Skylights camp is fun with fundamentals

With the start of the 2015 season right around the corner for the Montana State University-Northern volleyball team, the Skylights and, in particular, head coach Bill Huebsch are hosting a youth camp this week inside the Armory Gymnasium.

And after a good turnout of over 20 kids, the camp, which runs through Saturday, is looking like a success.

Huebsch said the group of girls, who range in ages from 8-13, are looking to learn the basics and have a little fun too. The longtime Northern head man said the key to running a good camp for kids this age is keeping things entertaining while also going over the fundamentals that he wants to make sure they come away with.

"With kids these ages the big thing is just kind of keeping things fun to keep them involved," Huebsch said. "So we try to keep things fast paced and keep things fun. We have them go through drills and things like that, but we also play games and have them do fun things to keep them into it."

The volleyball camp is also a bit of a family affair for the Huebsch's, as Bill, the head coach is getting help from two of his daughters, senior-to-be Madison Huebsch, who plays volleyball and tennis for Havre High, as well as sophomore-to-be Logan Huebsch, who was a track standout for the Blue Ponies this past year, while also playing basketball and volleyball for HHS.

Madison and Logan are working the camp as counselors, while Huebsch's other daughter, Devyn, who is going to be an eighth-grader this year, was participating at the camp as a player. When asked, Devyn Huebsch said her favorite thing about volleyball was "everything" and that she was looking forward to learning to become a better player.

"I like that you learn new things," Huebsch said. "I think that the games are fun but I like learning how to become better at volleyball."

Another camper who is looking to improve from the instruction from the Skylights coaching staff, is 13-year old Cadia Miller. Miller will also be an eighth-grader at the Havre Middle School this year and she, like Devyn Huebsch, participates in volleyball, basketball and track.

When asked what she liked the most about being at volleyball camp, Miller stated: "I like learning the new things they are teaching me and getting better. I also like the games, too, and I really like serving."

While Bill Huebsch is spending this week and next developing younger players to improve, as Northern will be holding its camp for high schoolers next week, by the time next Thursday rolls around, it will be all business for him and his team as they start fall camp.

After winning the Frontier Conference championship back in 2013, the Skylights took a step back last season due to inexperience and a lack of depth as they finished tied for last in the league with a 3-11 record in conference play and a 7-21 record overall.

Yet, Huebsch, who has been busy on the recruiting trail since the end of last season, feels very confident in the recruits that he has brought in, including former Montana State hitter Cassie Krueger, who transferred from the Bobcats to play this season for the Skylights. Krueger was a huge get for Northern and was formerly an All-State player for Flathead High School in Kalispell at the Class AA level.

"I am really excited to get things going," Huebsch said. "It's crazy. It seems like school just ended and now the season is starting up. But, I think we have some good recruits coming in; they have a lot of experience and, of course, getting a Division 1 transfer is big. Hopefully, she can come in right away and make an impact for us."

The start of the season will be hectic again for the Skylights as they open the season Aug. 21-22 at the Eastern Oregon Tourney in La Grande, Oregon. Then they will head to the Big Sky Challenge in Helena Aug. 28-29, before traveling to the top NAIA tournament in the country in Bellevue, Nebraska, at the Bellevue College tournament.

"We have a bunch of tournaments to start the season," Huebsch said. "But the nice thing is that each tournament will have at least one ranked team. And the tournament we are going to in Nebraska will have some really good competition there and five raters will also be there, so if you can knock off a ranked team or two there, you can really make an impression and give yourself a lot better chance of getting an at-large bid to the (NAIA national tournament), if you don't win the Frontier. And I think that is what we are all after."

The Skylights' first game inside the Armory Gymnasium will take place Sept. 17, when they will play host to Lewis and Clark State College to open up conference play for the 2015 season.