BU Bobcats volleyball showcased in Neepawa
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- Published on Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Photo by Eoin Devereux
The members of the Brandon University (BU) Bobcats women’s volleyball team played at the NACI gymnasium on Thursday, Sept. 14.
Eoin Devereux
Neepawa Press
The Brandon University (BU) Bobcats women’s volleyball team served up some fun in Neepawa on Thursday, Sept. 14, with an intra squad exhibition. The NACI gymnasium was filled to capacity for the tune-up match, which was part the athletic programs annual rural outreach initiative. This is the third year in which members of the volleyball and basketball programs have played games in outlying communities and the first time they have been in Neepawa. Other communities that participated in this year’s tour included CFB Shilo (women’s basketball), Carman (men’s volleyball) and Melita (men’s basketball). Over the previous two years, the Bobcats intra squad game initiative has seen BU teams travel to Boissevain, Carberry, Dauphin, Deloraine, Gladstone, Glenboro, Hamiota, Souris and Virden.
BU athlete services and events coordinator Tyler Crayston said they enjoy tours like this and believe that it’s a great opportunity to build their brand beyond Brandon.
“It’s vital for us to get out there to the rural communities, because we want to be more than just Brandon’s team. We want to be a good representative for the entire Westman region. Part of that effort is bringing this high level of collegiate athletics to the smaller towns,” noted Crayston. “I, myself am from a small town, as are many of our athletes. They know how important it is to get out there and have a good presence in western Manitoba. Ensure that everyone throughout western Manitoba knows that the Bobcats are here to support them too.”
Women’s volleyball coach Kevin Neufeld noted that another positive aspect of the tour is the energy of an enthusiastic crowd, such as was seen in Neepawa, really helps to ramp up the intensity of the players.
“While these caliber of athletes don’t need motivation to get into the game, it still does something to a player to hear the intensity of the crowd. It makes the situations of an intra squad a bit more realistic and really does add something to these games, which is only going to help us as we prepare for the season,” stated Neufeld.
For student athlete Rayvn Wiebe, she said something like this just make the intra squad a lot more fun.
“We love [the rural tour]. To see so much support from these communities, that are even an hour or more away [from Brandon], is huge for us. We love it and are so happy to see kids, the teens and even the adults out supporting us. That’s sport for you, it something that brings everyone together. We’re just so happy to be here,” Wiebe said. “And to have a crowd like this watching adds something to it. If there’s no crowd, there’s no fun. So, Neepawa did a great job of supporting us.”
As for the results from the night, the Bobcats were split into Team Blue versus Team Yellow, with the Blue squad claiming bragging right, winning 25-19, 25-19, 23-25, 18-25, 15-11.
