Seven volleyball players from Cedar won provincial medals for themselves, their team and their new school.
The Ladysmith 49ers placed second at senior AA girls’ championships Saturday in Victoria. Seven of the 10 players on the team are former Cedar Community Secondary School students.
“The Ladysmith school did a really great job of taking the Cedar kids in and really rallying behind them and their drive to going to provincials,” said Stephen Epp, the team’s coach.
The stands at Brentwood College were full of Ladysmith fans, teachers and administrators for Saturday’s gold-medal match, which the 49ers dropped in straight sets to Pacific Academy, 25-19, 25-10, 25-23.
Kelsey Hutt, Shelby Dorman-Banks and Marika Grubac, all from Cedar, were selected as tournament all-stars.
“We had others that could have [been chosen],” Epp said. “We were a true team and it took every single person to get to where we were.”
The coach mentioned that the defence stepped up, as the girls played with the mentality that they weren’t going to let any ball hit the floor.
“They’re black and blue,” the coach said. “And when that final point ended, they just collapsed in exhaustion. They left everything they had on the court, which is huge.”
Not only are the girls satisfied with silver, but they’re proud of what they accomplished this season. The medals are part of that. They built something, too, something new.
“Sports brings people together…” Epp said. “And to have kids from two different schools coming together and fighting for that common goal, it’s hopefully a motivation to become one.”
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