The Sub Zero Club is hoping Yukon high school students aren’t too eager to trade their volleyballs for basketballs, now that the Yukon Volleyball Championships are over.
The non-profit society, which operates under Volleyball Yukon, is in recruiting mode and wants to register as many potential players as possible between 14 and 18 years of age, male and female.
“In the upper levels, we’re trying to strive for as competitive a team as we can,” said Sub Zero director Jordan Borgford. “In the younger 14-16 we try to get as much opportunity for kids to practise and compete.”
In addition to competing in the some Western Canada tournaments, Sub Zero intends to compete at the Canadian Open, this year being held in Toronto. Unlike in past years, this season’s Canadian Open will be an amalgamation of numerous national tournaments, with Basketball Canada expecting over 800 teams to compete in May.
“In the past we’ve traveled with as many as 11 teams. I think in the biggest year we had about 120 athletes travel into the three different competitions,” said Borgford. “This year, because it’s in Toronto, because it will be a little more expensive - Calgary, for example, is a little easier for us, we have direct flights with Air North. Toronto will be a little more expensive, so I’m not entirely sure how many athletes will travel. So we’ll have to wait until the registration turnout.”
Sub Zero has no direct connection to the volleyball teams competing in the Arctic Winter Games next March in Whitehorse, but players do not have to choose one or the other, said Borgford.
“I would suspect that all the athletes that will compete in the Arctic Winter Games, that are living here, will also compete in Sub Zero,” said Borgford.
“We’re in the process of recruiting interested coaches as well,” he added. “We have more coaches available now than in the past - we’ve been on the light side - but we’re trying to get coaches identified and try to match teams up with that interest level.”
The Sub Zero Club will be holding an identification camp for registered players on December 10 at Porter Creek Secondary with ages 14-16 at 2 p.m. and 17-18 at 4 p.m.
More information can be found at volleyballyukon.com or by contacting subzeroyukon@northwestel.net.
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com