CHILL 16U CONTINUE THE COMEBACK TREND AT PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
2012-4-13

Waterloo, ON - Each spring, youth volleyball programs in cities and towns across Ontario practice, train, and practice again, in preparation for the penultimate tournament of the season – the Ontario Provincial Championships.  Held for the past four years at the impressive RIM Park Manulife Sportsplex in Waterloo, the tournament is the culmination of commitment, dedication, and hard work by players, coaches, and hundreds of volunteers.  The goal to win a provincial medal is on every team’s wish list, including the girls of the Northern Chill 16U team this past weekend, whose desire to finish an already admirable season with a provincial medal was evident from the start.

Entering the tournament ranked a very respectable 27th out of 74 teams, the girls faced their first test in the early hours of Day One against the 22nd-ranked Durham Attack Black.  While early jitters were present in the first set loss (12-25), the coaching staff of Craig Thomson and Amy Cliff settled their players’ nerves quickly enough to earn a tight 25-23 second set win on the strength of outstanding passing by Alandria Czerkas and strong net play by rookie Jillian Vallier.  Going into the third set with momentum on their side, the “Comeback Kids”, as their fans have affectionately dubbed them, ground out a 15-12 third set victory, despite an falling behind to an early deficit.

The second contest of the day saw Chill take on the 19th-ranked Stratford Stingers, who despite all-around strong play from Emily Sanders, fell to the locals in straight sets 20-25 and 22-25.  According to Thomson, “[We had] a few system breakdowns at the critical 20-25 point stage that cost us dearly.”

The final match of the round robin pitted Chill against 30th-ranked Forest City Green 15U (London).  It was apparent from the early going that the girls were going to have to work for every point, as luck clearly wasn’t on their side.  Along with several questionable calls made by the official, the fans in attendance witnessed the progression of an epic set, as the two evenly matched sides traded points in what unfortunately ended in a 30-32 first set loss for the northerners.  The physical intensity of the first set, combined with the mental dismay of losing such a contest in the way they did, saw the young team, consisting of three first year players, falter on the court in the third set, succumbing 14-25 to a rejuvenated Forest City team.

Despite ending day one on a losing note, the coaching staff re-grouped and worked with their charges to re-evaluate their goals and begin the Day Two “Power Pools” with the same commitment to success that saw the girls win a Provincial Cup silver medal earlier in the season.

Opening their pool against a very determined 24th-ranked Interclub (North York) team, the girls saw remnants of their inconsistent play from the first day return, resulting in a disappointing 20-25 first set loss.  In the second set, the veteran presence of left side hitter Amanda Kring and the defensive prowess of rookies Courtney Smith and Vallier took their southern opponents to the brink with a hard-fought 25-23 win.  The decisive third set brought about shouts of encouragement from the stands as Chill faced an early 1-7 deficit.  Knocking this deficit off point-by-point on the strength of crisp combos run by setter Kelsey Pitre, the girls couldn’t overcome the untimely errors, losing the set 13-15, and the match.

An awakening of sorts took place in the second match of the day, where Chill took on the 29th-ranked Halton Hurricanes Blue.  With selfless play and visual sense of purpose, the girls handily took down their opponents in the first set 25-15.  In a disappointing turn, coaches Thomson and Cliff saw the effortless win from the first set get cancelled out with a messy 15-25 loss in the second.  Utilizing the entire roster, Thomson and Cliff saw their team claw back once again in the third set, scraping out another come-from-behind win 15-12, leaving their opponents crest-fallen at the result.

The third, and final match of the Power Pool draw - to determine seeding for the all-important play-off round the following day - saw Chill take on the 26th-ranked South County Bandits.  With the adrenalin still pumping from the dramatic win in the previous match, Chill dominated the Essex County-based Bandits 25-14 in the first set.  With a tighter set to follow, Thomson once again went to his bench using every player available to pull out a 25-23 victory, with Toni Teale proving the catalyst with a late-stage 8-point serving run.

Said Thomson – “I am so impressed by the “compete” level of the girls, and Manon (Duhaime) is having the tournament of the year.”

By finishing in a tie for first place in their pool the day prior, the reward was a re-match of a play-off match from earlier in the season against the very tough 13th-ranked Ottawa Fusion.  Knowing the Fusion is not a team that gives away points easily, the girls knew that each point would have to be fought for and earned.  With an effort that made both the coaching staff and their travelling fan base proud, Chill gave their opponents all they could handle; however the untimely re-appearance of missed serves and unforced errors ultimately saw Chill eliminated from the tournament with a 20-25 and 19-25 straight set loss.

Despite the disappointment of losing so early in the play-offs, coach Thomson offered some a positive outlook and perspective for his talented and impressionable team:

“The experience learned here will pay dividends at Nationals (the 2012 Canadian Open Volleyball Championship) and generally going forward as a team, I can’t wait for Nationals.”

The Northern Chill 16U team finishes their season with a place at the 2012 Canadian Open Volleyball Championships in Toronto from May 17th  - 19th – where over 800 teams from across the country, ranging in age from 12 – 65 will compete for the first time ever under one roof.  Visit www.volleyball.ca for more details.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

CHILL 18U LOOK TO THE WEST FOR A SHOT AT GLORY
2012-1-30

Playing in the Championship West Division for the first time this season, the Northern Chill 18U girls volleyball team took to the hardwood once again hoping that a change of scenery would improve upon their fortunes as the season continued at the 18U Challenge Cup held in Stratford.

Looking to improve upon its fifth place finish at the Provincial Cup held last December, the fifth-ranked Chill started the day on a winning note with a tense 25-21, 25-21 straight-set victory against the plucky Guelph Grizzlies.

Unstoppable serving by Eile Kleppe against Burlington.

Following a quick break, Chill took on the fourth-ranked team – Burlington Blaze Black, an old foe from years past.  With both teams evenly matched in the first set, Chill saw outstanding serve receiving by libero Natalie Dupuis and unstoppable serving by outside hitter Eili Kleppe rewarded with a 27-25 first set victory.  The second set saw a line-up change and with it strong net play from middle blocker Nicole Collard and setter Liandra Hunt.  Unfortunately, defensive miscues reared their ugly head and Chill succumbed handily 15-25 to force a tie-breaking third set.  On the strength of strong blocking and defensive superiority, Chill went on to claim the set 15-10, earning the girls a bye heading into the playoffs.

The quarterfinals saw Chill take on local hosts, Stratford Stingers.  Despite their somewhat diminutive size, the Stingers proved to be a solid defensive group, pushing Chill once again to three sets.  Despite losing a tight first set 24-26, Chill rallied in the second with a gut-wrenching 28-26 win.  The third set saw Chill surge to an early 9-2 run; a lead they would not relinquish, earning a place in the semifinals with a convincing 15-7 victory over the home town favorites.

As almost a direct contrast to the speed and defensive prowess brought on by the Stingers, Chill’s next opponent – Hamilton Smash, trotted out size and power, giving the girls everything they could handle.  The top-ranked team coming into the tournament - Smash started off slowly allowing Chill to build an early 6-point lead in the first set.  Errors at the net by the Chill front line soon saw the Hamiltonians claw back, eventually taking the lead and the set 25-22.  Unfazed by the offensive powerhouse on the other side of the net, Chill brought “the fight” in the second set capitalizing on Smash’s defensive inadequacies to triumph 25-21.  The third set – the decider of which guaranteed the victor a medal and a shot at Premier Division glory, presented the gathering spectators with the opportunity to watch top-level volleyball.  As points exchanged in a flurry of extended rallies, Chill saw their hopes dashed by a late run of untimely hitting errors, handing Smash a 15-13 win; thus relegating the deflated northerners to the bronze medal match.

Following six straight sets of intense ball play without a rest, Chill lifted its saddened gaze to prepare for a bronze medal match-up with the Kitchener Predators 17U team.  Despite climbing back from a early deficit in the first set and carrying the play most of the second, Chill couldn’t summon the energy needed to pull out an all-too-familiar comeback, losing to their younger opponents 20-25 and 16-25.

In spite of heavy heads and the shattered attempt at glory, Chill outperformed even its own expectations and served notice to the teams in the western division that they were a team to be reckoned with.

Chill 18U continues their season in the Championship Division with the McGregor Cup, being held on February 11th.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

CHILL 17U SEEKS MORE HARDWARE AT CHALLENGE CUP
2012-1-30

Coming off their bronze medal showing at the Provincial Cup in December, the Northern Chill 17U girls volleyball team were determined to ride that wave of success towards another medal, perhaps of a different colour.

Starting the day as the seventh-ranked team in the Championship West Division, Chill saw itself having to climb out of a deep

Brianna Eles serving prowess key to comeback against Mississauga Ms. Pacmen

hole early, losing to the top-ranked Georgetown Impact in the first set 16-25.  The girls managed to shake off the rust with a convincing 25-15 second set win, built on the consistent serving of Indigo Clement and Brianna Eles.  Despite some excellent hitting and strong net play, Chill fell in the third set 13-15.

The second match of the day saw Chill face off against the Twin Bridges VC (Sarnia).   Once again, consistent serving and timely hitting determined the outcome with Chill gaining the straight-set victory 25-20 and 25-18.

Entering the playoffs with a second place finish in their pool, the girls set their sights on their next challenge – a quarterfinal match-up against the third-ranked Peel Selects (Brampton).  With back-and-forth play and nail-biting rallies, Chill played with their opponents most of the way, losing 19-25 in the first set – a result of defensive miscues and inconsistent hitting.  With a surging Selects team challenging for every point, Chill managed to keep pace until the power of their opponents was too much to overcome, sending the northerners to a second set loss 17-25.

In stark contrast to their successful run in December, Chill now found itself on the edge of defeat, with the disappointment of relegation to the Trillium Division a realistic possibility.  Faced with a daunting obstacle from the outset, Chill needed to overcome their next opponent – Ms. Pacmen 16U (Mississauga) to claim fifth place and maintain their standing in the division.  Despite Head Coach Joanna Castonguay’s words of encouragement following the last defeat, Chill could not seem to “get it right”, losing handily in the first set 10-25.  With the agony of relegation seemingly close, the girls maintained their emotions and punched out a stunning comeback in the second set 25-19 on the strength of the serving prowess of [Brianna] Eles.  With newly-found momentum on their side, the team rallied in the third set to eclipse the lady Pacmen15-10, thus salvaging what might have been a disastrous result.

With the outcome, Chill will continue to press for its second medal of the season when it travels to Peterborough to participate in the McGregor Cup on February 4th.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

CHILL 15U SEARCHES FOR A HIGHER LEVEL OF PLAY AT CHALLENGE CUP
2012-1-30

No matter the sport, no matter the team – a higher level of play is always the goal. 

This statement seems to be the basis of what the Northern Chill 15U girls volleyball team hopes to achieve this season.  Coming off a solid fifth place finish at the Provincial Cup in December, the coaching staff of Carly Santi and Emilie Mayer sought more consistent and energized play from their young charges.

Daniella Trodel offensive second set onslaught was not enough to beat Vista

Amidst the backdrop of the wonderful new state-of-the-art gymnasium at Nipissing University in North Bay playing host to the Challenge Cup, Chill started the day on a winning note, besting the hometown North Bay Lakers Green 14U in a convincing 25-13, 25-19 straight set win. 

Stiffer competition in the form of the third-ranked Georgian Bay Vista awaited Chill in the second pool match of the day.  Despite strong serving from Alana Dugdale, Natalee Perisotto, and Hannah Melinski, the girls couldn’t overcome their southern opponents, losing in the first set 17-25.  With an offensive onslaught led by Daniella Trodel in the second set, Chill took points back from the Vista.  Extended rallies and superb digs drew the set out to its final points, with Chill succumbing 23-25.

As reward for finishing second in their pool, Chill were handed a difficult quarterfinal match against the always-tough ACTS Elites (Orangeville).  On the back of 11 kills by Trodel, Chill took their opponents to the brink of victory, barely falling 24-26 in the first set.  The second set bore a renewed energy from the northerners as quality serving and a comeback from a 6-point deficit turned up a 25-19 win.  The third and deciding set saw outstanding digs and key hits, but left Chill on the losing end 9-15.

By the time their final game against the Barrie Elites Blue took place, the girls were showing signs of exhaustion and frustration – their strong play and effort not producing the results sought at the beginning of the day.  With words of motivation and encouragement from the first-year coaches, the young players found it within themselves to fight to a tough first set win 25-22.  After reversing the score (22-25) in a tough second set loss, Chill regained the momentum to end their day on a high, by overwhelming the Elites 15-5 in the deciding set.

Knowing that the season is still young, and establishing itself within the division as a complete and hard-fighting team, Chill hope to continue its run of good results as they take to the court once more at the upcoming McGregor Cup, on February 25th.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

CHILL 14U TAKES THIRD-PLACE HONOURS AT CHAMPLAIN JUNIOR TOURNAMENT
2011-12-13

With the OVA Challenge Cup fast approaching, Head Coach Eric Bacon saw an opportunity to provide his young charges with some extra competition, as the club team participated in the local Champlain Junior Volleyball Tournament.

Held over two days this past weekend, Chill took on local and regional high school squads in the exhibition tourney. The first match of the round robin saw Chill take on Marymount Academy. Facing an early challenge from the local team, Chill prevailed in a three set victory 25-22, 16-25, and 15-10. Next up for Chill was a tight match against W.C.
Eaket Secondary School from Blind River. Taking the first set 25-17, the club team emerged from a tough second set to win 27-25. With all round robin matches three sets in duration, Chill fell in the third, 14-16.

Completing the first round of play against Espanola High School, Chill started out strong taking the first set 25-20 before squeaking by a determined Espanola side 27-25 in the second. With second place in their pool already assured, Chill fell in the final set 11-15.

In quarterfinal play, Chill took to the floor against the always-crafty L'École secondaire MacDonald-Cartier, besting their local opponents in straight sets 25-20 and 25-17.

With a chance to claim a top-three finish, Chill approached the semi-final match with the host school - L'École secondaire catholique Champlain, with a boost of confidence and momentum. In a tight first set that saw Chill match their opponents point-for-point, it was the local high schoolers who came out on top with a 25-22 win. The hosts built upon the first set win with a convincing 25-17, to take the match.

With a strong third-place finish, all goals and objectives were met, according to Coach Bacon.

He added, "Overall, [this was] a great weekend…a great learning experience for the girls! It gave the team a chance to work on specific skills and as the day went on, they showed a marked improvement in everything they did."

The Chill 14U team takes to the court next in the OVA Challenge Cup on December 16th, in North Bay.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

CHILL 18U DEMONSTRATE AN UNBREAKABLE BOND AT PROVINCIAL CUP
2011-12-12

On the evening prior to their first OVA tournament appearance of 2011, the Northern Chill 18U volleyball team assembled for a team meeting in the hotel room of Head Coach Mike Margarit. Like any tournament beforehand, the purpose of these meetings typically revolves around the discussion of goals, strategies, and preparation for the following day. This meeting though, was slightly different.

"We took caribiners (mountain climbing clips) and customized them to represent each of our personalities. Each clip is unique. When we join them together, they symbolize our unity", explained Middle Blocker Nicole Collard.

While each player is responsible for their bauble away from the court, prior to tournaments the team joins the clips to remind themselves of the importance of that unity. That bond was on display this past weekend as the 18U girls competed in the Provincial Cup in Barrie.

Ranked fourth coming into the day, Chill fired on all cylinders with an early round victory over the Georgian Cubs (25-16, 25-17). Thundering offensive displays from Collard and Outside Hitter Allison Larsen, Chill overcame their opposition with ease. The second match of the day pitted the girls against the Port Perry Panthers. Strong serving from Middle Blocker Kailey Bastien and expertly placed sets by Setter Liandra Hunt steered the team to a 25-19 set win. Despite a point-for-point exchange in the first half of the next set, the girls settled down and easily put away the Panthers 25-12.

The final match of the round robin had all the makings of a classic, with Chill taking on the top-ranked Kingston Pegasus. Despite their opponents jumping out to an early first set lead, Chill refused to back down. Key bone-rattling blocks by Collard and Right Side Hitter Tamara McNair, turned the momentum in the Sudbury team's favour. As the back-and-forth set continued on, a larger crowd started to form, watching what many could say was an epic effort from both teams. With first place in the pool on the line, the teams took the first set to the limit, exchanging salvos in a fury of digs, spikes, and seemingly impossible saves. Down 21-23, Coach Margarit called a time-out to calm his chargess amidst the increasing hum of crowd noise. Collected and composed, Chill put the wraps on perhaps their finest performance of the season to date, eclipsing their opponents 27-25. The second set was equally special with both teams picking up where the last set left off. A furious exchange of power and finesse plays saw the teams draw even at 23 points apiece, only for Pegasus to pull ahead and take the set 25-23.

With a gym that was abuzz with emotion and crowd energy, Chill walked off the court to plan for their first play-off match against the Northumberland Breakers (Cobourg); the lofty heights of Premier Division volleyball within sight. The Breakers, a familiar foe over the years, were riding emotion and momentum of their own and carried it to an energy-draining 27-25 and 25-23 win.

Despite the disappointment of the loss, the true character of this team surfaced near the end of the match when one their own was pulled from the court due to illness. In a selfless act, McNair offered to play in an unfamiliar role, in a re-match against the Port Perry Panthers. With survival in the division on the line, the girls ably handled their opponent 25-14, 25-10.

Not unlike the clips they made the night prior, Chill once again demonstrated that they are strongest when joined together, further emphasizing the bond that so strongly underlines the spirit of this team. The 18U team continues their season in the new year, with the Challenge Cup.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

NEWCOMERS MAKE THEIR MARK AS U15 CHILL CLAIM FIFTH AT PROVINCIAL CUP
2011-11-29

With any team starting the season anew, excitement, anticipation, and plenty of question marks are often abound.

The Northern Chill 15U Girls volleyball team carried with them each of those emotions as they opened their season at the Provincial Cup this past weekend at Twin Lakes Secondary School in Orillia. With the addition of two new team members – setter Taylor Bazinet and middle Julia Lamarche, along with two new faces on the coaching staff (former players Carly Santi and Emilie Mayer), the concern that this collective group of newcomers couldn't gel with the returning members was put to rest very quickly.

Beginning round robin play with an early match against Barrie Elites Blue, the girls started strongly with a sweep of the first two sets – 25-11 and 25-16, on the merits of outstanding team serving. The second match of pool play saw Chill face the local favorites – the Orillia Suns. Going into the match with some confidence, the team was faced with adversity at the outset, having to respond to nine straight service points lost to start the first set. With encouragement raining down from the sidelines and the support of the travelling fans, the girls settled down and rallied to secure a 25-22 victory. Set two saw mixed results as the Suns clawed back into the match with a 25-18 win. The deciding set saw the host side challenge the receiving skills of the northerners with countless well placed serves, eventually taking the match with a 15-9 third set win.

With a tough loss to deal with at the end of pool play, the girls set their sights on a quarterfinal match against northern neighbours - the North Bay Lakers. Despite some key situational serving and setting from the whole team, it wasn't enough to overcome the errors that found their way into the Chill game, therefore giving the Lakers a two-set victory over Chill (25-16, 25-20).

A convincing win (25-8, 25-21) over the Barrie Elites Blue in the 5th place match-up brought some sense of satisfaction from the players and the coaches after a convincing effort replete with the prospect of building for the remainder of the season on the strength of the execution of key fundamentals.

With momentum clearly on their side, the girls are looking forward to improving on their performance at the Challenge Cup, held on January 14th.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

CHILL 17U EARNS FIRST MEDAL OF THE SEASON AT PROVNICIAL CUP
2011-11-29

The lifecycle of a club volleyball team often reads like this: practice twice a week, participate in conditioning once a week, attend a tournament at the end of it all, and strive to bring everything you've been taught to the court in one exhilarating and exhaustive day. For the Northern Chill 17U Girls volleyball team, this routine of hard work and dedication was put to task as they took to the hardwood this past weekend to participate in the season-opening Provincial Cup, held at Eastview Secondary School in Barrie.

Ranked second heading into the day, the girls approached the day much like any other, with one exception – to maintain or better their ranking, with promotion to the Championship Division on the line.

The day started off on a high note with a resounding victory (25-7, 25-8) over the Stingrays '95 "Rush" (York Region), built on an astounding 14-point serving run by Outside Hitter Indigo Clement. The second match of the round robin saw Chill take on the Georgian Bay Vista, besting their southern counterparts 25-18 and 25-7. As with the first match, consistent serving was the key, with outstanding performances from Pascale Lavergne, Meagan Flewelling, Danielle Marshall, and Melina Ralph. With the win, Chill claimed first in their pool along with a bye to the quarter-finals.

The quarter-final match pitted Chill against the Stingrays '95 "Whip" - entertaining the supportive crowd with back-and-forth play and defensive showmanship. After a difficult first set, won by the Stingrays 26-24, the girls tightened up their defense and took the second set 25-17. In a "see-saw" third set, Chill dismissed their opponents 15-11, earning a place in the semi-finals.

A medal within reach, and the opportunity to realize the early season goal of promotion, the girls went to task against Eclipse West (Etobicoke). Facing their strongest opposition of the day, the girls exhausted themselves fighting for points, eventually losing the first set 23-25. Despite pleas and cheers from the travelling supporters, Chill could not find the winning formula and fell in the second set 10-25, eliminating the chance for promotion.

The task to rebuild the momentum and fight for the bronze medal match was left to Head Coach Joanne Castonguay. Facing another team from Etobicoke – the Titans Black, Coach Castonguay urged her charges to a nail-biting first set win, 26-24. The encouragement brought back momentum, with Chill dominating the second, and final set, 25-14; thus earning the team third place and the bronze medal.

With the weight of hardware hanging about their necks, the girls are intent on building on the success of this tournament with a repeat performance at the Challenge Cup, held on January 14th.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

NORTHERN CHILL 14U FIGHTS FOR FOURTH AT PROVINCIAL CUP
2011-11-23

"It was a great way for the girls to experience the wide variety of competition at the Provincial level."

For this team of fledgling athletes, the prospect of making an impact at their first tournament was not as much an expectation, but a goal.

Added coach Eric Bacon, "For most of these girls, this is their first taste of high level competition, and they responded wonderfully."

Following their recent team-building excursion to Killarney Provincial Park, the team made the 4½ hour trek to Kitchener to participate in their first ever OVA-sanctioned event – the Provincial Cup. Hosted at Forest Heights Collegiate Institute – the former high school of Canadian National Team Member and 4-time All-American at the University of Nebraska, Sarah Pavan – the girls must have sensed the winning vibe within the facility.

After starting the morning with a dominating victory over the Halton Hurricanes Black (25-22, 25-12), the girls set to task the possibility of finishing the round robin with a perfect record by taking on the Ballhawks White. On the strength of key blocking and efficient serving, the girls finished the round robin with a perfect record, beating the Ballhawks 25-11 and 25-12. After a long layoff waiting for their playoff match against the Georgetown Impact, the girls came out and won a tough first set 25-19, followed by an easier time in the second, prevailing 25-14.

Heading into the quarterfinals shortly afterwards, the physical toll of early season play took hold, with the always-tough Aurora Storm coming out on top 25-7 and 24-12. Having faced their first adversity of the day, the team had to regroup for the bronze medal match, where they succumbed to an in-form Niagara Rapids club, 12-25 and 14-25.

With little expectation other than to experience the quality of provincial competition coming into this tournament, the fourth place finish pleased coach Bacon: "Fourth (place) was a great finish for this team. Our girls served very well and responded when called upon every time. I am truly happy with this result." The Chill 14U team takes to the court again on December 17th when they compete for the Challenge Cup.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

SILVER SATURDAY FOR NORTHERN CHILL U16
2011-11-22

The Northern Chill 16U volleyball team kicked off the OVA season in shining fashion, winning the silver medal at the Provincial Cup, held over the weekend in Barrie.

After only a month of practice and training, the team stormed through the round robin pool of play unscathed, winning all matches in straight sets.

In the first match of pool play, Chill outmatched its opponents – Markham Stingers Blue 25-11 and 25-13, with some outstanding serving from Alandria Czerkas and team veteran Amanda Kring. The girls carried the momentum into the second match against ACT Elites, prevailing 25-19 and 25-15, on the shoulders of solid net play from "the Emilys" – veterans Emily McDonald and Emily Sanders, and newcomer Emily Clark. McDonald, in a fit of offensive dominance, recorded double-digit kills over two sets during pool play.

In the third set, the team faced the Georgian Cubs, easily outdistancing themselves from the "pack" 25-12 and 25-17. This string of impressive wins earned the girls a bye into the semi-finals for a showdown with the Markham Stingers Black. In a match that proved the resolve of an already depleted team due to a short bench, the girls fought through the two sets, eventually winning 25-19, 25-19 – on the back of the defensive prowess of power-cum-libero Manon Duhaime, who prior to the day's events, had never played the position before.

Coach Craig Thomson (also known as "Mr. T") explained, "Because of our short bench, I wanted to put a libero on the floor and I asked Manon…she was selfless. Playing a position like this for first time in her life was a big move, and she was fantastic."

Thomson later added, "The whole team played outside of itself. We (Thomson, assistant coaches Amy Cliff and Pat Gervais) were thrilled to see the girls take the game to the opposition all day. It all came together. What a fun day." The final match of the day pitted the team against the towering Barrie Elites, who behind the cheering of a host crowd, had emotion on their side. In what can only be described as a "classic", the two teams fought through an exhaustive opening set, with the Elites winning 29-27, after using their full compliment of bench players to succumb the plucky Chill players; despite a 9-point serving run by Toni Teale. With all energy sapped in the first set, the girls couldn't find the winning edge in the second, going down 15-25.

After such a morale-boosting opening tournament, coach Thomson and staff are hoping that the hunger for winning continues as the team proceeds to the Championship division, for the first time in the current team's history.

The 16U team plays again in the Challenge Cup on December 17th.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

TEAM BUILDING STARTS OFF THE COURT FOR U14 CHIILL TEAM
2011-11-16

As the girls were passing, spiking, digging, and serving their ways onto the 2011 – 2012 Northern Chill 14U team, Coach Eric Bacon knew what needed to be done to bring this young and impressionable group of young ladies together as a team.

"Months ago, I participated in "low ropes" training", said Bacon.

U14 Chill team building in Killarney.

"Once I saw the facility, I immediately thought about the potential of using this in a team-building setting", Bacon further added.

The facility he was talking about is the Killarney-Shebanoning Outdoor Environmental Education Centre. The goal he was trying to achieve was to give the team a chance to bond in a fun and educational environment.

The girls had a chance to participate in team building activities such as the low ropes course, where they were required to collaborate and work together; two invaluable skills required often on the volleyball court. Throughout the weekend, the girls were put also put into groups where they were also responsible for preparing meals for their teammates.

While the majority of the weekend was designed to build bonds that club officials hope can be fostered for years to come, the players also enjoyed some court time, where they were able to work on skills as well as team tactics.

"This weekend offered the girls a chance to learn very important lessons about all aspects of the game, from building a winning attitude, to learning what it will be like to compete at the highest level", said Bacon. "

I think one of the keys would be that they learned a lot about each other…most don't see each other outside of volleyball, so it was a great experience which should help our team in the long run".

The positive outcome that Bacon hoped for was shared by many of the players, including Colleen Bocy, who summised "I had so much fun and learned so many new things. I'm now really comfortable with my teammates and I love them all. I think it will be a great season."

The team has the opportunity to transfer what they learned in Killarney at the Provincial Cup tournament, held in Cambridge this weekend.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

18U CHILL STARTS THE SEASON WITH A RENEWED CULTURE
2011-11-15

The Northern Chill 18U girls volleyball team took to the court early in this 2011-2012 season participating in the annual Humber College Invitational, in Etobicoke.

The team had a familiar look this year, with seven returning players. However, the make-up of this team changed dramatically when the two newest players - right side Megan Buckle and Libero/setter Natalie Dupuis joined the club. Their dedication to the sport that they love is made evident by their commitment to travel from North Bay to Sudbury three times a week for practice and training.

Says Buckle, "When [Nat and I] thought about trying out for Chill, we were really excited…because we knew a lot of the girls from playing with them on the regional [volleyball team] and knew that it was going to be a very strong team. It was nerve-wracking though…but its refreshing to have a group of girls that want to play volleyball all the time and improve all of their skills together."

Chill started the tournament with a match against the Burlington Blaze, succumbing in both sets 16-25 and 18-25. With early season jitters and rusty play setting the course, the girls fought for every ball, but fell to their more seasoned opponents. Despite the setback, fans in attendance agreed that there was a visible potential for the team to have a strong run during the season.

The second match of the day pitted the girls against the always-tough Scarborough Titans. With some excellent serving and net play, the ladies took the first set 25-18, only to lose in the second, 11-25.

In the third match, against the newly-formed Leaside Lightning, the ladies improved their defense greatly, but lost in straight sets 19-25 and 16-25.

Heading into the consolation round against the Ganaraska Wolves, the ladies knew that in order to come out of the weekend on a high, they would have to dig deep within themselves to find the winning formula. After being humbled in the first set 15-25, the girls defiantly fought back to take the second – 29-27. Despite having momentum on their side, the girls could not pull through, losing 12-15 in a nail biting contest.

Coach Mike Margarit was happy with the results though, understanding that the goals of this tournament were met: "Overall it was a successful weekend for us. Our focus for the weekend was not results-based, but rather in beginning to implement the defensive culture that we want to be the foundation of our play this season. I was pleased with the first steps we have taken in the creation of that culture. We were forced to deal with some adversity early in the competition due to injury, however our athletes showed maturity in overcoming that.

Overall I was pleased with the foundation that we are laying and am confident that with continued care, commitment, and a willingness to compete, we are moving in the right direction."

The 18U girls take to the court again in the season opening Provincial Cup, held on December 10th.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

ORIENTATION - REGISTRATION DAY INFO
2011-10-12

On Sunday October 16th we will be conducting our annual Registration Day. This year however, we have added an Orientation portion for our athletes.

The Orientation portion of Sunday will run from 10:30am to 12:30pm. A healthy lunch will be served from 12:30pm to 1:00pm for coaches and athletes.

The Registration Day, portion, which includes parents will run from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.

In the Orientation portion we will review club policies with the athletes, conduct team building activities as well as take individual and team photos. We will also conduct team meetings and athletes will be required to complete their player profiles and complete their goal setting sheets. We will also set up our team binders for the year.

Our personal trainers will also be on hand to review with the athletes their own philosophies and goals for the fitness program. Randy Pascal will also be on hand to conduct a brief media workshop for the athletes.

The Registration portion will consist of sizing for team wear, parent meetings, shopping and of course registration. We will also be conducting a scoring workshop for parents as requested. Please remember to have athletes bring black spandex and your court shoes.

Also, returning Chill athletes are requested to bring their team jackets from last year. Please ensure that you print off the attached documents - OVA registration and Chill Player Registation form - and bring them completed with you on Sunday. Having them completed ahead of time makes the afternoon much more efficient.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

FINAL 14U TRYOUT & TEAM ROSTER INFORMATION
2011-09--28

The final 14U Open Tryout will take place on Sunday, October 2nd. The tryout will take place at Lockerby Composite School from 2:30 till 5:00. All athletes who have been to tryouts to date are welcomed back, in addition to any new athletes who are interested in trying out.

All other rosters have been finalized. The Northern Chill Volleyball Club would like to thank all athletes for their interest in our program.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

16U TRYOUT VENUE CHANGE TO NORTHEASTERN
2011-09--28

Due to a last minute facility issue, we are forced to move our 16U tryout to Northeastern Elementary from 6:00pm to 8:00pm on Wednesday September 28th.   We will attempt to contact athletes via email and phone as well.  Our sincere apologies for the last minute change.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

NEXT ROUND OF TRYOUTS
2011-09-27

_____________________________________________________________________________________

PARENT INFORMATION PACKAGE
2011-09-27

Information packages are now available. Click here for the parent information package, and click here for the OVA schedule.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

FIRST ROUND OF TRYOUTS THIS SUNDAY - September 25
2011-09-19

Sunday, September 25th, 2011 at Lockerby Composite Secondary School - Athletes are invited in the following age groups during the assigned time slots:

(1998 or later) & (1997 or later) & (1996 or later) 2:30pm to 5:30pm

(1995 or later), (1994 or later) 11:30am to 2:30pm

Cost of the tryout is $30.00
( Athletes who attended our Skills Clinic have their tryout fee waived.)

Athletes that did not attend the Skills Clinic are requested to download the Athlete Information Form here and bring it to the beginning of their respective session. Athletes are entitled to a minimum of ONE tryout.

A Parent Information Session will be conducted 30 minutes after the start of each tryout.

For further information, please contact: Michael Margarit - Club President mmargarit@northernchill.org

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Annual Skills Clinic this Saturday - September 17
2011-09-15

The Northern Chill Volleyball Club is pleased to announce its Annual Skills Clinic will take place this Saturday September 17th at Confederation Secondary School. 

Please download the Information Form here and bring the completed Registration Form to the start of your respective session on Saturday.

The Skills Clinics are open to Female athletes in the following age groups during the assigned time slots:

(1998 or later) and (1997 or later)
9:00am to 1:00pm

(1996 or later), (1995 or later), (1994 or later)
1:30pm to 5:30pm

Cost of the clinics is $35.00 and includes 4 hours of instruction from the coaching staffs of the Northern Chill Volleyball Club

At the conclusion of the Skills Clinics, some athletes will have the opportunity to be invited to participate in the selection process for the various competitive teams with the Northern Chill Volleyball Club

Please note potential athletes for the Northern Chill Volleyball Club competitive teams will be evaluated over the course of the Skills Clinics.

Click here for admission form.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Looking Up.... Literally
2011-09-15

For any youngster, meeting your idol, whether it be sports, film, or music, is a once in a lifetime opportunity.  For reasons only they can explain, looking up to these individuals is a passion, often yearning them to emulate their heroes when they “grow up”.  For three members of the Northern Chill Volleyball Club, this past weekend provided a reminder that they have a lot of growing up to do.

For Liandra Hunt, Nicole Collard, and Alison Larsen, the trip from Sudbury to Waterloo last weekend was the beginning of a pre-planned week of hard work, training, and classroom lessons – as the three attended the inaugural University of Waterloo Elite Volleyball Camp.  However, what started the week off in motivational fashion was a visit to the Waterloo campus PAC

Liandra Hunt, Nicole Collard and AlisonLarsen meet Sarah Pavan.

athletic centre to witness the Canadian Senior Women’s National Volleyball Team host their counterparts from the Netherlands; part of an exhibition series to start the qualification process for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

For these three girls, it was an opportunity to see Canada’s best, in the sport that they love.  Hunt, a setter with the Northern Chill was mesmerized by the quick, effortless play.  Canada’s offensive weapon – Sarah Pavan, a Kitchener native and 4-time 1st Team All American at the University of Nebraska - put on a show that left the strongly partisan crowd breathless.  Displaying a combination of strength, power, and the deftest of touches, Pavan demonstrated for the many youth in attendance what being the best is all about.

Despite losing in straight sets to the Dutch, the Canadian women humbly remained behind after the match to sign autographs and take pictures with the adoring fans.  For the three girls from Sudbury, it was an opportunity to meet in-person those women who now set the standard for excellence in volleyball.  When approaching the players, the girls were awestruck with the height and athleticism of Pavan and the others.  Despite the height disparity, it was an experience that has inspired those three girls from Sudbury to keep looking up at what it takes to become the best.

_____________________________________________________________________________________