NWC VOLLEYBALL HOSTS HIGH SCHOOL CAMP

BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune

Northwest College kicked off its summer activities in June with a camp hosting high school athletes from around the region, led by new coach Nicole Buck alongside former NCAA Division I men's volleyball coach Tom Peterson.

Over the three day camp, the Trappers welcomed in several dozen high schoolers to Cabre Gym, while also hosting younger athletes at Powell Middle School with local high school coaches.

"It was really nice to have that many girls because you just want to be able to grow the sport of volleyball, and you want kids to be able to take advantage of opportunities," Buck said. "Then it just gives us a chance to see what kind of talent and potential is out there in the next few years, kids that we might be able to recruit. It's good to have some of our incoming and returning athletes here too, to kind of evaluate and see what kind of kids caught their eye as well."

Helping with the camp was Peterson, a two-time NCAA Division I national champion and now NCAA Division III national champion coach who brought his experience to the gym and gave the high schoolers an opportunity to learn from one of the best coaches in the country.

"It's really incredible to have Tom here. I mean, we were joking because after they won the national championship, a couple of his athletes asked Chat GPT who were the top 10 greatest volleyball coaches of all time, and he was listed as No. 2," Buck said. "It's just kind of cool. He obviously has so many years of experience and so much knowledge that even though I've known him for so many years, I learn something new every time I'm around him. And I love that the kids can have that opportunity too."

She said bringing in Peterson pushed the camp to another level, bringing out more competition from the players that allowed them to stretch their abilities and find that next level.

Holding this camp so early in the summer, Buck said it allowed her to get new connections in the area heading into her first season as the Trapper coach, and get a better understanding of the athletes who are soon to be graduating.

"It helps build the recruiting pool for sure. I walked away with probably 10 new contacts that I didn't really have, and it helps me better understand our local kids and coaches too," Buck said. "I love getting local kids when we can, it helps build those relationships. Recruiting is such a numbers game, and so it just adds more numbers and you get to see for yourself, instead of just on film, what some of these kids are capable of."

After the camp, Buck is hopeful the campers took a number of things back with them to their high school seasons, whether that be new skills or drills, along with a new sense of understanding why they train the way they do.

"Tom and his player, they don't just talk about skills or philosophies," Buck said. "They really help the kids try to understand kind of the why behind things and maybe, why do we do it this way in this situation? They do a lot of situational training, so I just hope they take away having their mind stretched as much as their physical abilities."

She said it was a blessing to start the summer with the camp, and said it was important to have so many kids see the campus.

"I think it was a good thing for our community and our school, and I'm excited that more and more kids are getting on our campus," Buck said. "I hope they also take away that Northwest is a pretty cool place to be."