Lane Vermette smashes a ball at the net while playing for the P.A. Smashing Bananas. Submitted photo/Rene Quintal

By Jeff D'Andrea

Representing the province

P.A. volleyball sends biggest crop to Team Sask in last 16 years to Canada Cup

Jun 8, 2019 | 10:02 AM

The Prince Albert Volleyball Club is sending its biggest crop of players to the provincial team in the last 16 years.

Representing Prince Albert this year for Team Saskatchewan at the 2019 Canada Cup in Halifax, July 17-21 will be 11 athletes.

Lane Vermette, Noah Opseth, Ethan Smith, Matthew Rapin, Brock Tomyn and Alex Lafond will represent P.A. at the 15U/16U level, while Nicholas Barker, Ethan Wandzura, Kristopher Kriel, Jordan Cyr and Marc Rapin will play at the 17U/18U level.

“This would be the biggest we’ve sent since I’ve been teaching in Prince Albert for the last 16, 17 years,” said Rene Quintal, coach at the club and St. Mary’s. “So we’re pretty happy with the representation on our provincial teams from just one club.”

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Quintal looks at programs like Atomic Volleyball in Prince Albert as being one of the biggest reasons why more players are getting to the Team Sask level. Atomic gets players hooked on volleyball at a young age.

“Most of the kids started from our development program, P.A. Atomic Volleyball from Grades 4, 5 and 6, so they have the opportunity to be exposed to volleyball at a young age,” Quintal said. “They’ve developed a passion to play at the school level, club level and now at the provincial team level.

Both Jordan Cyr and Lane Vermette started playing in Atomic. For Cyr, he’s glad his volleyball journey has taken him to the East Coast for the Canada Cup.

“I’m just honoured to represent my province and all the people that helped me get to this point from school and from club,” Cyr said. “I think Mr. Quintal and all my teammates that I played with helped get me to this point.”

What Vermette loves the most about the sport is creating new friendships with teammates throughout the season, especially during road trips.

“The on-court stuff is good, but after when you’re with your teammates in the hotel, you make a lot of new friends, especially with the guys all around the province,” Vermette said.

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW