Celtics take tough losses at provincials

By Greg Price
Taber Times
gprice@tabertimes.com

Sometimes, things just don’t go your way.

Officially given the moniker of the ‘tough-luck team’ at 2A boys volleyball provincials at Strathcona Tweedsmuir, the St. Mary’s Celtics boys volleyball team had a 1-4 record, but was competitive.

“Our pool was very tough. Three out of the four teams that made it to the medal games were from our pool,” said Derry Kolody, head coach of the St. Mary’s Celtics boys volleyball team. “And we went to three sets with every single team of those three that were in the top four. Our pool was tight.”

Kolody is a coach that likes to win, but if he takes a loss, he wants his team to still play well.

“Winning does make things more fun, but at the end of the day, we were the hard-luck team, that’s what the Christian school from Lacombe called us,’ the hard-luck team.’ We were in every game,” said Kolody. “Once we had a couple of losses, the kids dug in and showed some character. We could have mailed it in and sent postcards. They battled.”

With matches this tight for the Celtics, it came down to the little things for Kolody where the other teams did have one advantage.

“If I were to say anything about the other team’s play, I’d say they served a little more aggressively than we did. We didn’t serve as aggressive and put their backs to the wall,” said Kolody. “That being said, we still found ways to battle. Every time I shook hands with the other coach, that’s what they said, ‘What a battle’.”

Multiple tournament wins, a south zone banner and a competitive showing at 2A boys volleyball provincials concludes a successful season.

“Provincials was definitely the highlight of our season and I had four of my kids ask about club volleyball tryouts,” said Kolody.