This athletics club brings more than volleyball to everyone

In the midst of a pandemic, a group of volleyball coaches came together with a simple vision: To change lives through sport.

With that, the registered non-profit Genesis Athletics Club was born.

From the very beginning, the intention was to be more than just a place for people to play volleyball.

“We are a sports community,” Club Director Jadon Ward told Kelowna10, “We're focused on offering a safe place for athletes and kids to be able to play sports in an inclusive environment, specifically for people of all backgrounds and making them feel welcome and heard.”

Ward coaches out of the Rutland Secondary School and had noticed there wasn’t much opportunity for kids to engage in sport, as most clubs were too expensive for them to join.

“The goal for the club's creation came just from seeing that need and wanting to give players of all backgrounds a chance to be able to play,” he explained.

This meant being intentional about the location of practices, ensuring price-points were accessible, and making scholarships available to those unable to pay.

But even the most optimistic could not be prepared for how things would take off.

The club that started with just over 20 athletes in January 2022 now has over 120 participating in their spring teams and leagues.

A Registered Clinical Counsellor with a focus on ADHD & adolescents, Ward sees sport as a necessity in the post-COVID era.

“I think everyone felt like two years of isolation was a long time – but for our youth it was a lifetime. An online world with limited contact became their norm,” he explained “Now that things have opened back up, we have seen a huge rise in social anxiety - particularly for adolescents. Meaningful relationships are an integral part of the human experience, and being a part of a supportive community has an incredibly important impact on mental health.”

With Summer break underway, Genesis Athletics has plenty to offer.

With the help of the Government of Canada’s Volleyball Canada’s Sport for All Initiative, they are able to offer indoor and outdoor day camps and other programming.

These camps are designed to be accessible for those new to the sport or experienced players, with that same inclusive atmosphere.