Inverness Oran Sports

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Inverness County volleyball girls are Alberta bound for nationals

The Cape Breton West Raiders are raising money for their trip to the U15 National Female volleyball tournament in Edmonton, Alberta, in May. Members of the team include, from left: (front) Lucy Gillis, Violet MacDonald, Uxia Fernandez, Marli MacDonald; (back) coach Melanie MacDonald, Meara Gibbons, Kymber Spears, Threasa Glover, Leanne MacEachern, Alicia Phillips, manager Sue Spears, coach Nicole MacFarlane. Missing from the photo are player Addisyn Kennedy and coach Molly Murphy-Graham.


April 3, 2024

-by Bill Dunphy
    Alberta bound!
    That’s the tune the Cape Breton West Raiders will be playing – along with some great volleyball – when they take part in the 2024 Youth National volleyball championships in May.
    The U15 girls team, comprised of players from every electoral district in Inverness County, have been busy raising money for the trip which takes them to Edmonton for the May 16th - 18th tournament.
    “It’s going to be great,” said Raiders coach Melanie MacDonald. “The girls get to see another part of this country, play some great volleyball, and represent and promote the entire county.”
    MacDonald said the team includes three players from Mabou and one each from Cheticamp, Margaree, Inverness, Port Hood, Whycocomagh, and Port Hawkesbury.
    “We have 10 girls who are all able to get on the court and they all get along so well. We have a great group of parents and everyone is so positive, and that’s why they are winning.”
    The Raiders are recently back from a tournament in Bedford, where they finished fourth against top-tier teams, including a Moncton team that has yet to lose a match this season, as well as second-place Bedford and third-place Halifax. These teams have 200 kids at tryouts while the Raiders had 25.
    “In our consolation match against the Halifax Sonics, we won the first game 25-22, then lost 23-25, 13-15. The girls played incredibly well. Everybody was just on their game and everyone played.” said MacDonald.
    The team needed to play two seeding events to determine which tier they will play in at nationals.
    One was cancelled, so provincials, which are scheduled for Halifax at the end of the month, will determine their seeding to start the tournament. Should they win their first two matches at nationals, they will move up a tier, and if they lose the first two, they will move down a tier but still be able to compete for a championship.
    “Provincials will help get them ready for national events,” said MacDonald, noting that playing at the Canada Games Centre, or in New Brunswick, where the volleyball facility is a huge warehouse where the lines on the floor are only for volleyball.
    “It’s good for them to experience these large venues before seeing the large Edmonton EXPO Centre. That facility will hold three separate national tournaments in May, from U14 to U18, with an estimated 1,250 teams.
    The cost of attending the tournament could reach $20,000. The team has a request for funding in with the county, but in the meantime they are busy holding various fundraisers.
    The team held a March Break Teen tournament, and they are currently selling tickets on a handmade quilt by Peggy Gillis, who is the grandmother of team member Addisyn Kennedy.
    Tickets are $2 each or three for $5 and can be purchased by sending Melanie a text at 902-302-0272.
    They are also sponsoring an adult dance at the Royal Canadian Legion in Inverness on Saturday, April 13th, featuring the Eddie Cummings Band. The dance is from 9 p.m. until midnight and a minimum donation of $10 will get you inside the door.
    “This will be an amazing experience for the girls and they are all very excited about it.”

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

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