While several Ponoka athletes competed at the Alberta Summer Games, one volleyball player helped her team earn silver at a national competition.
Tess Pearman went to the U17/18 National Team Challenge Cup nationals July 13 to 17 in Richmond, B.C. The gold medal game ended up being an Alberta final with Pearman’s U18 team vying for gold against Alberta’s U17 team.
Both teams were ready to win but that all changed when Pearman rolled her ankle in the first set. “I was done in the first set, which was quite disappointing,” she recalled.
Another key player was out of the game due to an illness and after Pearman, who was a captain, a hitter and main blocker, was injured the team fell apart eventually losing the match in the fourth set. Their effort did end up bringing them a silver medal.
Getting to finals was no easy feat, with the athletes winning all six of their round robin and playoff games to make it to the finals. “Everything just came together at the right time. We were all relaxed.”
The six foot tall Pearman said despite the injury she stuck it out with the team and tried to encourage teammates to stay in the game but by the fourth set the U17s ended up securing the gold medal.
Pearman is at a bit of a crossroads with her athletics career. She is known for her strong speed skating abilities as well as having a passion for volleyball and has to decide whether to go to school in Calgary to push for skating and volleyball or to go to another college for volleyball.
Volleyball is a strong potential for her as she was also invited to the junior national team tryouts vying with 39 other athletes. While she didn’t make the cut for the junior team, Pearman said she is excited to continue on with the sport.