Our Girls' Volleyballers are Making Good Transitions and Winning Games
By Michael Clarkson
The FEIA girls’ volleyball team is off to an encouraging start in its inaugural season.
Two of its star players, Alissa Junissova, of Kazakhstan and Kristina Bubnova, of Russia, are becoming valuable assets to the squad as they transition from their play last year overseas, and to a new culture.
“At first, I couldn’t believe it – there are more roads in Ontario than sidewalks! Everybody is driving cars” said Bubnova, a Grade 11 student, who recently studied and played volleyball in Spain. “But I like the people at (FEIA), the school and the volleyball program. It’s all cool.”
She grew up in a small town in Russia.
Alissa, a Grade 10 student, agrees: “I like the community here at the school. I like all the relationships and the competition. We all get along with each other.”
All of coach Jenn Kelly’s nine elite “travelling” players and three developmental players are from foreign backgrounds, including others from Serbia, Brazil, South Korea and Montenegro.
Junissova and Bubnova are standouts on what is becoming a successful team on the court – the Falcons were 5-0 in exhibition play as of Nov. 7, including victories over club teams Hamilton Smash Raiders and Niagara Rapids.
Both are excellent students.
According to Kelly, who is FEIA’s volleyball program director, one of the major adjustments for players coming to Canada is the different style of practice and games. “They sometimes come from a competition of intense pressure, and at first here they were afraid to fail or make a mistake,” she said.
Slowly but surely, the coach has shown them a more relaxed style. “I don’t yell at them, but I hold them accountable. We’ve had meetings and we talk a lot about it. And we’re teaching them new techniques and defensive styles.”
The squad has many games and tournaments coming up through the fall and winter.
The volleyball season ends for Ontario’s competitive teams on April 30, but the Falcons will continue to practice and play exhibition matches until June.
Their home court for games is currently Central Community Church in Niagara-on-the-Lake and they practice at the Rivergate Academy next to FEIA. Kelly hopes to have some home games soon at the main FEIA gym.
On Nov. 27, the team will hold a volleyball camp for elementary school players.
In January, Kelly will go to Brazil for a camp to possibly recruit more players. FEIA hopes to have more girls’ teams next year and perhaps a boys’ team in the future.
Jenn has coached volleyball for 12 years at club levels and for Brock University and Niagara College.
As with our other sports, the FEIA volleyball program gives the students opportunities for college or university scholarships.
The team has its own Instagram page (feiawvb).
