Erika Morris doesn't want to get too far ahead of herself. But, if her summer of volleyball goes exceptionally well, she could find herself cranking kill shots for Team Canada.
Morris, 17, has earned a roster spot in Volleyball B.C.'s 19-and-under program. In early July, she'll attend a two-week camp in Abbotsford and will be placed on one of two squads. Both editions of Team B.C. will then compete at the National Team Challenge Cup in Winnipeg, a July 18-23 tournament that will double as a selection event for the junior national squad.
"I'm not too sure about [making Team Canada]," Morris said with a chuckle but then added that she'll "definitely" give it her best shot. "It would be really fun. The athletes that are selected for that get to stay in Winnipeg and train for the rest of the summer and then they travel to the Dominican Republic and play there."
In the Dominican, the national team will gun for gold at the North and Central America and Caribbean championships, scheduled for Aug. 19-27.
Morris is considered an 18-and-under player because of her November birth date. She's a six-foot-one power hitter who also has experience as a middle blocker. She has impressive credentials, as last summer she made both the 17-and-under and 18-and-under provincial teams.
Whether she lands on Team Canada or not, Morris will benefit greatly from the upcoming experience she'll get with Team B.C. One of the head coaches of the provincial program is former Prince George resident Chris Dahl,who will also be Morris's coach when she joins the Camosun College Chargers of Victoria for her first season of post-secondary volleyball this fall.
Morris, in her final days of Grade 12 at PGSS, can't wait to get a taste of college life and volleyball with the Chargers, who play in the PACWEST Athletic Association.
"I'm so excited," she said. "It's just some of the little things, like living on my own down there. And I know Chris Dahl is a super-great coach so I'm looking forward to being with him. I think it will give me a whole new perspective on things.
"I just hope to be a positive influence on my teammates, whether it's on the court or from the bench," she added. "I want to have a positive attitude and make sure I can help the team out however I can."
