Kate Eckhardt selected to Youth National Team (PHOTOS)
By Paul Edwards

Kate Eckhardt, who will help inaugurate the first season of the National Capitals Volleyball Club, has been selected to Canada's Youth National Team (players born in 1988 or 1989) from among 48 hopefuls who tried out recently at Providence College in Otterburne, just south of Winnipeg, Manitoba. This team will train to become the Junior National team that will compete at the NORCECA Championships in 2006. The chosen group of 14 athletes from across Canada trained for 2 weeks at the College, taking the opportunity to scrimmage the Manitoba Canada Games team and the Junior National Team in some spirited matches. Kate will train as a defensive specialist and outside hitter with the Youth team.

A former member of the Ottawa Kangaroos Volleyball Club, Kate has been playing at the competitive club level for 5 seasons, during which time she has been part of a National Championship team and earned an All-Star nod for her performance at East Nationals in 2003.

The complete list of the 2004 Youth National Team is as follows:

Kate Eckhardt (Ottawa, ON)
Sara Grona (Porcupine Plain, SK)
Sarah Lacny (Saskatoon, SK)
Raynell Lavertu (Calgary, AB)
Andreanne Lebrun (Royn-Noranda, PQ)
Alexandra Lojen (Montreal, QB)
Kacie MacTavish (Newmarket, ON)
Melanie Miazga (Saskatoon, SK)
Caitlin McMillan (Vancouver, BC)
Sarah Morrissette (Winnipeg, MB)
Stephanie Neville (Cambridge, ON)
Amy Penner (Winnipeg, MB)
Alexis Rathgeber (White Rock, BC)
Haley Todd (Whitby, ON)
Ashley Voth (Winnipeg, MB)
Robyn West (Sudbury, ON)