Superior North Volleyball Club (SNVC) is celebrating the remarkable achievements of its athletes who recently returned from the prestigious Team Ontario Regional Program. The event, which concluded on August 5, provided an intense week-long training and competition opportunity for young volleyball talent across the province.
Leading the way, McKenna Maxton represented SNVC in the Tall Maples program, designed to hone the skills of the province’s tallest and most promising volleyball players. McKenna’s performance stood out, showcasing her growth and potential on the provincial stage.
Mae Boban also represented SNVC, participating in the Team Ontario White (TOW) program. The TOW program is focused on developing athletes who are beginning their high-performance journey in volleyball. Selected through the Athlete Identification Selection process, Mae took part in a rigorous training camp, followed by the Team Ontario Cup competition. This unique event combines competition with development, aiming to strengthen the Team Ontario culture and technical identity while exposing players to a high level of competition. Mae’s participation in TOW highlights her commitment and potential as a rising star in the sport.
A group of six athletes from SNVC participated in the Ontario Summer Games, a three-day event that brought together top volleyball talent. Serena Warren, Leo Fay, Madelyn Brassard, Matthew Foulds, Ania Nesti, and Ava Peterson all represented SNVC with distinction. Their hard work and dedication were evident as they competed against the best in Ontario.
Matthew Foulds and Ava Peterson brought home Gold medals, a testament to their skill and determination. Ania Nesti also made SNVC proud, returning with a Silver medal, highlighting her exceptional performance. Adding to the club’s achievements, John Curtis, one of SNVC’s dedicated coaches, played a pivotal role in guiding his team to win the Bronze medal, demonstrating his exceptional leadership and coaching expertise.
Madelyn Brassard, reflecting on her experience, shared, “I am very grateful and thankful to be presented the opportunity to attend the Team Ontario Regional Program, and play in the Ontario Summer Games. I’ve learned so much, such as what it means to be a high-performance athlete, how to be a reliable teammate, and how important nutrition is on and off the court. What I took away from this experience is how to be a better player, and a better person.”
SNVC would also like to extend a special thank you to Caoch Emma Korolenko, who represented the club as a coach during the week-long program. Emma’s dedication and expertise played a crucial role in the development and success of the athletes throughout the program. Emma also coached the team that won gold at the Team Ontario Cup, an inter-squad match between all the athletes at Team O White.
Coach Emma Korolenko reflected on the experience, saying, “Seeing the amount of local athletes get to compete at the Team Ontario level this year is something we as coaches are lucky to be a part of. Being fortunate enough to have the opportunity to coach many of this year’s Team O participants, it is fantastic to see all the hard work they put in throughout both their high school and club programs in order to compete and succeed at their respective provincial levels. Coming from an isolated community compared to most of the other participants, these athletes show their ability to learn, train, and compete with those who are often more exposed to greater opportunities than we get in Northwestern Ontario. The value in having these experiences is that the athletes are able to meet new players and coaches, learn from new perspectives, and most importantly, grow in their confidence and leadership skills and promote high-level training skills and habits across other local athletes.”
The success of SNVC athletes at these events is a reflection of the club’s commitment to developing high-caliber volleyball players. The club is immensely proud of McKenna, Mae, Serena, Leo, Madelyn, Matthew, Ania, Ava, and Coach John for their outstanding performances and for representing SNVC with excellence.
As the athletes return home, SNVC looks forward to continuing to support their development and celebrating their future successes on and off the court. The club’s achievements at the Team Ontario Regional Program and Ontario Summer Games are a promising indication of the bright future ahead for volleyball in the Superior North region.
