Wheatland volleyball tourney

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

The eighth annual Wheatland Elementary Grade 6 volleyball tournament on Dec. 8 was an afternoon full of excitement for young players.
The tournament consisted of 100 students, five coaches and a total of 10 teams from Carseland, Brentwood, Westmount, and Trinity Christian Academy.
“One of our goals here at our school is to focus on healthy, active living and we have daily physical education at our school. So we try to get kids involved beyond the school day in extracurricular sports and foreshadowing when they move on the junior high,” said Michelle Rushford, tournament organizer. “At this level, we don’t cut anyone and it’s equal opportunity for everyone. All the children that represented today, if they came out for the practices then they made the team. It’s just an opportunity to experience team work and collaboration, and volleyball is such a great sport for that.”
According to Rushford, they hope to expand the tournament in the future.
“This is the first year we’re up to five schools that are invited, the most that have ever come before so we’re expanding,” said Rushford. “I was talking to the principal at Brentwood, who is also the principal at Central Bow Valley and she said we should get some of the outlying areas involved as well. We have a beautiful facility here, we’d definitely be opened to that.”
The event provides the opportunity for kids that would not normally be in athletics to see what teamwork is all about. It also teaches sportsmanship by supporting other teams.