If there were any concerns on how Bronwyn Hawkes would handle the starting position with the RDC Queens volleyball team this year she quickly eliminated them during the weekend.
The second-year setter out of Notre Dame High School played a major role in the Queens beating the University of Calgary Dinos in the final of the Battle of the Rockies tournament in Cranbrook.
At five-foot-five the biggest concern surrounding Hawkes was her ability to block against some of the other team’s top power hitters.
“She did a great job,” said Queens head coach Talbot Walton. “She has good timing.”
“I made a few good blocks,” said Hawkes. “Plus Talbot adjusted our defence a bit for my height.”
Hawkes replaced Kirsten Sorensen this season after backing up the three-year veteran last season.
“I got to play some, but it was good to sit as I got used to what was going on with our systems and getting comfortable. I got an opportunity to watch Kirsten and see where to be, what the offence looks like and how to run it.”
Walton likes the way Hawkes run the offence at a quick pace.
“I think he does,” she said. “We’ve talked a lot about setting the tempo and I believe he trusts me.”
Hawkes was born in Grande Prairie, but moved to Red Deer at an early age. She joined the Red Deer Queens Volleyball Club at the U13 level and moved up through the ranks, last playing with the U18 team as did several of her RDC teammates.
“Some of us grew up together which helps a lot,” said Hawkes, who has Ashley Fehr of Innisfail as a backup this season.
“We never played together in club ball, but we get along really well.”
The fact that the 18-year-old came up through the Queens Club program only helped her adjust to the college program.
“I knew their systems from the time I started playing. I was with (Chris) Wandler in high school and with the club and he was an assistant coach with Talbot for several years, so they had the same systems.”
Wandler now coaches the Olds College Broncos and Hawkes only laughs when talking about beating her former coach. She may get that opportunity this weekend if the two meet in the annual RDC Wild Rose Classic tournament.
RDC faces Keyano College of Fort McMurray at 4:30 p.m. and Ambrose University College of Calgary at 8:15 p.m. Friday in their pool. Olds takes on Medicine Hat at 5:45 p.m. and College of the Rockies from Cranbrook at 7 p.m. The Kings University College of Edmonton, Augustana and SAIT are in Pool B with the RDC Alumni, Lethbridge and Concordia University College in Pool D.
Round-robin play finishes Saturday morning with the playoffs starting at 12:30 p.m. the final goes Sunday at 2 p.m.
• RDC head coach Scott Bergdahl was named the ACAC golf coach of the year.
“Scott has done an excellent job with the RDC golf team,” said RDC director of athletics Keith Hansen in a news release. “He took the program from what could be described as an extramural “show up and play program” to one of excellence.”
“One of my most crucial objectives when creating long term goals for the RDC golf team was to field a dedicated and competitive men’s and ladies team that had depth and balance throughout,” said Bergdahl. “An additional objective was to guarantee that each member of the team would leave better players and could look back many years from now cherishing their time as a member of the team. I’m proud to say that our program has achieved all of these objectives and will continue to do so for years to come.
“Having being chosen as the 2013 coach of the year came as a pleasant surprise and a complete shock. Being recognized by your peer group and ultimately presented this award is a prestigious honor and I am completely humbled accepting it.”
It was also announced that team leader Kyle Morrison, who won the ACAC men’s individual title, was named an ACAC male athlete of the week.
He also received the RDC Boston Pizza male athlete of the week award.
Jamieson Smeaton of the women’s golf team, who placed second in the individual race and led the RDC team to a silver medal, received the top RDC female award.
l Queens and Kings hockey teams are in action at home this week.
The Queens face SAIT in an exhibition contest Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Arena while the Kings meet NAIT in league play at 7:15 p.m. Saturday at the Penhold Regional Multiplex.
The Kings are at NAIT on Friday.
l The soccer teams host Lakeland College Saturday with the women kicking off at 2 p.m. and the men to follow.
l The Kings and Queens basketball teams are at a CIS/ACAC preseason showcase tournament at the Saville Centre in Edmonton.
The Kings face the University of Alberta Thursday at 8 p.m. and the University of Northern B.C. Friday at 1:30 p.m.
The Queens clash with Grande Prairie Thursday at 8 p.m., Concordia Friday at 1:30 p.m. and Briercrest Saturday at noon.
l The Kings volleyball squad will compete in the Mount Royal University tournament in Calgary.
The Kings face the University of Calgary at 1:30 p.m. and the University of Regina at 6 p.m. Friday and MRU at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. The top two teams meet in the 6:30 p.m. final.