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Coast players finish successful season

Beach volleyball

More than 60 Coast beach volleyball athletes started their co-ed training for various tournaments in April, which ended with the national finals in Parksville last weekend.

Their training included a 12-week program and several high performance clinics delivered by Olympic coach Mischa Harris who runs the renowned competitive beach volleyball club Sideout in Vancouver. SC Spirit of Excellence has since partnered with Harris running programs in Vancouver and on the Sunshine Coast. Two of Sideout’s star athletes, Nicole and Megan McNamara, are currently competing in the U21 division at the Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China. The 17-year-old twins inspired Sunshine Coast players with some incredible demonstrations of their skills during the clinics in Sechelt this summer.

Several local teams celebrated success thanks to the additional training.

U13 players Sophie Fiedler and Carina Breuer kicked off the season winning a gold medal at the popular Vancouver Sand Series event and finished consistently in the top five in various Vancouver tournaments.

Grace Ridd and Melissa Iverson placed in the top 10 in all tournaments and won a silver medal at the provincials.

Spirit of Excellence owner Birgit Breuer is currently working with various community organizations on building several beach volleyball courts in Gibsons as the number of local participants in this fun sport is rapidly growing.

She will also be coaching the U14 Sunshine Coast Volleyball Club (SCVC) girls’ team and will run another series of boys’ volleyball programs with Langdale’s Mark Sauer, head coach of the senior boys volleyball team at St. George’s School in Vancouver. Mini volleyball programs for eager athletes in grades 4 and 5 will develop their skills before they join the SCVC Train and Play program in grades 6 and 7.

“The 2015 beach volleyball season will be filled with several co-ed programs split in two age groups, more exciting clinics and even local tournaments for both youth and adults on the Coast,” Breuer added. “The McNamara twins will also return to the Coast to share their Olympic story.”