By Derek Zacharias

The Briercrest Volleyball Club claimed both the 17U and 18U Women Division 1 Provincial Championships on Sunday, April 24 at the Conexus Provincial Volleyball Championships in Saskatoon.

In the 18U Divison 1, the Briercrest 18’s defeated the Saskatoon Huskie Volleyball Club 23-25, 26-24, 15-12 in a close final match.  The team is coached by Derek Zacharias who also coaches the CHS Sr. Girls Volleyball program during the high school season, along with Kim Beaulieu, a CHS alumnus and Jason Wendel, a CHS and Briercrest alumnus. This is the first year this Briercrest club team has been together.  One of the primary purposes for initiating the club program here at Briercrest was to provide athletes an environment where they could train towards excellence while at the same time develop a sense of their true identity in God’s eyes.  The team contributes their success, on and off of the court, to the way they have learned to love each other.  The Briercrest 18’s will now compete at the Volleyball Canada 18U Nationals in Edmonton on May 6-8, 2016.

The 17U Division 1 final was also highly contested, with the Briercrest 17’s edging the Saskatoon JCVC Heat 25-22, 26-24.  The Briercrest 17’s are based out of the community of Waldheim and are coached by Chris Loewen, Jeremy Harder and Erin Loewen, all who are Briercrest Volleyball alumni.  The core of this team has been together for many years and this championship marks their second consecutive provincial title.  The Briercrest 17’s will now also compete at the Volleyball Canada 17U Nationals in Edmonton on May 6-8, 2016.