Volleyball tournament raises cash for fastball team

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St. Mary's high school and middle school were the sites of some fast-paced volleyball action April 14 to16.

Five men's teams, including one from Lethbridge, and six women's teams, including one each from Fernie, B.C., and Onion Lake-Saddle Lake on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, competed for $2,000 in prize money.

"The weekend went really well," said co-organizer Hope Ann Wolf Child. "We got a good response from the crowd. They told us they wanted to have it again next year."

Wolf Child had hoped to attract 10 teams in both the men's and women's divisions. But restrictions with playing space only allowed her to schedule a maximum of seven teams in each division.

First place prize money went to visiting teams.

In the men's division, the Lethbridge Kodiaks went home with $450, with Dennis Dulziel being awarded Most Valuable Player. Selected from the Kodiaks for the All-Star team were Wade Portman and KC Black Plume.

Taking second place and $300 in prize money was a Blood reserve team, the Party Crew Animals; named to the All-Star team were Leonard Black Plume and Aaron Kinder.

Third place and $250 went to another Blood reserve team, the Trailblazers, who had Charlton Weasel Head and Al Black Water named to the All-Star team.

The top two places in the women's division went to out-of-area teams.

Taking first and $450 was the Fernie Factor, while second and $300 went to Border Cree, the Onion Lake-Saddle Lake team. The Divas, a Blood team, won third place and $250. MVP for the women was Patti Emmerson from the Fernie Factor, joined on the All-Star team by teammates Erin Scott and Sue Praught.

The Border Cree was represented on the All-Star team by Anita Whitstone and Geraldine Chief, while Blood players were represented by the Divas' Wanda Gros Ventre Boy and Cherish Blood.

The tournament was used as a fundraiser for the Levern Blues men's fastball club to pay the entry fee into the Calgary Fastball League. The tournament raised $1,100 towards the $1,500 fee; $400 was raised earlier with another event, so the club's fees have now been paid.