After playing against some of the province’s top volleyball players, 16-year-old Sam Elgert knows he can compete at the highest level.
“It let me realize that I could play at a high level if I wanted to,” Elgert said. “It assured me that I could play with the best players.”
Edwin Parr Composite’s Elgert was one of 24 elite high school volleyball prospects chosen to take part in the annual Golden Bears Grass Roots Volley All Star event at the University of Alberta on Dec. 4.
All-star players were invited to participate in a day of training with the University’s coaches and former team Canada players.
While he was younger than many of the players that participated, Elgert was able to hold his own, commanding the court from his setter position – one of only four setters chosen to play for the all-star day.
“Sam’s been developing well as a setter,” said University of Alberta coach Brock Davidiuk. “He’s very strong for a smaller guy, and so he can do a lot of things that guys his size can’t normally do.”
The day started with a player-coach meeting where the athletes were given their uniforms for the day. The morning session consisted of drills focused on passing and setting the ball and simulated various live game scenarios.
In the afternoon, the players were split into teams and played an inter-squad scrimmage game. Even though his team lost in five sets, Elgert’s play stood out to some of the coaches who organized the day, and he was recognized as his team’s MVP for the quality of his play.
“I think it was pretty cool that he was able to poke his head out a little as the MVP of that team,” Davidiuk said. “It was good to see a younger guy win the award.”
Elgert also said that he enjoyed getting to know some of the players he had previously only played against.
“Usually, when you’re playing against them, you don’t talk to them as much,” Elgert said. “But you get to become friends that you play against which is good.”
Elgert added he would like to play in university eventually, but he knows that as a Grade 11 student, it is still early in the process.
“I’ll have to be accepted before I start speaking with coaches,” he said.
