One hundred 14U boys and girls teams from across Canada gathered at the Tradex Convention Centre in Abbotsford, B.C. to celebrate the opening ceremonies this Thursday evening. The event was kicked off with the national anthem followed by words of welcome from Volleyball BC executive director, Chris Densmore.

Josh Howatson, the keynote speaker, entertained the youth with his personal journey of volleyball development from fifth grade to his current tenure with the Canadian National Team.

Following speeches, the winners of the banner contest were announced: 1st – Kryptonite(MB), 2nd – Seaside Wahine (BC), 3rd – NOOKS (AB).

While coaches attended a meeting, the players were treated to an exhibition match between the Trinity Western University and UBC Thunderbirds Men’s volleyball teams.

The first games of the 2014 Canadian West Open will be played at 9am Friday morning and will continue until 8pm. The action resumes Saturday with games running from 9am to 8pm, and the final day of the tournament will see games played from 8am to 3pm on Sunday.

Entry to the Tradex Convention Centre is $12 per day and weekend passes are available at the discounted rate of $30. Parking is $6 and vendors and food service are located inside the facility. Tickets and parking at the event are cash only and ATM machines are located in the Tradex lobby.

For more information on the event please visit the 2014 Canadian West Open page of the Volleyball BC website.