Saskatoon hosts 38th Mustang Volley with teams from across Saskatchewan

Mount Royal Collegiate’s 38th annual senior boys and girls invitational volleyball tournament drew talent from across the province over the weekend.

“It is a wonderful weekend of really amazing volleyball,” said Scott Ferguson, principal of Mount Royal Collegiate.

The annual event is a whole-school effort. Ferguson says it’s made possible thanks to the help of many staff and students volunteering their time.

“We have our staff committee, they’ve recruited a number of students who are essential to running the tournament. They’re running the scoring tables, results room, helping prepare food, our concession. So it’s really a whole-school effort,” Ferguson said.

A handful of those students spoke with CTV to share what went into preparing for the big event.

“We took a lot into making sure everything was perfect... On Thursday in my wellness class, we didn’t do wellness, we just helped set up. So it was really fun to help and make things go how they’re supposed to,” said Ayden Orth-Evoy, a Grade 10 student who also serves on student council.

• Get the latest news from Saskatoon, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

“I think it’s both student and teacher, it’s like everyone’s involved in it, and that’s what makes it fun,” said Juli Aclan, a Grade 11 volunteer.

The invitational is also an opportunity for teams from communities outside Saskatoon to show off their skills.

“Some of the talent from outside of the city is really exceptional and really strong. So we have the best teams from the 1A classification to 5A. It’s wonderful to watch a small team of seven kids come from a small town and take on some of the big-city schools,” Ferguson said.

The three days of volleyball certainly provided a lot of entertainment for those in attendance. Aside from the numerous games, the tournament also featured a spike accuracy contest for athletes to showcase their skills.

“It’s very crazy. Some games are very slow, some are frustrating, but overall it’s fun. Everyone’s enjoying themselves, even the people in the crowds,” said Chloe Anne Eseque, a Grade 11 volunteer.