MONCTON TIMES AND TRANSCRIPT

Volleyball players of all skill levels are invited to “learn while having fun,” at the Mathieu-Martin Volleyball Camp this July. The camp is entering its 11th year and director Robert Grandmaison says the success of the camp has everything to do with the coaching staff and maintaining the philosophy he began it with – learn while having fun.”I think a lot of the success has to do with the quality of coaches,” he said. “We choose coaches from all over New Brunswick, not just Moncton. Ninety-nine per cent of them are teachers and have played a lot of volleyball.”Grandmaison has coached at the university level and says that the 2007 camp has one of the best coaching staffs ever assembled. Many are certified Volleyball Canada coaches, who have experience at the national level.Guest coach, Michel Paiement of Gatineau, Que. is coaching at the camp for the seventh year, has written several instructional volleyball coaching books and coached Team Canada at the Barcelona Olympics. Grandmaison said that in the 10 years he has run the camp, the sport of volleyball has also increased in popularity. The first camp in 1997 had 39 participants, these numbers increased steadily throughout the years and last year reached 127 athletes.”I think the sport itself has grown,” he said. “A lot of that has to do with beach volleyball becoming an Olympic sport and with the new rules there is more continuity with the game.”The camp is for students in Grades 6-12 and runs from July 30-Aug. 2. Sessions on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday of camp week, will be in the gymnasiums of either Mathieu-Martin, Lou MacNarin School or NBCC Dieppe.Wednesday will be a beach volleyball session at Parlee Beach. In order to so stress the ‘learning while having fun’ philosophy, drills are organized to resemble games and each camp athlete receives positive feedback, regardless of skill level.”We want to improve basic skills,” said Grandmaison. “The camp is a good social experience, our philosophy leaves room for trial and error and there is less pressure compared to a competitive team.”
For more information on the camp and to register contact Grandmaison via e-mail at rgvolley@rogers.com or by phone at 383-6942.

 

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D4 Saturday, August 11, 2001

Sports

Times & Transcript

 

V-ball makes waves at beach, hard court

Volleyball Canada technical  director Michel Paiement instructs at camp in Dieppe

By GERARD MCLAUCHLIN Times & Transcript Staff

Let’s see. It’s snack in the middle of the summer and baseball, softball, track and field and swimming are the front and center sports.

Hold on a minute. Don’t forget volleyball,

especially the two- player beach game.

“ Our numbers have increased15 per cent in the last few years and it’s all because of  beach. It’s a hip game right now, ”    claimed Volleyball Canada technical director Michel Paiement yesterday

In Metro Moncton as a a guest instructor at the summer camp at Mathieu-Martin  High School in Dieppe. Paiement said because the game has moved to sandy beaches all across the country, volleyball is know a twelve month sports.

“ It’s great because there’s a lot more variety in the game and it’s all good.

He said. Our numbers are growing every year, it’s a great time for us . ”

Maybe the one –time Université de Moncton coach was grained on the hard. court during his youth, but don’t ask him to pick a favourite between hard court and beach.

“ Let me tell you what’ s happening with us now, We’re growing, growing, growing at both games and it’ s mainly because of beach, “ he said.

“ Our season is now 12 months-indoors in the winter and outdoors in the summer- and the major reason is beach. It’s brought the extra exposure from the Olympic games and we have some great Canadian players like Jody Holden (who once attended school in Moncton) Really, its cool to play anything on the beach. “

Because beach volleyball is attracting new players to the sport, Paiement claims that eventually turns into more top caliber talent.    

“ Players who start at beach and really enjoy it are soon indoors, too“ he said.

While the hard court game features six players on each side and beach just two,

Paiement explains there a much larger difference than merely the number of players on the court.

He notes the indoor game is geared towards the big, stronger player an aggressive attack style. Beach is smart defence and exposing an opponent’s weakness

In fact, Paiement claims playing both is is great to improve the player’s all around skills.

“ There so different but so much the same too. Really, volleyball is volleyball. Hard court and beach is merely a little different strategy, “ he offered

Players attending the Moncton camp headed by Robert Grandmaison gained instructions at both hard court and beach.

The camp moved to Parlee Beach on Thursday and Paiement was extremely impressed.

“Everybody had a tremendous time, ” he offered. ” It was something to see. ” 

Paiement claimed the local summer camp, which also included former Olympian Brigitte Soucy of Bouctouche as a guest instructor, is among the best on the summer calendar.

“They assess everybody and then quickly get down to work at improving their individual skills, ” he said. ” There’s not a wasted moment. “

This camp is a tremendous opportunity for the younger players.