and women volleyball players from Prince Albert playing at the college or university level….even at the Canada Games. Connor Murray, a former St. Mary High School volleyball player, is currently on the Husky’s mens team at the U of S,” Emmerson said.

Murray was hired by PAVA, in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Volleyball Association, as the on-site beach volleyball programmer for the summer.

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It took the association more than two years to raise over $170,000 to bring beach volleyball courts to Prince Albert. Emmerson said a lease agreement with the city includes the need to put money into a capital reserve.

“We are confident that with general maintenance provided by the city and with the reserve, there will be no more fundraising required for the facility,” he said.

The quality of sand, drainage and size of the facility meets national standards set out by Volleyball Canada and the Canada Games so the city has the option of hosting major events. The four regulation beach volleyball courts have been named the Canadian Tire Court, Northern Lights Community Development Court and Signature Developments Court in recognition of major donors. The fourth court is named following donations in memory of Nigel Weir, a native of Christopher Lake who passed away in Australia in June of 2015 where he was Captain of the University of Queensland Beach Volleyball Club. The first official point will be played in his honour by his family and his close friends, the Halyk family.

The courts will be open for drop-in play through the month of May. Registration information about the various programs can be found on the City of Prince Albert’s website.

teena.monteleone@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TeenaMonteleone