ST. GEORGE – The Fundy High School girls’ volleyball team will play for a provincial title this weekend in Fredericton.
Four teams will vie for the title, including Nackawic, who Fundy played at regionals.
Meg Ingalls and Sadie Dakai have played together for several years going back to middle school and this is their first time playing for a provincial championship.
Sylvie Whippie has coached and built this team for four years. Longer than that even because she coached some of them in grades 6 and 7.
“It’s the same (team) because we’re small schools. There’s a small group of people who play many sports,” said Whippie. “So the same group is moving along and by now it’s like, they can work together. They know what to expect.”
“Everybody on the team is pretty equal in terms of our skills,” said Ingalls, a Grade 12 student. “We’re all good and we can all interchange for each other. We have that connection as a team.”
Dakai, in Grade 11, said familiarity with each other has helped get the team to this point.
“Our team’s been together since Grade 6 playing different clubs, so we’re really used to each other. That chemistry is kind of there.”
“We all know what each other prefer with sets, and things like that,” added Ingalls.
Both players are looking forward to the competition in Fredericton, feeling it helps bring out the best in their team.
“I feel like when we play teams that are as good as us or even better, it makes us better,” Ingalls said.
“I’m really looking forward to more competitive games,” added Dakai. “We play our best. Everyone’s talking, everyone’s giving it their all. Those are always really fun to watch and experience.”
Whippie said she’s looking forward to the moment but also seeing each player play at the top of their game.
“If everybody can come together and be that all-in at the same time, we’d be an amazing team,” Whippie said.
“I want us to have a great experience, play our best and if another team is better than us, then so be it. But if they’re not (better than us), if we think we can take them, it will be fun to try,” said the coach.
robertfisher@stcroixcourier.ca