They're allowed to continue playing after the ball hits the roof, utilize a libero, and compete with a raised net.
Things are quite different when it comes to the rules at the club volleyball level in the United States. Just ask the Predators 14U volleyball club from the Parkland. The team who has had great success in Manitoba so far this year made their way to Minot, North Dakota over the weekend to play in the Empire Spring Spike tournament. The event featured the top U14 teams from North Dakota.
In the team's round-robin, they started things off with back-to-back straight-set wins as they downed Empire White and Minot before splitting with Capital VC which saw the Predators finish first in their pool.
Qualifying for the championship bracket in the playoffs, the Predators lost a hard-fought quarterfinal matchup to Southside. The Parkland-based team would then rebound as they beat Team Chaos and the Minot Force to finish in fifth place out of 24 teams.
Dave Sigvaldason is the team's head coach and he says it was once again another great weekend for the team.
"I thought our kids did a really good job of adjusting to the rules," said Sigvaldason. "We saw several different teams which was nice, it's always nice to play different competition. To finish fifth was a nice ending to the weekend, I was very proud of our team."
This tournament marked the team's last outing before the provincial championships, set to take place in Winnipeg in a matter of days. The Predators have enjoyed a season of triumph, clinching victory twice at the Bandits tournament and securing another win at an event held in Swan River.
To go along with their three championships, the Predators finished with a pair of bronze medals at the BVC tournament in Brandon and an event in Regina. They also finished fifth at a premier tournament in Winnipeg.
"We have so many strong players on our team and we grind out every game," offered Sigvaldason. "One of our strengths as a team is our ability to grind out games. Whether we're playing well or if we're a little off, we just can grind out points and stay in games. Our team doesn't seem to get flustered which is not very common at this age group."
The Predators are gearing up for the provincial tournament scheduled for this weekend in Winnipeg. Ranked fifth in the province, they will compete in a power pool alongside the top-ranked team, along with the third and seventh-ranked teams.
Of the top teams in the event, the Predators have gone up against and beaten all of them, except the Jr. Bisons Gold which they have not gone up against.
Despite the tough competition, Sigvaldason believes in his team's abilities and emphasizes the importance of confidence and determination.
"I think we have to have that confidence going in and we also have to know that anything can happen at this level," ended Sigvaldason. "If we play with confidence and play how we have all year, things will be just fine."
