Jasper’s U-18 boys volleyball team (JVC Peak) has returned from nationals with no hardware to speak of, but with a duffle bag full of on-court lessons and an appreciation for their successful season.  

Earlier this year, 10 young men from Jasper and another from Hinton qualified to compete alongside 95 of the best teams in the country on May 18 in Edmonton. The Jasper Volleyball Club (as opposed to a high school squad confined by school zones) was seeded based on their provincial ranking and played competitive ball right up until their elimination—pushing one of their second day games to extra points in both matches before narrowly losing by scores of 35-33 and 25-23. 

“We were right there with them, both matches could have just as easily been a win,” said coach Rob Paltzat.

Although the boys were eliminated on May 22 in a “one-and-done” game, they weren’t alone in their fate. Nearly 200 teams (boys and girls) were also eliminated the same day; the massive national tournament hosted 400 U-19 teams, playing on 60 courts, over three days.  

“It’s literally a volleyball spectacle,” Paltzat said.

The electric scene was a big departure from the otherwise-empty gym at the Jasper Jr./Sr. High School, where the team got in one last practice on May 16. The Jasper squad has been short on bodies all year—even after bolstering their numbers with a few Grade Nine players, a couple of “over-agers” and a student from Hinton. 

But regardless if they hit the court with only seven players (as they did in two of their five tournaments this year), the boys were always game-ready, Paltzat said. He said the squad “grew into their potential” and “matured their game,” ultimately learning that even though they hail from a small town, they can compete.

“They didn’t stop working all season long,” he said.

Volleyball is a true team sport—the game’s rules and strategy ensure that the most successful teams use all their players (nearly) equally and efficiently. That fact made watching the Jasper squad improve over the course of the year even more gratifying, Coach Paltzat said.

“It’s the nature of the sport, you can’t do it on your own.”

And neither could the team have travelled to nationals on their own. On behalf of his co-coach Theran Sawchuk, the 11 players and their parents, Paltzat said they are indebted to the incredible support of their sponsors: SunDog Transportation and Tours, the Astoria Hotel and local philanthropist Michal Wasuita. 

“These kids had an amazing experience but it doesn’t happen without the community,” he said. 

Bob Covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com