Buchans blasts onto the volleyball court with school's first sports team in 20 years

If you ask any student in Newfoundland and Labrador about some of their favourite experiences in school, they might mention playing school sports and travelling to take part in a big tournament against other teams.

Now, students at Lakeside Academy in Buchans are getting that chance for the first time in two decades.

The school recently launched a girls' volleyball program for this school year, marking the first time in 20 years the small, all-grade school has had a competitive sports team.

Started by coaches Noah Moulton and Angela McLean, Moulton said the desire to create a team came from trying to solve a perceived lack of student engagement and community outside of the classroom.

"The way I best knew how to do that was to start coaching volleyball here," Moulton, a volleyball coach in university, told CBC News earlier this month.

"So I started with the girls program, and I'm trying to see if it'll snowball into other sports programs after that."

Brooklyn Chippett, a Grade 12 student at Lakeside, said the team of 12 — which includes students as young as Grade 6 — has been playing together and enjoying it over the school year.

Months away from graduation, Chippett said this is the first time she's ever been on a sports team.

"It is really exciting. ‘Cause I've had, like, other friends from other places that have been able to play. And it's just, it's really great to be able to go and, like, meet new people," Chippett said.

"We all tend to celebrate [when we score], because it just means that we're getting better and we're learning new ways to get better and improve."

The team recently attended their first tournament. Chippett said it was nerve wracking to face new opponents, but the team was focused on improving and taking advantage of their first opportunity at competition.

Both coaches say the team has quickly gained fans in the school, and it's already drawing interest from younger students.

"Recess and lunchtime, seeing the kids want to be in the gym and playing volleyball and playing other sports, it's just great to see," Moulton said.

"The little ones got a balloon out and they were practicing their volleyball skills. So they have been seeing all the other girls and the other kids, and they're inspired by them," McLean added.

LISTEN | Hear the full interview from CBC Newfoundland Morning:

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