Volleyball teams from across the country are competing in a southeast Manitoba town to claim CCAA championship status.

Niverville, a community of about 9,500 45 kilometres south of Winnipeg, is hosting the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Volleyball Championship. 

Teams that arrived on Monday for the week-long event travelled from British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta and New Brunswick. Competition began on March 11 and continues through the weekend, with the gold medal and bronze medal match-ups set for Sunday afternoon. Closing ceremonies will be held Sunday night

The Assiniboine Cougars from Brandon and host team Providence Pilots are local favourites.

Tyra Peters, who plays left side for the Pilots, says the championship week has been special because it’s the team’s final games of the season. Afterward, Peters and many of her teammates will be graduating.

“There’s a lot of great friendships and relationships that I know I’ll have once I graduate,” Peters said before the team’s final game of the season on Friday afternoon. “It’s been cool to just meet new people throughout the years and just grow relationships with everyone.”

Peters, who is in her fifth year of business administration at Providence University College, fell in love with the sport watching her brothers play.

However, she says, she’s enjoyed helping grow the sport among women over the last few years.

“With two older brothers, that’s kind of all that I had in my life,” Peters said. “As I got to university, I started coaching younger girls and that kind of grew my love for just the next generation of women playing.”

Peters and teammate Amanda Bergen, who lines up at centre for the Pilots, have been playing volleyball together since they were 12.

Bergen, who is also in her final year of business administration, says having that connection with Peters and other teammates builds trust on the court.

“You don’t have to double think when you’re playing,” Bergen said. “I know what ball she’s taking, I know what she knows I’m taking, and it’s just a lot of fun to play together.”

Bergen, who also grew up watching mainly men’s sports, including soccer, enjoys coaching other young women, and revels in the enthusiasm younger fans bring to the games.

“They really look up to you,” Bergen said. “And just having the little kids in the stands just cheering you on — it feels really great.”

Head coach Kyle Guenther says after 16 years with the Providence program he’s seeing women’s sports gain more attention internationally.

Support from the community has been incredible, he says.

“It’s really special for us to have this opportunity this week as not only a women’s volleyball program, but for Providence as a whole to showcase our program on the national stage,” Guenther said. “I think we punched above our weight class in a lot of ways.”

Warren Britton, director of recreation and wellness for Niverville Community Resource and Recreation Centre, says fans, including supporters for the other teams, are banging on drums, pots and pans, adding to the excitement on the court.

“It just makes me quite happy,” Britton said. “I don’t think this was quite what we envisioned when this building was built.”