On Tuesday March 4, 2014, Crestwood hosted one of the Senior Girls Volleyball OFSAA Championships’ Tournaments. The games lasted for more than 12 hours, starting early in the morning, and finally ending when the final team won in the evening.
OFSAA, or the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations, hosts championships throughout the year for a variety of sports. The best Single ‘A’ senior girls volleyball teams in all of Ontario took part in this occasion.
To qualify for these championships, each team was required to have won their respective divisions. For this reason, each team is already champions in their own right.
Provincial championships, due to their prestige, have slightly different rules than the ones normally seen in the games hosted by Crestwood. The “best 2/3” rule remains; however in the final set, the teams play only to 15 points, rather than the usual 25. The final noticeable difference was the inclusion of two referees. In routine games, a single referee stands on a raised platform beside the net. In OFSAA Championships, a second referee is included on the court.
The actual school hosting the event was the Holy Trinity School, located in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Due to the massive size of the event, the three gyms located on the HTS property were not enough. During the second day of the event, Crestwood offered their accommodations for the day.
According to Eliza Hynes, the representative of Holy Trinity School, the logistics of this large event required an enormous amount of planning. All teams traveling from distant locations had to be housed in the same hotel. The issue of transportation to the various locations also required sorting and planning.
The end of season banquet offers a chance for players from various schools to come together without the pressure of competition. This year, Ms. Hynes has gotten Kristina Valjas, a Canadian Beach Volleyball Team member, to speak at the banquet. According to Ms. Hynes, this will increase the “cool factor” and inspire and encourage the athletes.
Overall, the OFSAA Championships were a display of athleticism, determination, and good sportsmanship. Teams from across Ontario came together to take part in a passion that they all share, competitive volleyball.
– Contributed by Sydney Swartz