Spikes Program – Interview w/Volunteer
Spikes program a success!
by Karina Hunter
Manitouwadge’s Spikes Volleyball Program (click here for original article) has been a great success; approximately 40 children have participated in the two programs, Grade 4-6 and Grade 7-8 sessions, each held once per week learning new volleyball skills through the drills and games of the Spikes program. I spoke with Manitouwadge High School teacher and coach Ted Lalonde who volunteers for the program, in regards to the details of how this program was established in Manitouwadge, what young athletes are learning and how the experience might benefit them.
ONN (OntarioNewsNorth.com) – What do the kids learn in the Spikes program?
LALONDE – They learn a variety of volleyball skills and tips and receive encouragement to help improve sportsmanship, self-confidence and teamwork.
ONN – Who can participate?
LALONDE – Kids from Grades 4 through 8, registered. They were divided into two groups, Grades 4-6 and Grades 7-8, who played once a week each at the Manitouwadge High School gymnasium.
ONN – Are there any differences between Spikes Volleyball and regular volleyball?
LALONDE – Ontario Volleyball has modified the game of volleyball to make it more accessible and fun for youth. Everyone gets to touch the ball which is softer. The net is also lower so that everyone can experience success. The drills and games are designed so that everyone has plenty of fun while learning new volleyball skills. Emphasizing fair play, respect and team work the Spikes program encourages leadership, conflict resolution, sportsmanship and self confidence while promoting a love of sport and activity that kids can carry through to adulthood.
ONN – How did this program come to Manitouwadge?
LALONDE – The idea to start the Spikes Volleyball Program in Manitouwadge came from Gord Martin, Wayne Pittman and Toby Mattson believing the success which the Steve Nash Youth Basketball Program had in the community could be repeated with a similar volleyball program.
Mr. Pittman communicated with the Ontario Volleyball Association (OVA) to get the program off the ground. Toby Mattson, Gord Martin, Kevin Osadchuk and I played various roles in planning for the program and setting up a registration night.
ONN – Response to the program has been very positive since it’s beginning in April, to what do you attribute this?
LALONDE – Timing couldn’t have been more ideal as the hockey season was ending and the Township’s Youth Soccer Program had not yet commenced.
For the senior players from Grade 7 and 8 in particular, Spikes offers an introduction to volleyball which will benefit them as they enter high school while offering a safe environment in which to play sports and have fun.
ONN – You’ve answered part of my next question, do coaches benefit from participation in this program? Are you paid or compensated in any way?
LALONDE – No *laugh* there’s no pay, we are all giving our time for free. There is of course a great sense of accomplishment and contributing to the community that comes from teaching a new generation of athletes, preparing them so they are able to participate in high school sports once they arrive and providing a safe place to play and learn outside of school hours.
Our high school coaching staff will also benefit from a closer association with the Ontario Volleyball Association, and the additional resources we are gaining to learn more about the game (and teaching it) ourselves
ONN – If the coaches are free then where does the $50 registration fee, paid by participants, get spent?
LALONDE – The $50 registration fee includes roughly half being paid to the Ontario Volleyball Association to cover insurance costs; coaches’ training and support; advertising, promotion, and other program materials, including many of the drills; along with a Spikes t-shirt for each participant.
The other half of the registration fee is used for equipment and other start-up costs. This year that was used to facilitate the purchase of
§ 24 youth volleyballs which are lighter and softer than the balls we usually use at the high school. All 24 balls purchased are high-quality game balls intended to give the kids a realistic playing experience. Cost per ball/$40+
§ Moveable baskets to hold the balls and to run drills more easily. Cost per baskets/$200 each,
There are additional equipment needs to optimize the program — including new volleyball set-ups (including poles) that include better adjustments for setting the nets lower for the younger kids — but those will have to wait due to costs. You can see how fast the money goes anytime we‘re looking at buying sports equipment!
ONN – What are the main differences between the junior and senior groups other than age?
LALONDE – The younger children have unlimited energy and are having a great time playing and with the physical aspect of the game. The older group seems very intent to learn and are showing a real interest in the strategies and skills of the game. They have obviously learned some great things from their teachers and coaches in their elementary school physical education programs and school sports programs.
The number of girls playing is especially great to see as we now know how beneficial sports can be to young women; promoting positive self-image, self-esteem and self-confidence.
ONN – Are you hoping to make this an annual program?
LALONDE – Yes, we hope to offer the Spikes Program annually.
ONN – What do you think of the rule adjustments in the Spikes program? Will these cause difficulty for kids playing on their elementary school team as children mix up rules from one when playing the other?
ONN – The Spikes program is great. My coaching experience in volleyball is mostly confined to the Junior (Grades 9 and 10) high school level so I am not in a position to compare the Spikes regulations to those of the elementary school physical education program; also working with younger players and the understanding their needs from a development perspective is new to me. One thing I really believe, though, is that volleyball is a skill game. To acquire the skills needed to play this game can be a challenge for young kids and Spikes is meant to promote learning through progression. For the youngest group especially, that includes first learning footwork, movement and even catching the ball, before moving on to the forearm pass (bump), volley and other skills.
Ontario Volleyball promotes progressive teaching of skills, which requires that good technique is taught early on. Modifications to rules are designed with an eye toward giving the kids a chance to have early success in what can be a difficult game to play. The Spikes program, ultimately, is about making the game more accessible and enjoyable.
Rule modifications will likely not cause much confusion. Elementary volleyball typically already involves other rule changes (compared to high school volleyball) including less restricted substitution rules to accommodate players moving in and out of the game more freely than they would in a competitive setting. The added skills gained in the program will no doubt benefit players in their elementary tournaments.
ONN – Were volunteers with volleyball skills hard to find?
LALONDE – As soon as Mr. Pitman started talking about starting a program, a number of us expressed interest in helping out. Willing volunteers are not hard to find in our community.
Speaking with Lalonde it was easy to see the dedication these volunteer coaches have to the many programs they provide to youth in Manitouwadge. Lalonde, like many of the other Spikes coaches, also volunteers for other local programs including as a coach, with fellow Spikes volunteer Mr. Kevin Osadchuk, for the MHS Wolverines’ Jr. Boys Volleyball team which has won North Shore Secondary School Volleyball Championship for 2 consecutive years and earned gold at a Thunder Bay open volleyball tournament last season at which they were victorious against 13 teams including 6 from Thunder Bay.
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