Volleyball season is half way to provincials and the Lethbridge College women Kodiaks team believes that this year they will take their team to the final tournament
With six games under their belt, the women’s Kodiak’s are sitting with a 4-2 advantage in the league.
The Kodiak team has 12 senior players and four new comers which head coach Anna Schwark says will play as a huge advantage for the team’s future in the league.
“Considering that we are a two-year college, we are definitely old, we have fourth and fifth years which we don’t have ever so it is really exciting for us,” said Schwark.
Laura Serafini has been with the team for the last four years and has become the teams silent weapon. Being able to communicate with the team with just a look has enhanced the mental and communicative aspects of their game.
The Kodiaks have a strong performance on the defensive side with three libero players and coach Schwark says that third-year Reina Hirata has made her name as the defensive leader title.
“She actually started on the left side, but transitioned into the libero position last year and she is not only a leader on the team, but she is a good defensive leader for us,” said Schwark.
One of the senior players is Kristine Ward is the groups powerhouse left side who has been consistently in the top kills within the league. Coach Schwark says that Ward is a player that knows how to keep the team together when times get tough and that she is definitely a player that stands out on the court.
Schwark says that the team had a good advantage coming into this season because the girls were already conditioned and motivated to push further this season.
The teams main struggle is dealing with the loss of the player Emmalee Cherweniuk, who was tragically killed last March in a car accident. Schwark says that Cherweniuk is always in their thoughts and that it is hard to deal with, but has been a good motivator for the team.
“Sometimes we slip up, having lost a player last year. Getting to the gym and being with each other all the time, it’s hard not to feel sometimes like someone is missing and I think that has been our biggest struggle,” said Schwark.
The coach says that the team has come together to form safe space to work through emotions and that has made the team even stronger.
With games against Olds College and SAIT coming up the team is preparing to face off against the other schools and is keeping the final picture of qualifying for the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference in mind.
“I think that we will be able to take a couple games off of everybody in the league… The girls are getting excited because placing in top four is possible for our group so we are really keeping that in our sites,” said Schwark.
With nine more games until the final, the women’s Kodiaks team says that they are constantly pushing and improving to bring the team back to the conference and end the season with a bang.
