Congratulations to Sophie Hartley and Conleigh Brown of Westport, both are off to play post-secondary volleyball in September. (Photo Credit: Lauren Hartley)
Westport Lions Roar
By Lauren Hartley
The Port Volleyball Clinic is seeing some long-term success as a result of several years of training and good times at Westport Lions’ Club Beach. Two volleyball players from the Westport area are committed to playing volleyball at college and university where both will be receiving athletic scholarships.
Chris and Lauren Hartley have been running The Port Volleyball Clinic since 2022. The clinic has been steadily growing in popularity, from one clinic with 20 participants in its first year, to four clinics with over 80 participants this summer. Chris and Lauren, who played at Nipissing and Trent respectively, are residents of Westport, who originally started this clinic to make higher level volleyball training available to kids in rural Eastern Ontario (including their own three daughters).
Conleigh Brown, 18, will be playing volleyball in September 2025 at Canadore College in North Bay. Conleigh has been playing volleyball at Rideau District High School for 4 years and has been an all-star on 2 occasions. In addition, he was an assistant coach for the Senior Girls volleyball team last year. He has also played at the Kingston Rock Volleyball Club for the last two years; his team placed 6th in the province this year. Conleigh has participated in the Port Volleyball Clinic for two years and is now an assistant coach. Congratulations, Conleigh!
Sophie Hartley, 17, will be playing beach volleyball in September 2026 at McKendree University in Illinois. Sophie has been playing volleyball at Rideau District High School for three years, and has been an all-star three times, including a first team all-star in 2023 as well as MVP of the All-Star game in 2025. In addition, she was an assistant coach for the Junior Boys Volleyball team this year. Sophie has played volleyball with the Kingston Rock Volleyball Club for 5 years; her team placed 21st in the province this year. In addition, Sophie has competed in beach volleyball 2s, where she has medaled in several tournaments as well as finishing 9th in the province for the last two summers. Sophie has participated in the Port Volleyball Clinic for three years and is in her second year of coaching. Congratulations, Sophie!
Chris and Lauren Hartley continue to accentuate that “None of this would be possible without the Westport Lions Club, who have continued to support the clinic, specifically with the maintenance and use of the beach.” They also see the clinic continuing long past the time their own children grow out of it. When Chris was asked how long he sees the clinic lasting, he looks at his past players who still live in the area, and says, “Well, their kids are going to need coaching, too!” So, it seems as though volleyball will continue to flourish in Westport for many years to come!
To raise money to maintain the beach, the Westport Lions will organize a beach volleyball tournament on Saturday, July 12. The tournament is co-ed 4 vs. 4 with a competitive and non-competitive division. Watch for further details in a future article of the Lions Roar for details.
Westport Lions Club 