A one-of-a-kind after-school program at William Watson Elementary is providing students with a new gateway to volleyball and proving to be a popular introduction to the sport.
The William Watson Volleyball Clinic sees students in Grades 5-7 take part in drills, exercises and matches, providing many with their first foray into the team sport. The program was created by former student Meera Samra, who attended William Watson before graduating from Fleetwood Park Secondary in 2021.
Having played volleyball at a high level throughout her secondary school years, Samra - now a University of British Columbia (UBC) student - was looking for a way to give back to the community that she grew up in.
"I had been trained by some really great professionals and I wanted to find a way to share that knowledge," she said.
After approaching her former elementary school with the idea of an after-school volleyball clinic, Samra officially launched the program in late 2022.
"Volleyball is popular in secondary school, but there aren't really a lot of resources for anyone wanting to learn the sport at a younger age," she said. "With this clinic, I wanted to provide opportunities to access the sport that I didn't have at that age."
William Watson teacher and program sponsor Tejpall Mann said the volleyball clinic provides a unique outlet for students to be active, while allowing them to spend more time together building valuable relationships.
"Some families don't have the resources to put their kids in after-school athletic programs due to work or time constraints," said Mann. "Meera's program grants opportunities for kids to connect with one another, learn a new sport and draw upon somebody with a lot of experience and expertise. It also lets them connect with a mentor in post-secondary school - there's so many layers to this program, and they all benefit our students."
In the year-and-a-half since the program started, it has served more than 70 students, a number Samra is keen to grow as she hopes to expand to other schools in the future.
"The sport is really growing in the Lower Mainland and if the program can inspire more to take part, that's the goal," she said. "It's just about creating opportunities and outlets for students to try new things."
