Adult volleyball is a hit in St. John Team; Throwbacks takes home championship title
Published 12:00 am Saturday, July 24, 2021
The SJSO Blue Thunder played St. John in the Adult Volleyball playoffs inside the REGALA gym on Monday. Blue Thunder team members included Sheriff Mike Tregre, Caroline Chevez, Basil Trepagnier, Ashley Clement, Steven Faucheux, Shelmyra Clark, Henry Earlycutt, Lucien Gauff III, Lori Wiebold, Charles Gatt, Ida White and Keiana Knight. The St. John team included Telliyah Huey, Latasha Ellis, Tanisha Gross, Taniyah Gross, Monique Briggs, Jerae Collins and Tamiyah Gross.
Team Throwbacks won the first St. John Parish Adult Volleyball League championship. Team members include Jarranisha Allen, Jessica Scioneaux, Kalah Jones, Ty Greenup, Kristin Wilson, Chardae Berthelot and Melinda Perrilloux.
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RESERVE — Adult volleyball was a hit this summer in St. John the Baptist Parish. The sport was offered for the first time through the Parks & Recreation Department, and six teams built camaraderie on the court as they battled it out each Monday and Wednesday night in the REGALA gymnasium.
Team Throwbacks landed on top in a championship round against the Aces on July 21. The winning team included Jarranisha Allen, Jessica Scioneaux, Kalah Jones, Ty Greenup, Kristin Wilson, Chardae Berthelot and Melinda Perrilloux.
While “throwback” means a call to an earlier time, these girls were the youngest and most energetic on the court. Their athletic prowess was evident, not only by their undefeated record, but also by the fact that most of the team has secured college volleyball scholarships.
Other teams competing in the adult volleyball league were the SJSO Blue Thunder, St. John, NeauxLA1 and NeauxLA2.
Teams have competed since the second week of June, and this week marked the beginning of the playoffs with a single elimination bracket. Moving into the playoffs, the standings were as follows: 1- Throwbacks (8-0), 2- Aces (6-2), 3- SJSO Blue Thunder (5-3), 4-NeauxLa 2 (4-4), 5-NeauxLa 1 (2-6) and 6-St. John (0-8).
The adult volleyball league saw participation from some public officials, including Sheriff Mike Tregre and Assessor Lucien Gauff III.
Gauff was grateful for the opportunity to join members of the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office on Team Blue Thunder.
“I want to continue to support St. John recreation. I think Mr. Mike Sanders has done a great job in the activities that he has brought and is bringing to our parish,” Gauff said. “It has been competitive. Yeah, we want to win because we are competitors, but it’s mostly about camaraderie and being part of a team activity. It builds character.”
Det. Lt. Basil Trepagnier of the SJSO Blue Thunder said the volleyball season has been adventurous to say the least.
“We are sometimes playing people three times younger than us,” he said adding the Throwbacks were an especially competitive opponent.
The Blue Thunder faced the locally-based St. John team in the playoffs early this week. Members of the St. John team said adult volleyball was a way to have fun and get into shape.
Team member Latasha Ellis, who played volleyball in high school for East St. John, said she has been searching for opportunities to play recreational volleyball. She was happy to see it finally come to St. John.
Adult volleyball is one of several programs that Parish President Jaclyn Hotard and Parks and Recreation Director Mike Sanders have introduced to expand recreational opportunities for residents of all ages.
Other adult programs include basketball, softball, flag football, water aerobics, line dancing, yoga and art.
“The first-ever adult volleyball season was a great success,” Hotard said. “My administration will continue bringing quality programs to St. John.”
For more information about programs offered to the community, visit the Parks and Recreation page at sjbparish.gov/Departments/Parks-and-Recreation.
