It’s a learning experience for the Chemainus Secondary School senior boys’ volleyball team this season.
“It was definitely a little bit of a late start,” said coach Sean Lefebure, who graduated from the school in 2012 and is one of the top male volleyball players to come out of Chemainus in many years.
“I tried to organize things with the guys at the beginning of the school year.”
Eventually, it was a go and Lefebure is happy to be passing on his expertise so the team could spring into action.
“Right now, I’m working as a lifeguard at the pool in Duncan,” he explained. “That’s given me a flexible schedule to kind of give back.”
The Cougars played two matches prior to the Duncan Christian School Senior Boys Invitational, winning three sets against Brookes of Shawnigan Lake and dropping three against Cowichan Secondary.
The Chemainus team has only three Grade 12s, six players in Grade 11 and another three in Grade 8 brought along for the experience.
“We’re trying to build it up from that stage,” noted Lefebure of the younger players’ importance.
At the DCS tournament, Chemainus finished fifth in Pool A, losing in straight sets to Belmont (16-25, 9-25), Duncan Christian (10-25, 12-25), Brooks of Powell River (19-25, 18-25) and Credo Christian (9-25, 13-25).
The team then crossed over to face the fifth-place finisher in Pool B, Carihi, and lost 18-25, 14-25. Dover Bay of Nanaimo won the 10-team event.
“As long as they’re having fun, that’s the reason we’re there,” reasoned Lefebure.
David Eastman was named the team’s tournament all-star and Lefebure said Matt Simpson, who played with the juniors last year, was also a standout.
The Cougars headed straight into the five-team Island A playoffs Wednesday at Duncan Christian School. “Going into Islands, it’s trying to get some good quality volleyball against teams more in our calibre, our skill set,” said Lefebure.