Volleyball training and recruiting business opens in Yellowknife

Yellowknife siblings Chris and Tamara Mathison have launched a volleyball business in the city called North Volleyball.

North Volleyball will offer training camps and skill clinics – starting with holiday training camps – as well as private lessons and recruiting services.

Since both Mathisons are still at university, they will run the business over Christmas and the summer holidays when they are home, as well as offering free virtual support for high school athletes interested in playing the sport at a post-secondary level. 

“We wanted a way where we could still contribute to volleyball in Yellowknife,” explained Chris, who is on the University of Calgary Dinos volleyball team.

His sister, Tamara, is playing for the University of Alberta Augustana Vikings after previously being with the University of Manitoba Bisons.

With recent post-secondary experience, they are offering free recruiting support to younger athletes to help them identify competitive schools, contact coaches, and prepare for meetings with schools. 

Down south, Chris said, there are more opportunities for post-secondary coaches to see up-and-coming athletes play at competitive tournaments.

“We’re really trying to just bridge that gap and then also help northern athletes specifically stand out to coaches – and just understand that the recruiting path can be a little bit different from up here,” he said, explaining he and his sister have been sitting down with athletes in grades 10 and up to chat about how they can prepare and connect with schools.

If all goes as planned, they will start charging for these sessions and may expand into helping athletes build highlight videos.

Private lessons, camps and clinics

Arriving at university, Chris said, it was quickly apparent that athletes from the south had more opportunities in the sport.

“They could have this private lesson, or they have a coach that had experience playing post-secondary volleyball … or they could do this clinic that’s specifically for attackers, or for middle blockers, or for all these different things,” he said.

“One of the next steps for bridging the gap between making it from here to playing post-secondary volleyball is more experience and more specifics on what you need to make it to the next level.”

That’s where the Mathisons’ business comes in, supplementing existing volleyball programming in the NWT and filling in the gaps.

Over Christmas, the siblings will offer private lessons for individuals, small groups and teams. They are hosting five-hour holiday training camps for teens in the Weledeh School gymnasium.

They also plan to offer programming that local competitive clubs don’t, tailored for people who want more time on the court but aren’t necessarily trying to make it to the next level.

Chris has been coaching for six years, while Tamara has three years under her belt, and both say they are continuing to work toward more advanced coaching certifications.

In the summer, Chris and Tamara took the lead running the Yellowknife Beach Volleyball Club, hosting tournaments and offering private lessons. 

This coming summer they are planning more of the same, in addition to their new service offerings.