South West Surge Club Volleyball serves up opportunities for local athletes
For years, talented young volleyball players from Glenboro and surrounding areas had to join Brandon and Shilo club teams to compete at a higher level. But now, thanks to the efforts of local organizers, Glenboro finally has a club team to call its own. South West Surge, a U16 girls’ club team led by head coach Brittany Cullen, is bringing elite volleyball closer to home. With players from Glenboro, Killarney, Somerset, Carberry, Pilot Mound and Notre Dame, the team is ready to make waves on the court. Local players include Hunter Feschuk, Torah Robidoux and Grace Sholdice.
One of the driving forces behind forming a local club team was the ability to have more control over scheduling and affordability. “Club volleyball is a huge commitment for both parents and players,” said Cullen. “Having our own club allows us to choose how many tournaments we enter, which in turn makes it more affordable for families.”
Another major factor was flexibility for multi-sport athletes. Many players found it difficult to join other high school teams due to the demanding schedules of Brandon and Shilo club teams. “They practice in Brandon and Shilo four times a week, with tournaments happening weekly across Manitoba and even out of province,” Cullen explained. “That kind of commitment makes it extremely difficult for athletes to take part in other sports, as the seasons often overlap.”
Forming a club team wasn’t without its challenges. Volleyball Manitoba’s approval process is complex, beginning with a community assessment, a public meeting and adherence to the organization’s club structure requirements, including forming a Board of Directors. Once approved, all coaches, assistant coaches, and team managers had to complete background checks and coaching courses.
Cullen expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support in getting the club off the ground. Former Glenboro Girls Panther coach and former National Women’s Championship team coach, Rick Scott, lent a hand during tryouts. Angie Gudnason, former Panthers Volleyball coach and present Assistant coach, has been assisting with practices twice-a- week. Angie Sholdice is assistant coach and Jaclyn Lewis has taken on the role of team manager.
Tryouts were announced via letters to schools throughout Prairie Spirit School Division and were held on December 1st. 17 hopefuls attended the tryouts of which 12 were selected; 10 Surge players and 2 practice players.
February 1st marked an exciting milestone for South West Surge as they competed in their first exhibition tournament in Erickson, winning one out of three games. “I think we did pretty well – the two we lost were pretty close games,” said Cullen.
The team’s first official tournament is set for February 15 and 16 in Brandon/Shilo. The coaches as well as the team are looking forward to this event and feel that the exhibition tournament was a great stepping stone in preparation for the level of action they can expect.
As for the team’s name, “Surge” came about during a brainstorming session. “We were all just throwing out names, and I think it was Jaclyn (Lewis) who said it – we all liked it,” Cullen recalled with a smile. Andrea McLean designed the logo, and Cullen feels the two elements together send a powerful message.
While we can’t predict how the team will fare throughout the season, we can look forward to even more local volleyball opportunities next year. A U17 boys’ team, coached by Devin McLean, and a U15 girls’ team, led by Riley Kemp, will join the South West Surge program. Additionally, a U17 girls’ team will also be coming under the Surge umbrella next season replacing the current U16 with Brittany Cullen coaching.
