Frittenburg and Team Ready
Canada Summer Games Team Ontario
The 2009 Canada Summer Games in Charlottetown, P.E.I. will feature Caledon’s Kelly Frittenburg, who is a right side for Team Ontario’s girls’ indoor volleyball team. Though the Games began Saturday Aug. 15, indoor volleyball is scheduled for the second week, from Aug. 24 to 29.
There are two pools of competition, with Team Ontario first competing against British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland, while the second consists of Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec and New Brunswick. Ontario is defending champion from the last Canada Summer Games, which were in 2005 in Regina, Sask.
“It’s definitely a lot of pressure on us (this year), but I think our team will be ready to step up,” said the 19-year-old Frittenburg, whose is Team Ontario’s co-captain with setter Jaki Ellis of Mississauga. “So, all the provinces will be gunning for us.”
Frittenburg was on the Youth National Team in 2005-06 during the last Canada Summer Games. The youth team was at the NORCECA Volleyball Championships at Gainesville, Fla. in 2006, playing against the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Mexico, Cuba and the U.S.
Ellis and Frittenburg are long-time teammates with the Peel Selects, who won numerous provincial championships at the under-15, under-17, under- 19 and under-21 levels. The under-16 also came third at National Championships.
The Team Ontario coaches are familiar faces to both girls, competing against them during the club season. Head Coach Arif Nathoo also has the same responsibilities with the Scarborough Vipers, along Assistant Coach Nick Tran. Both had the same roles with York University this past year. The other assistant coach, Cathy O’Doherty, has been with the National Capitals club team of Ottawa.
Team Ontario has been training the past month and a half for the Canada Summer Games at York University in Toronto, though the team had an exhibition tournament earlier in August at Calgary. They competed against teams which will be at the Games, including Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Ontario lost to Alberta in the exhibition final.
“The competition will be really tough and we know that, but you can’t do anything about that, it’s all about what we do on our side of the net,” said Frittenburg, a graduate from Mayfield Secondary School in 2008. “We really have a diverse team and a really deep bench, so anyone we put on the court can contribute. It’s just a matter of finding the right mixture (of players) for the right time.”
After the Canada Summer Games, Frittenburg will begin her second year at the University of Calgary on athletic scholarship. She is taking business at the Haskyne School of Business at the university, while also playing volleyball as a middle/right side. The University of Calgary Dinos lost a five-set CIS (Canadian Interuniversity Sport) final matchup to the University of British Columbia.
“I’m really good at shutting down the other team at the net and that’s huge,” said Frittenburg, of her volleyball strengths. “I can swing pretty hard as well on the attack.”
Jon Yaneff, Caledon Citizen
Team Ontario will face Nova Scotia in its opening match at 9am today. Nova Scotia beat Saskatchewan yesterday in a five set match and are up to the challenge for the top ranked Ontario.
“We’re pretty hyped up,” said Nova Scotia’s Ali Beaver, who had 20 digs against Saskatchewan. “We’re having a meeting right now and refocusing for Ontario. They are ranked the highest and are favoured to win so we’ve got to be ready.”
Women’s Indoor Team
Kristina Vlcek
Katie Matthews
Kelly Anne Frittenburg
Natalie Gray
Louise Facca
Kristin Collins
Jen Cross
Lorna Button
Thinesa Sriskandarajah
Ali Goc
Tesca Bryn Andrew-Wasylik
Jaki Ellis
Coach: Arif Nathoo
Assistant Coaches: Cathy O’Doherty, Nick Tran
