A New Season Begins: 2012-2013 Spartan MVB

September 18th, 2012 - Langley, BC

On the eve of the 2012-13 edition of Spartan Men's Volleyball's first exhibition match vs UBC-Okangan Heat the very unfamiliar feeling of uncertainty hangs in the air. After building for 5 years with much of the same core of players the Spartan Men's Volleyball program moves into the 2012-13 season absent some very familiar and key players. Gone are 2011 National Championship MVP Rudy Verhoeff, 2012 National Championship MVP Ben Ball and National Team member Marc Howatson. These three were all important pieces in the back to back championships and three consecutive national finals appearances by the Spartans. But like all good things their university careers must come to an end. So as the Spartans look to try to do what no team has done since the Winnipeg Wesmen of the 70's has done and earn a three peat they must do so with new faces stepping up into key roles.

The Spartans will look to new faces to fill the void left by the 'big 3' there are some mainstays that look to provide stability on the court for the 2 time defending champs. Middle blockers Lucas Van Berkel (4th - Edmonton, AB) and Dan Jansen VanDoorn (5th - Langley, BC) are back beginning their 3rd years on the starting line up together. They both spent time this summer as members of the National B Team where they improved their game immensely. Joining the giants are returning starters Steve Marshall (4th - Abbotsford, BC) and Jarrod Offereins (5th - Calgary, AB). Marshall too was a member of the National B team this summer and will be looked to as the key offensive threat for the Spartans on the outside. Offereins, the reigning CIS Libero of the Year, makes the move to the setter position for his 5th year replacing last year's Player of the Year, Ben Ball. While Jarrod has never played the position for any length of time he has looked good in the early season training.

With 4 returnees from last year's championship lineup in place the remaining three starting spots are largely up for grabs. There are a plethora of talented Spartans vying for the job and all the candidates are very accomplished in their young careers. Three junior national team outsides and one National Beach player will look to fill the vacancies on the outside for the Spartans this year. Brad Kufske (3rd - Abbotsford, BC), Branden Schmidt (3rd - Calgary, AB) and Derek Thiessen (3rd - Coquitlam, BC) all spent the summer of 2011 with the Junior National team and all are very explosive attackers. Nick Del Bianco (3rd - Surrey, BC) is a beach specialist and has been to the last 4 world beach championships for his age group. While his international experience in primarily on the beach Nick is a fantastical all around indoor player who's stability will be relied heavily upon this season.

With Offereins move to the setter position the final spot in the lineup will be contested by a couple talented libbers. John Wiebe (5th - Abbotsford, BC) who has been a 4 year back up will be the experienced presence in the libero spot for the Spartans. While John hasn't seen much Canada West match time he has trained the past 4 years against one of the best teams in the country on a daily basis. Battling for the libero position is Junior National Team libero Tyler Koslowsky (2nd - Abbotsford, BC). Tyler spend the summer as the starting libero for our nation as Team Canada finished 2nd at the NORCECA tournament qualifying for next summer's world championships. This summer's experience has been huge for Tyler as he comes into his second year as a seasoned libero and very capable of filling the role for the Spartans.

While the question of which of these fine athletes will emerge to solidify the lineup it is clear that the Spartans will posses a lot of firepower offensively and have great depth to move forward with. Rounding out the roster is a great cast of up and coming athletes who look to be mainstays in the Spartan line up down the road.

Last year's recruiting class was one of the Spartan's best nabbing 3 of the top 4 players in BC. Tyler Heppell (1st - Langley, BC) was voted the top high school player in BC in a coach's poll as he led his Langley Christian Lightning team to a bronze medal at the AA Provincial Championships and was named an alternate to this summer's Junior National Team. Ryan Sclater (1st - Port Coquitlam) was runner up to Heppell in the coach's poll which was high praise considering his high school, Terry Fox, didn't have a high school boys volleyball team. Ryan is also an accomplished basketball player leading his Terry Fox Ravens to the BC High School Provincial Title and garnering MVP honors along the way. Scott Plocktis (1st - Kelowna, BC) was voted 4th by the coaches and is a 'freaky' athletic setter who looks to be the Spartans setter of the future. All three of these high school stars were members of the U20 Team BC team this summer.

Rounding out the roster for the Spartans are a couple of future stars in the middle. Micah Jansen VanDoorn (3rd - Langley, BC) was also a member of Team BC this summer and was the top setter in his age group in high school but last season made the move to the middle position where he has been thriving. While still new to the position his movement and smarts make him a great middle blocker for the future. Danny Grant (4th - Chetwyn, BC) transfers to TWU from Columbia Bible College where he was a part of the Bearcats 2011 CCAA National Championship team. At 6'9 Danny is a very physical player who's spike and block touch are both within 1 inch of the Spartan program records (11'8.5 & 10'11.5 respectively). Danny will be redshirting for the Spartans this coming season to save eligibility to compete in a larger role in his final two years.

Familiarity is gone for the 2012-13 Spartans but in is place is youthful exuberance and a litter of talented players wanting to take their place in Spartan folklore. Names like Verhoeff, Ball and Doornenbal are now replaced by Kufske, Del Bianco, Thiessen and Schmidt. The names have changed but the Spartan way remains.

The 2012-13 campaign gets underway Wednesday, September 19th, 730pm vs UBC-Okangan at Kelowna Senior Secondary. The Spartans then continue their Okangan Tour with matches against perennial contender University of Alberta Bears September 20th & 21st. The 20th is 7pm at Princess Margaret HS in Penticton and the 21st is 6pm at UBC-Okanagan in Kelowna.

Let the fun begin...Go Spartans!!!

Location:Langley, BC

CIS National Championship 2011 Review: Final vs Brandon Bobcats

March 10th, 2011 - Langley, BC

After taking on the Spartans' biggest rivals in the quarter-final and semi-final and going the distance in both the question on everyone's minds was "do the Spartans have enough left for one more match?" The physical and emotional toll on the team was extensive but for 365 days the Spartans had been preparing for another shot at the Title. Emotion would not be an issue. To help the Spartans along the way was a sellout of the Langley Events Centre. Everywhere you looked there were Spartan Faithful yellow t's, painted bodies, noise makers holding noise makers and all the rest of those who came to see this team of destiny, the Spartans.

The pre-game speech was simple: "take a look around you...(pause as the athletes looked around the team room looking each other in the eye)...enough said...1-2-Spartans!!!" Simple statements often say more than enough. In that moment those who were about to take the court in the Championship final needed to look no further for all the motivation they would need than the guy on their left and right. This team had been building all year with the "band of brothers" mentality. The question was not "what would you do for your brother" rather "what wouldn't you do?" With their tanks full and joy in their hearts the Spartans ran into the LEC to an eruption of noise that no one has heard in that building...yet.

Very early it was clear the Spartans had saved their best for the final as they rolled through the first set blocking their way to a 25-12 set win. The game plan was also simple: serve tough and block Paul Sanderson. The 2009-2010 CIS Player of the Year is maybe the country's most dangerous hitter and for the Spartans to be successful they would have to limit his impact for the Brandon Bobcats. Set 1 = mission successful as the Spartans held the Bobcats to a staggering -30% attack efficiency or in normal terms 5 kills & 15 attack errors and even simpler terms, not good. Set 1 was won by the Spartans and Spartan Faithful on sheer emotion. As the match continued the Spartans fervor slowly came back to a "normal" level as the Bobcats began to make adjustments and adapt to the ruckus environment. The Spartans held on for a 25-22 lead and won their first set of the tournament on the "away" side of the gym.

Set 3 saw the Bobcats continue to find their rhythm and the Spartans showed signs of the weariness that anyone could expect after playing 10 sets the previous 2 nights of all out inspired volleyball. The game was tight through the early and middle sections with the Spartans behind by just 2 points (14-16). The Bobcats made a surge in the final third of the game and took a 23-20 lead and were looking to extend the night and delay the celebration. At that point the Spartans rallied in one last ditch effort to get back into the game and did they ever:
20-23: Brandon hits out of bounds
21-23: Ball & Jansen Van Doorn Roof Block
22-23: Lucas Van Berkel serves the Ace
23-23: Brandon Kill by Paul Sanderson
23-24: Rudy kills the ball to tie the game
24-24: Rudy is blocked to give Brandon the advantage
24-25: Brandon misses their serve, the Faithful strike again
25-25: Rudy serves and Brandon is called for a setting violation, the LEC goes nuts...match point Spartans
25-26: With the whole gym standing, arms raised and the familiar single finger held high signifying "One More Point," Rudy serves, Brandon sets Sanderson on a pipe, the Spartans are ready with a 3 man block...BLOCKED!!! GAME OVER!!! SPARTANS WIN, SPARTANS WIN, SPARTANS WIN!!!

Nearly 500 Spartan Faithful rush the team as the student section emptied onto the court in the most beautiful scene of blue, yellow, white, paint, sticks, pots, pans and bodies strewn about the playing floor. When the scene couldn't be more perfect two athletes rise above the crowd. Rudy Verhoeff and Ben Ball are picked up by some Faithful and amongst the sea of Yellow and Blue two White clad figures are held high with arms raised overlooking the celebration. It was a visual that none of us in attendance will ever forget. The joy, relief and elation in the moment was one of those things you wish you could bottle and send around the world. After much jumping, cheering, hugging and crying the floor was cleared for the medal presentations.

Almost no one left as the crowd waited patiently for the Spartans to receive what they earned...medals, banner & Tantramar Trophy all signifying they are National Champions. The crowd cheered as each team member received their medals and the joy on the faces of the Spartans lit up the LEC. Then the moment came, the "Captains" were called up to receive the trophy and banner. As is the custom with the Spartan Men's Volleyball team there are really no captains. There is a floor captain, as needed by volleyball regulations, and there are leaders. This year there were 15 of them, each called to add their own flavor of leadership to the group in an attempt to reduce the burden the team had to bear. So the two fifth year graduating seniors, Josh Doornenbal and Mikiah Schalk, joined the floor captain Rudy Verhoeff in accepting the symbols of the Championship. The team rushed to join in the hoisting of the Tantramar for the program's second time (2006, also 3-0). Then the photo op that every team in September dreams of. With the Tantramar sitting front and centre, the Championship banner draped on the floor extending from a most jubilant group of young men all with "one finger raised." For the first time that weekend the "one" didn't signal the need for one more point, it was in recognition that after heart break a year ago, a full year of training, lifting, sweating, failing and succeeding they had earned the right to be #1...CIS National Champions.

The question was posed more than a few times in the post game, "how were the guys able to play with so much passion and precision after such a tough first two days of the tournament?" The week leading up to the tournament the team used the example of Eric Liddell, gold medalist and subject of the movie Chariots of Fire. There is a youtube clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwyltmUR3MU&feature=related) where Liddell states that God has created him for a purpose, but he also created him fast, when he runs he feels God's pleasure. That same message was given to the guys. They two were created by God for a purpose, but they were also created with amazing gifts and talents that lend themselves to volleyball. The team attempted to enjoy their gifts and talents with the intent of feeling God's pleasure when they played. So how did they play three exceptional matches in three days, emptying their tanks each and every one? The felt God's pleasure and the Joy it provided gave more than enough emotion and resilience to compete.

The post game speech wasn't so simple. The Championship weekend saw the team come full circle as they revisited many of the Spiritual principles that were laid down in Russia. The concepts of Freedom, Point Match and feeling God' pleasure in doing whatever they do were rooted deep within the psyche of each one. These lessons were learned through competing in a volleyball tournament but the challenge was laid out to the team that they now must take these lessons with them as they move beyond volleyball. As they move into careers, become husbands and fathers these lessons learned will help make improvements to all the phases of their lives. This Championship's legacy will not just hang on the wall of the David E. Enarson Gymnasium but it will serve as a constant reminder to these 15 young men that God will Honor those who Honor Him (1 Samuel 2:30).

Go Spartans!!!

CIS National Championship 2011 Review: Semi Final vs Calgary Dinos

March 9th, 2011 - Langley, BC

After defeating arguably the best team in the country in the quarter-final of the National Tournament the Spartans' road did not get any easier with their semi-final opponent, the University of Calgary Dinos. While the rivalry with the Dinos is not as deep programatically as with the Alberta Bears, the rivalry between the current teams was significantly deeper. These team's rivalry started the last weekend of November in 2009 when the Dinos were the #1 ranked team in the country and the Spartans traveled to Calgary with designs on knocking them off that perch. The first night went the home team's way with the Dinos winning a 3-1 decision. The Spartans were very determined to earn a split and the team leaders "asked" the coaching staff to leave the gym during the Saturday practice and led the training session themselves. That evening the Spartans came out firing on all cylinders earning a similar 3-1 win in a very chippy match. The rivalry between the current rosters had begun to take shape.

Stage two of the rivalry saw the two teams meet in the Canada West semi-final in Edmonton. The game was a see-saw affair with the Spartans ultimately winning in 5 grueling sets and earning a birth in the Canada West final and relegating the Dinos to a much tougher draw at the National Tournament. The final meeting of the 2009-10 season was in the National Final where the Dinos exacted some revenge on the Spartans by breaking their hearts in yet another 4 set match. The feelings from that match would sit and resonate with the Spartans all summer long and provide the motivation for their training all season.

The 2010-2011 season saw chapter three in the story unfold as the Dinos, as defending CIS National Champions, ran out to a 10-0 start in conference play. The eventual rematch from the previous year's final came in the Spartan Holiday Classic in early 2011 at the Langley Events Centre. The Spartans won the match convincingly 3-0 and prematurely satisfied their need for redemption. The problem was these two teams would play in conference play just two weeks later. After the Spartans took the first set of the weekend 25-15 in dominant fashion the Dinos reeled off 6 consecutive sets to earn the sweep in Spartan-land. The losses rattled the Spartans as the same team that broke their hearts the previous March had cut them deeply again. The next meeting between these two powers was the 2011 Canada West semi-final and in a mirror image of the previous year the Dinos dropped the first set, took sets 2 & 3, lost 4 and won the 5th and advanced to the Canada West final which they won over the Brandon Bobcats.

The loss returned the favor from the previous year and gave the Spartans the tough draw at the National Tournament setting up the final meeting of the year in the National semi-final. While the Alberta Bears were an opponent that allowed the Spartans to play in their strength areas of physicality and net play, the Dinos were much different. Calgary forced the Spartans to pass and defend as they served primarily float serves and didn't allow the Spartan block to take over the matches. The battle of contrasting styles had gone the Dinos way more than not and the 2011 semi would be a battle of each team trying to impose their style on the match to swing the advantage in their favor.

The first game had the Spartans put up 10 blocks in the set and it was clear that TWU had control of the personality of the match. The Dinos responded by reducing their errors and forced the Spartans to play longer rallies which favored the Alberta based school. Neither of the first two sets were close with scores of 25-18 & 25-17. The third set, as is usually the case, was the most hotly contested of the evening as the host Spartans hung on to win 25-23. The 4th saw the Dinos respond in the same manner as the 2nd set. Their tough serving and ball control whittled the Spartans down to manageable size taking the set 25-20 but if it weren't for a late charge by the Spartans it would have been even more lop-sided.

Riding the momentum generated by the surge late in the 4th set and harnessing the energy of the nearly capacity Spartan Faithful the Spartans jumped out to a 5-1 lead and an 8-4 switch for the second consecutive night. Just when the Dinos began to make a late move to get back into the match Mikiah Schalk was inserted into the match as a serving sub. For those who have not had the pleasure of seeing Mikiah's serve it is the volleyball equivalent of turning your guitar amp up to 11, its one more than 10. Schalk unleashed three consecutive "Mik-Bombs" that resulted in two Spartan points and a swing for the match which the Dinos blocked prolonging the inevitable. What was beginning to look like a photo-finish turned into a 14-8 lead for the Spartans when Mikiah was done serving. On match point Lucas Van Berkel crushed a middle attack for the match and the Faithful rushed the court as the Spartans earned their second consecutive appearance in the National Final.

Prior to the match the Spartans shared Communion in the team-room as was this year's custom before home games. The team's Spiritual mentor Dave Johns shared some words with the team regarding the ritual of Communion and reiterated that we partake to remember the sacrifice that Christ made for all man-kind. His sacrifice freed man from the bonds of sin and opened the door for a personal relationship with Christ Himself. The sport application of this message was that the we should play with that same sense of freedom. Sport is a gift from God to be enjoyed, why burden ourselves with things that are so insignificant compared to the great sacrifice that Christ made. With this renewed perspective on the match the Spartans took the court and played with utter freedom the whole night. Not allowing tough spells to concern their performance and allowing them to make big play after big play leading to victory. The blending of Spirituality and Sport is why Trinity Western Spartans Athletics is the most unique of experiences and why many of the current players chose to play for TWU. This night was a triumph on the court but the lesson learned by the Spartans will echo in their lives for years to come.

I to believe it was William Wallace who said it best...FREEDOM!!!!

Go Spartans!!!

CIS National Championship Review: March 4th vs Alberta Bears

March 8t, 2011 - Langley, BC

It has been two days since the Spartans won the 2011 CIS National Championship and the reality of such a feat is still sinking in. For those who had the chance to participate in the weekend, live or online, the excitement in the Langley Events Centre is hard to describe. But here is a most humble attempt.

Heading into the weekend the Spartans knew they would have to play arguably the toughest schedule in National Tournament history. No team in memory has had to go through three Canada West opponents en route to winning a National Title but that is exactly what the Spartans were going to have to do. If it wasn't three Canada West teams it would be the top three ranked team in the country. Hard to determine which would be tougher at the tournament's outset.

The Spartans' first opponent was the mighty Alberta Bears who had medaled in 9 consecutive national tournaments. The Spartans had medaled in their previous 5 appearances (1 gold, 2 silver & 2 bronze). One of these two great programs were going to have their streak snapped in the quarter final stage of the tournament. The message all week to the Spartans was that they would find out on the tournament's opening day if they were good enough to win it all. Should the Spartans be able to get past the Bears then they would have proven to themselves and the rest of the field that they were on a mission. That is exactly what they did and in dramatic fashion.

The focal point for that first match for the Spartans was the concept of "Point Match." This concept encouraged the Spartans to play every point like it was its own match and win or lose move on to the next "point match." Like any game, win or lose, any team has to take the information available and move on, there is no looking back. This same focus was needed in order to overcome such a daunting opponent as the Bears from the University of Alberta. As the match unfolded this "point match" took on a life of its own. With the Spartans ahead 24-23 in the first set the bench players of the Spartans held up one figure signifying one more point match. The TWU squad was able to score that point and take the first set 25-23. The second set saw the Bears respond as all great teams do taking the set 25-23. The third was all Spartans as they ran out to a big lead and closed out with a 24-17 lead. The one figure was held high by the bench of the Spartans but the trend was starting to make its way around the gym as the Spartan Faithful in abundance began to join the team in holding one finger high as the Spartans won the set 25-17. Taking a 2 sets to 1 lead into the 4th set the Spartans were looking to close out the Bears but the tough Alberta squad would no go quietly as they rallied for a 25-21 win leveling out the match and forcing a 5th and deciding set. The match had been a see-saw affair with both teams making big play after big play. The fifth set was going to require the Spartans best set of volleyball to finish the match. To aid the Spartans was their not so secret or quiet weapon, the Spartan Faithful. The LEC was at almost capacity and the almost entirely Spartan friendly crowd was in a fury by the time the fifth set rolled around. Songs, chants and most certainly the Spartan Song were bouncing off the walls willing the Spartans on to victory. Harnessing the energy the Faithful provided the Spartans jumped out to an early 5-1 lead and looked to be in control at the switch leading 8-4. The Spartans did not falter as they took a 14-11 lead and the whole LEC on que raised 1 finger in the air. It was an amazing sight to see 1900 screaming Spartan Faithful with hands raised and a solo digit in the air. The Spartans obliged with a kill from All-Canadian Rudy Verhoeff to win the match 15-11 and secured a return to the semi-final.

The match was thought to be the match of the tournament heading into the game and it did not disappoint. The volleyball on display was epic as both teams recorded 18+ blocks and traded big blows like a legendary prize fight. The match had the feel of a championship match yet there were no medals awarded, only the right to move forward in the quest for the 2011 National Championship. The Spartans next opponent would prove just as tough as the reigning Champions Calgary Dinos waited for the Spartans in the semi.

Go Spartans!!!

CIS National Championship Preview 2011

March 1st, 2011 - Langley, BC

This weekend marks the final weekend of the 2010-2011 CIS Volleyball season for the Spartans as they get set to host the CIS National Championship Tournament. If you didn't already know that then you: 1) are not a volleyball fan, 2) are not a Spartan fan or 3) don't know how you got to this blog.

Much has been made of the first round match up the Spartans have in the University of Alberta Bears. The #2 ranked team in the CIS had a tough weekend last weekend at the Canada West Final 4 losing to Brandon in the semi final and the Spartans in the Bronze medal match. Their reward for such a weekend was a fall to the #5 seed in the national tournament. Never mind the Bears won the Canada West regular season going 17-1 in the process playing 6 matches without two key starters. Never mind the fact they were "robbed" in the semi final against Brandon with a huge missed touch call on match point thus prolonging the match that would see the Bobcats win the 5th set. All of those points were overlooked and the Bears were rewarded for their season success with a date with the Spartans in the hostile Langley Events Centre on opening day of the tournament.

The Spartans on the other hand are glad to have the match up as it will provide an early tournament answer to the question every team is anxious to know: are we good enough to win this year? Often times it takes 2 or 3 matches to have that question answered at the National tournament. For the Spartans that question will be answered sometime between 8:00 and 8:30pm Friday, March 4th at the LEC. Win and the Spartans will have proven to themselves that they have enough in the tank to potentially win the tournament. Lose and it is not meant to be this season.

To get a better handle on what type of epic match we are in store for this weekend it is worth while to look at the history between these two programs in recent years. Alberta and TWU are the two most successful volleyball programs in the last 7 years. Alberta has 7 CIS medals to their credit (3 Gold, 3 Silver & 1 Bronze) while TWU has 5 (1 Gold, 2 Silver & 2 Bronze). No other CIS program has more than 2 (Winnipeg & Manitoba) in that same time period. So with these two juggernauts set to do battle in a quarter final one program will see their medal total remain unchanged for certain.

Not only have these two programs proven to be successful at the National tournament they have met frequently during the past 7 championships. The 2005 & 2006 finals were fought between these two teams with each winning the Championship once. In 2007 they met in the semifinal with Alberta coming out victorious only to lose to Winnipeg in the final while the Spartans beat UBC 3-0 in the bronze medal game. The Bears and Spartans have not met in a Championship tournament match since that day. While both have added to their medal total since this Friday marks the next chapter in the epic struggle for CIS volleyball superiority.

With other programs on the rise also appearing in the tournament this is by no means a two horse race. Brandon makes its second appearance in three years on the strength of perennial points leader Paul Sanderson's arm. Two seasons ago the Bobcats earned a bronze medal in Edmonton by defeating the McMaster Marauders earning their school's first national volleyball medal. Calgary has seen a resurgence as of late as they make their second consecutive Nationals appearance. Last year's Champion heads into this year's tournament as the #1 seed and tournament favourite. After needing 10 sets to win their first Canada West Title since 1994 the Dinos begin their title defense Friday night at 8pm against the 8th seed Sherbrooke Vert et Or.

The other major contender this weekend is the undefeated and #1 ranked team in the Nation, Universite de Laval Rouge et Or. While ranked #1 in the coach's poll Laval plays as the 2nd seed in this year's tournament. A quick look at the draw and it is clear that the 2nd seed is much more advantageous than the 1 seed seeing how 3 of the top 4 ranked teams in the country are on the top seed half of the draw. Laval is the only non-Canada West team to have won the CIS National Championship in a long, long, long time. Not since 1974 has another team other than Laval outside the Canada West Conference won a National Title (Sherbrooke). Last year's #1 seed looks to stop the western dominance in university volleyball this weekend.

Rounding out the National Tournament field are the University of New Bruinswick Varsity Reds and the McMaster Marauders. UNB knocked off Dalhousie ending a 24 year conference winning streak and a 30+ year Nationals appearance streak for the Halifax school. It is the Reds' second tournament appearance in 3 years with a 7th place finish in 2009. McMaster is a much more seasoned team at this tournament with 5 appearances in 6 years. While they were not expected to make it to this year's tournament due to a very young team they caught fire at the right time and have rattled off 10 consecutive wins en route to the OUA championships knocking off league Champ Western in the Final and preseason OUA favourite Queen's in the semi.

With many of the leagues best teams on display this coming weekend there should be some great matches. With the many upsets already to have happened thus far in the post season it is not too much of a stretch to think that this weekend will have some curves in the road to the Tantramar.

The tournament gets going on March 4th at 1pm as #2 Laval takes on #7 UNB. The rest of the schedule is:
3pm #3 Brandon vs #6 McMaster
6pm #4 Trinity Western University Spartans vs #5 Alberta
8pm #1 Calgary vs #8 Sherbrooke

As is usually the case the 4th & 5th seed match is usually the best of the first day and as articulated earlier this year is most certainly that case. In what could be the match of the tournament the Spartans will use the mighty force of the Spartan Faithful to help propel them to a victory over the perennial contenders Alberta Bears.

First serve 6pm, Friday, March 4th, 2011 @ the Langley Events Centre.

Go Spartans!!!

Playoff Preview: Spartans vs TRU Wolfpack

February 16th, 2011 - Langley, BC

For the third consecutive season the Spartan Men's Volleyball team will be hosting a Canada West playoff series and for the second time in three against the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack. (Every time I write that I can hear their announcer say it...Thompson Rivers Universityyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy WOLFpack!) For the fourth consecutive season the Wolfpack must go into hostile territory to try to earn their way to the National Tournament. Both teams have a tendency to play the same teams in the playoffs as well. TWU has played Winnipeg 3 of the previous 5 years and TRU 2 of the last 3. TRU has played Brandon, then TWU, then Brandon and now TWU again. Both programs have had a great deal of success in the playoffs setting the stage for a great playoff series at the Langley Events Centre this weekend.

TRU has been able to attend the previous three CIS National Tournaments by way of road playoff victories (Brandon 2 times and TWU once) while TWU is looking to earn their way to a 6th National Tournament appearance in 8 years. The Spartans already have a place in the Tournament via Host Birth but there is no intention by the Langley squad to rely on the "free ride" to the Tournament. The two programs' successes in the playoffs are statements to their ability to play their best 'ball at the most important time of the year. While TWU has had the luxury of qualifying for the Tournament by winning on home soil the Wolfpack have done so on the road every time. This season looks to be no different with both teams playing very good volleyball down the stretch.

TWU comes into the weekend series on a 5 of 6 match win ratio with the only loss being in Brandon versus a very tough Bobcat team on senior appreciation night. The Wolfpack head into this weekend having won the last 4 including a pivotal weekend sweep of provincial rival UBC last weekend that broke a tie for 6th place and earned the 'Pack the right to avoid Calgary in the first round. These two teams are very familiar with each other as this will be the 7th time some form or another of Spartans and Wolfpack have competed against each other in the 2010-2011 campaign. These two teams locked up in a preseason pair of games in the lower mainland in October with TWU winning both. Later that weekend the younger squads of the teams played in the final of the Douglas College tournament in New Westminster, again with TWU coming out the victor. As the old adage goes, its tough to keep a good man, wolf, down the Wolfpack responded by spoiling the regular season home opener for TWU in November in a tough 5 set affair. The Spartans responded on the next night winning in 5, 17-15 in the 5th set completing a grueling 10 set weekend split. At the Spartan Holiday Classic in January the Spartans, or FVVC, played a young Wolfpack squad in the final day of the tournament with FVVC winning in straight sets. While the season series sits 6-1 in favour of the Spartans it must be said that most of those matches were played with split squads. The only time both teams lined up their full line ups was the regular season weekend in Langley where the epic 5 set split matches took place.

A simple look from the outside suggests that this series will follow the trend of the season series but when you take into account the way the Wolfpack have been playing as of late and the ultimate X-factor in star outside hitter Kevin Tillie, the Wolfpack will be more than a tough test for the Spartans. The Wolfpack have used more players in more roles than any team in the conference this past season. They continually rotate two very good setters in and out changing the flow of their offence. No less than four different players have played libero for TRU this season. They have three quality middles that are inter changable all roughly 6'6 and can block and attack with skill. They have 5 different wing attackers who have seen significant time this season not named Kevin Tillie. And then there is Kevin Tillie who is arguably the best player in the country (sorry Karl). Fact: there is no French phrase for Sophomore Slump (probably not fact) so French born Tillie has followed up his CIS Rookie of the Year campaign with is what is sure to be an All Canadian season (robbed if not). The TRU star attacker possesses the complete volleyball package. He is 6'6, jumps really well (11'6 minimum), is one of the leagues best defenders (top 10 in digs/set), is a fantastic blocker, the team's best passer and the league's #2 attacker behind perennial leader Paul Sanderson from Brandon. Tillie's all around game makes him a great test for any opponent and forces opposing coaches to stay up to all hours of the night trying to design a gameplan to contain, not stop, him. Like all great players in any sport Tillie makes those around him better. With teams tailoring their plan around him it provides better opportunities for the other Wolfpack attackers thus leading to their recent win streak.

As talented as Tillie is he will have his hands full this weekend as he and his TRU teammates take on the Spartans. TWU boasts the leagues top serving and blocking squad. This lethal combination allows the Spartans to routinely serve opponents off the net allowing their massive block to impose itself on the match and prey on attacker's aggressive shots. Leading the charge on the block front are a pair of 6'8 middle blockers in Dan Jansen Van Doorn and Lucas Van Berkel who both sit in the Canada West top 10 in blocking (7th & 1st respectively). Van Berkel's season average of 1.60 blocks per set is a new single season Canada West record and has earned him the Canada West Male Athlete of the Week honor this past week. On the wing the Spartans add a couple converted middles to add to their blocking prowess in Josh Doornenbal and Rudy Verhoeff who were both ranked in the top 10 in blocking for much of the season (Verhoeff finished the season 10th with 1.04). The final two blockers on the Spartan line up are 6'7 Outside Hitter Marc Howatson and 6'4 Setter Ben Ball who at 6'4 is the shortest player on the Spartan line up by 2 inches.

Blocking is difficult at best when opposed by a good offense but when that offense has to opperate from the 3 meter line blocking it becomes much easier. That is where TWU's service game comes in. The Spartans led the Canada West in Aces per set with 1.43 a full .30 better than the second place Alberta team. The serving charge is led by Van Berkel who is the lone Spartan in the top 10 in aces with .26 per set meaning that the TWU squad gets the rest of their 1.17 aces from a variety of other servers. Contributing to the season total are Verhoeff, Howatson, Jansen Van Doorn and Ball who were all ranked in the top 10 at one point this season (excluding Howatson who sat out the first semester due to injury). Adding to the baseline barrage is an arsenal of jump servers coming off the TWU bench in Nick Del Bianco, Branden Schmidt and the Spartans most dangerous serve of all Mikiah Schalk.

This combination of tough serving and big blocking has been seen before in Langley as this same style led the 2006 team to a National Championship and in 2007 they captured the Canada West banner. This weekend the Spartans will need all of their 'guns' firing and their blocks solid if they hope to put a stop to the Wolfpack's playoff winning streak on the road. Matches run 8pm both Thursday and Friday, February 17th & 18th with a third and deciding match at 7pm on Saturday, February 19th in necessary. Come out and cheer the Spartan on in what is sure to be some exciting matches.

Go Spartans!!!

Weekend Preview: Brandon Bobcats

February 3rd, 2011 - Somewhere between Winnipeg and Brandon

The Canada West regular season is winding down with just 4 more league matches to be played. As often is the case this time of year the different scenarios and "if who beats who" and "then they play we" and so forth. Some years it takes a doctorate degree to sort out the various tie break scenarios but this year the Canada West story is looking like it will play out like a good movie. An intriguing start, some twists in the middle and a building climax at the end. In the 2nd last weekend there are some major story lines to be decided.

Regina is still hanging in the playoff picture but needs two wins at UBC this weekend. UBC needs one win this weekend to make their return to the playoffs after a year off. TRU and Winnipeg square up in Kamloops with the host team needing just one win to clinch a playoff birth while Winnipeg needs a split. Alberta hosts Sask in a mean little match up with the Huskies already eliminated form the playoffs they will be building with their young group while the Bears need two wins to try to keep pace in the race for first place (nice huh!). The weekend's two major match ups see the undefeated Calgary Dinos go to play the Bisons of Manitoba. The Dinos are looking to keep a strangle hold on first place heading into the final weekend match up with Alberta. The Bisons are looking to secure a host playoff birth and could do so with a win this weekend.

The final match up of the weekend has the Spartans from wet-coast Langley, BC traveling to the frozen tundra of Brandon, Manitoba. Not really that froze of tundra but in honor of the Packers in the Superbowl this weekend you need to read that again but in the NFL Films guy's voice..."the frozen tundra of Lambeau...er...Brandon Manitoba." This weekend's matches have massive implications to the rest of the playoff picture. With one win TWU will secure a host playoff birth and will have the chance to go heads up with Manitoba to fight for third place. Should Brandon sweep the Spartans this weekend then the Bobcats would put themselves in a great position to earn a host playoff birth next weekend when they play Winnipeg while the Spartans would then have to battle the Bisons at the LEC for that final host birth.

Why is a host playoff birth so important you ask? Good question...it is extremely difficult to beat a good team twice in their barn. Often at the end of the season the difference between the top teams in the conference and the bottom teams is dramatically reduced. What separates them is the venue of competition. The right to play in front of your own fans, friends and family, to sleep and eat in your own surroundings and the comfort of playing in your own facility often proves to be the difference in the playoffs. So with that said this weekend provides a huge opportunity for the Spartans to gain an edge when it comes to advancing through the first round of the playoffs.

What stands in the Spartans way are the the Brandon Bobcats. With a record of 7-7 it would look like the Spartans would be the clear favourite. But make no mistake the Bobcats are a much more dangerous team than their .500 record would indicate. Leading the charge for Brandon University is the reigning CIS player of the year Paul Sanderson who is having an even better statistical season than his award winning season a year ago. To go along with Sanderson's 6+ points per game is the conference's most efficient attacker in Jon Sloan. Standing at 6'9 with good jump he is an imposing figure to match up against. The formula of great wing attacking and a solid first tempo in the offense is one that all teams strive to achieve and the Bobcats most certainly have.

Since joining the CIS in Men's Volleyball the Bobcats have had a tough time with the Spartans. In 2007, the Spartans took both nights in Brandon. A year later with the addition of Sanderson the Spartans and Bobcats split 3-0 decisions at the David E Enarson Gymnasium in Langley. Then it was back to Brandon where National team middle player Joel Small put up a 22 block night to secure a split late in the season. Last season the Spartans exacted some revenge as they were able to defend the new Langley Events Centre winning 3-0 & 3-2. The Spartans 6-2 record with the Bobcats show that Tee-Dub has HAD success but as any competitor knows, this isn't a math or history test, its the best team on one day.

The day in question is February 4th, 6pm pacific time. The #7 ranked Brandon Bobcats host the #4 ranked Trinity Western Spartans with massive playoff implications at stake. Tune in to the webcast at http://educationcdn.com/schools/bobcats/

Go Spartans!!!

Location:Brandon, Manitoba

Weekend Preview: Calgary Dinos

January 19th, 2011 - Langley, BC

This weekend the Spartans play host to the Calgary Dinos in the second semester opener at the Langley Events Centre. There are so many story lines stemming from this weekend it is a veritable bonanza of joy.

The first and obvious story line is the rematch of the 2010 CIS National Final that saw the Dinos down the Spartans 3-1. After dropping the first two sets the Spartans won the third set and looked in control of the fourth but faltered down the stretch and saw the Dinos celebrate the National Championship in Kamloops last March. That image is still burned in the memories of may of the current Spartan players as most all of last year's roster returned for this season. While the "rematch" may take the media centre stage there is far more at stake this weekend than redemption.

The Dinos currently sit 10-0 and remain the only undefeated team in Canada West. That means they are the only team that controls their own destiny with regards to winning the regular season title, a bye through the first round of the playoffs and the right to host the Final Four all of which the Spartans look to achieve as well. With a split the Dinos would fall into a three way tie with Alberta or Manitoba (they play each other this weekend). A Spartan sweep would put TWU just 1 game out, potentially tied, for the Canada West lead. The Spartans would need a split from Toba and Alberta to have a share of the lead. From a Canada West placing perspective this is a huge weekend with all of the top four teams in the conference playing each other. Much more will be known about the future of CanWest after this weekend.

Another story line is the recent success and rivalry between these two team that have seemed to have charted a similar course over the past couple seasons. In 2008-2009 the Dinos finished 2nd and TWU 3rd in the regular season and both teams were looking to return to the National Championship for the first time in a while (2003 - Calgary, 2007 - TWU). But this was not to be as both teams were "upset" in the first round of the Canada West playoffs. The Dinos lost a tough three match weekend with Winnipeg and the Spartans had a similar fate with Thompson Rivers. That bitter disappointment made both teams better the following year as the Dinos finished 2nd again and made amends in the playoffs quickly dispatching the Manitoba Bisons 2-0 while the Spartans had to go three matches to get past those pesky Wesmen from Winnipeg.

2009-2010 saw the rivalry between these very similar teams take shape. Their first meeting was in the Dino Cup that Calgary hosted in October. The After winning the first set the Spartans dropped the next three and ultimately had to play for third due to a tie break that went in the host team's favour...controversially. In the last weekend of the first semester they met in Calgary where the Dinos were just named the #1 team in the CIS that week. The Dinos won the first night against a very lack-luster Spartan team. The following day the Spartan athletes responded by having an athletes only practice where the coaching staff was asked to "go for coffee" and let them prepare holding themselves accountable to there coming performance. Their tactic worked as a very inspired and aggressive Spartan team won a chippy 4 set match dethroning Calgary of their #1 ranking after just one week.

The teams met again in the Canada West Final Four in Edmonton. Calgary took sets 1&4 with the Spartans taking the middle two setting up a bitterly contested 5th set that saw the Spartans advance to the Canada West Final against Alberta that they ultimately lost in 5 sets.

The CIS National Tournament saw these two teams take a similar route to meet in what was thought as an unlikely final pre tournament. Calgary drew a tough Dalhousie team in the first round and after dropping the first two sets they made a line up change and they caught fire winning the final three sets to advance to the semi final. The Spartans had an easier match, score wise, against an equally tough opponent in the Queen's Gaels, winning 3-0. The semi finals saw Calgary take on perennial favorite Alberta who had been in the 8 previous finals. The Dinos were able to gut out a 5 set win to advance to their first final since the mid 90's. The Spartans had to go the distance with undefeated and #1 seed Laval. In one of the most entertaining matches of volleyball you will ever see the Spartans recovered from a 23-19 deficit down 2 sets to 1 to force a 5th and deciding set. Finally at 20-18 the Spartans made a block to seal yet another match with the Dinos, the 5th on the season.

This year the rivalry has continued to grow as these two teams have met once already in the final of the Spartan Holiday Classic on January 5th at the Langley Events Centre. The Spartans played well enough to win 3-0 but the match was much closer than that setting the stage for another great weekend of volleyball between these two volley-powers.

On a personal note there are a number of intriguing relationships between these two teams. Rudy Verhoeff (Spartan 4th year Outside Hitter) was high school and club teammates with two current Dinos players (Ciaran McGovern and Levi Nutma). Rudy along with Marc Howatson have played the last three summers with Dinos Graham Vigrass, Jay Blankenau and McGovern with the National Junior and B teams. There are 7 current Spartans hailing from the province of Alberta so many of them played provincial team with many of the Dinos athletes as well including three from the city of Calgary (Verhoeff, Jarrod Offereins & Branden Schmidt).

All the personal relationships combined with the developing rivalry between these two CIS finalists will create a great competitive environment. Add in the second semester intensity where every match matters three fold in the final standings and it is not to much to assume this will be the most exciting weekend at the Langley Events Centre this season...YET!

Match times are 8pm Friday, January 21st and 7pm Saturday, January 22nd. Calling all Faithful, the Spartans will need you.

Go Spartans!!!

Location:Langley, BC

Food For Thought: Spartan Second Semester History

January 16th, 2011 - Langley, BC

As we head into the second semester lets take a look back at the Spartan Men's Volleyball Program's history of success and otherwise at the midway point.

We will start tracking the records from January 1st, 2004 which was the first season in which the Spartans began their run of 6 of 8 National Tournament appearances totaling in 5 National medals (1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze) the second most in the CIS during that period (Alberta Bears).

Year January 1 Final CW Finish 2nd Sem
Record Record Place CW/CIS Record

2004 3-5 12-8 4th 4th/3rd 9-3
2005 5-3 14-6 2nd 2nd/2nd 9-3
2006 8-2 16-4 2nd 2nd/1st 8-2
2007 5-1 13-5 2nd 1st/3rd 7-4
2008 4-4 8-10 7th NA/NA 4-6
2009 5-3 11-7 3rd NA/NA 6-4
2010 6-2 11-7 4th 2nd/2nd 5-5
2011 8-2 TBD TBD TBD/TBD TBD

Extra Notes:
2004: Second semester Coach Ron Pike made a switch to the starting lineup after a loss to Alberta at home. The team responded with a 5 set win, the programs first ever versus the Bears. That spurred a 9-2 record down the stretch en route to the programs first ever appearance at the National Tournament and a Bronze Medal.

2005: The programs first every appearance in both the Canada West final and the CIS National final. Same opponent and same result but the stage would be set for the following year.

2006: Going up against arguably the best CIS talent ever assembled in the undefeated Bears the Spartans won their first ever and lone CIS title to date.

2007: With arguably the best Spartan roster in the programs history and coming off a National Championship the team was rittled with injuries and had to move Josh Howatson, National Team setter, to the middle en route to the program's first Canada West title and its second bronze medal.

2008: In coach Josephson's first year with 4 freshman starters the team by the end of the season the team failed to make the National Tournament for the first time in 4 seasons. While it was a disappointment those four freshman starters (Ben Ball, Paul Lindemulder, Rudy Verhoeff and Marc Howatson) would become the core of the current cycle.

2009: After a great season and earning a host playoff berth in the 3rd position the Spartans lost to TRU in the third match of the best of three in 5. One of the most epic playoff series to date.

2010: With the freshmen from 2008 now in their 3rd years the team was poised to return to the National Tournament. After a tough three match playoff with Winnipeg the team went to Edmonton and lost in the Canada West final to Alberta in 5. Then it is return to the CIS Tournament the Spartans knocked off the undefeated #1 team in the country, Laval Rouge et Or, in the semi-final en route to the program's second National Silver Medal.

2011: With a host berth locked up to the National Tournament what remains to be seen is what kind of second semester this year's Spartan team can muster. The above table shows that any kind of record at the semester break can end in success or otherwise. It is what kind of performance and resiliency the team shows that will prove what the final outcome will be.

As evidenced by the table, all you need to do is get to the "dance" where anything can happen. The Spartans have gone into the tournament as favorites and underdogs but in all cases once at the tournament the Spartans are a force to be reckoned with. The Spartans have never NOT medalled at the National Tournament once they have been there.

BIG PLAYERS MAKE BIG PLAYS AT BIG TIMES!

Go Spartans!!!

Location:Langley, BC

Second semester preview Spartans MVB

With the second semester sprint looming just 10 days from getting under way it's time to take a quick look at what is in store for the volley boys from TWU.

Sitting at 8-2 at the semester break is a spot that is quite comfortable from a make the playoffs stand point but it is not nearly solid enough for the Spartans to achieve some of the goals that they hope to achieve.

The first goal to be achieved is to secure a host playoff birth for the third consecutive year. To achieve that the Spartans will most likely need a minimum of 3 more wins in their remaining 8 games. While 3 would most likely do it 4 should clinch it. Where those wins will come from will be the difficult task, to be discussed later.

The second goal is to win the conference regular season title, a feat that has not yet been accomplished by the Spartan Men's Volleyball program. Not only would winning the conference regular season be unprecedented but it would also secure the host of the Canada West Final 4 as well as a bye through the first round of the playoffs and some much needed rest.

The third goal out there, and the one that has little direct baring on the regular season, is winning the "blue" banner or the conference tournament. By doing so TWU would capture its 2nd Canada West men's volleyball title (2007) and would be all but guaranteed a top 1 or 2 seed in the national tournament.

The fourth and final goal, and the ultimate prize, is the "red" banner or the National Title. After losing in the title match a year ago the Spartans have had their eyes set on a return to that match with a different outcome. The previous goals all make this final goal a little easier but none of them will matter if this final goal is the only one accomplished.

These goals were set at the beginning of the season by the team and they have been training and playing hard to achieve them. While they would be nice to achieve they have no relationship to the fact the Spartans are in the National Tournament in March at the Langley Events Centre. Having a guaranteed host birth to compete for a national title is a nice fall back this year's edition of Spartan Men's Volleyball has not intention of using the host birth.

The National Championship is not necessarily won by the best team during the whole season but rather the team that is playing the best at the end of the season. The second semester provides the perfect build up towards that end.

The semester begins with a matchup with the University of Calgary Dinos (10-0) who not only are the defending National Champions but also sit alone atop the Canada West standings. The semester opening weekend should show the Spartans just where they are at with regards to their goals and their level of performance. In order to win the regular season the Spartans will most likely have to capture a sweep of the Dinos on home court and then would still need some help as Alberta & Manitoba only have 1 loss each.

The second weekend sees the Spartans travel to Saskatoon to play the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. While the Huskies are 1-9 at this point they are a very talented and dangerous team that still have a real chance of making the playoffs but will need to string together some quality wins, including the TWU weekend.

The third weekend is one of the "trap" weekends for TWU this semester as they travel to Brandon to take on the Bobcats. At 4-6 the Bobcats are in a spot few thought they would be in at the beginning of the season. Brandon was a preseason favorite to win the conference boasting the reigning CIS Player of the Year in Paul Sanderson (5th, Left Side, Australia). The Bobcats have underachieved thus far this season but as mentioned earlier it is not what teams do so much in the first semester rather how they are playing at the end of the second. The Spartans meet up with the Bobcats in the second to last regular season weekend and the host team should be in post season form and have shaken off the first semester's performance woes.

The second semester wraps up back in Langley as the Spartans play host the the Manitoba Bisons who are this year's surprise team. After missing the playoffs last season the Bisons have shot out to an impressive 11-1 record and are sitting tied for 2nd place in the conference. Manitoba had the luxury of a "softer" first semester but their level of play has been impressive none the less. Many of the Spartans goals will hang in the balance on Senior Weekend in Langley as playoff positioning and potentially the conference title may hang in the balance.

Upon the conclusion of regular season play the Spartans will enter the playoff phase of the season. The first round, if TWU does not earn a bye by winning the regular season title, consists of a best of three series. The winners of the three playoff series advance to the Final 4 to be hosted by the conference title winner. From there the top three plus TWU will advance to the National Championship at the Langley Events Centre March 4-6.

As evidenced the second semester is truly a sprint where every weekend is a must perform. The ability of a team to build their level of play towards the first weekend in March is the team that will have the best chance of playing their best when it counts the most. The top of the Canada West standings remains very tight with many match ups between those teams in the second semester. There could be much movement in the standings and rankings throughout the semester and nothing will be certain at any point.

To that end the Spartans enter the semester's play with a tough resolve to earn the right to be at the National Championship. It will take unbelievable focus and determination to prepare for each coming weekend's challenge for what it is. Finally it will take unmatched resiliency to respond to stumbles along the way for no Champion is that without adversity. It is the team that takes on adversity head on, conquers it and moves on quickly and intentionally that will be best prepared for the final weekend.

It will be an exciting finish to the 2010-2011 season...

Go Spartans!!!

Location:Langley, BC

Spartan MVB Weekend Preview: Regina Cougars

November 10th, 2010 – Langley, BC

In sport we use terms like: battle, war, victory, struggle and others. We use these terms to describe the effort and outcome of games. On a weekend such as this these terms take on a different meaning. The Remembrance Day weekend is about these same terms but not in a game, rather in reflecting and honoring the battles, wars, victories and struggles of the men and women who fought and died to earn the freedoms we now enjoy. This blog post will out line the upcoming matches between TWU and Regina where young men, 18-22 years old, will compete on a volleyball court as they pursue their careers in their respective universities as students. These same young men sixty some years ago were the backbone of the armed forces. Instead of competing in volleyball for a conference win, they were on the fields, in the bunkers and trenches defending our nations from tyranny. So it is with full respect and remembrance that we head into this weekend. Thankful that we can look forward to the matches and the joy sport brings to these young men. So to all who have had family serve and especially to those who have served themselves…THANK YOU!

To continue the remembrance theme it is good to look back on this TWU vs Regina match up through the years. It all began in the spring of 2000…oh those days when the leaves were so yellow and the rain dropped so swiftly. The Regina Cougars arrived to TWU to play the CIS rookie Spartans who in their first year in the CIS, sorry the CIAU at the time, were looking to find their way in their new league. Armed with a core of 2nd and 3rd year players who were brought to TWU to lead the transition from the college league along with some seasoned CCAA veterans the Spartans looked to defend the friendly confines of the David E. Enarson Gymnasium against their foes from the frozen tundra of southern Saskatchewan. It was to be a historic match as Spartan standout Luke Bainard would set the school record for kills in a match with 32 leading the young Spartans in triumph over the Red Baron and his Cougar teammates.

A few years later another chapter in the Cougar-Spartan story unfolded in Regina in the spring of 2003. When a hobbled Spartan squad made the journey into Cougar territory only to be upset in a heartbreaking 5 setter. While the loss was devastating the full effect was not felt until the end of February when that loss created a tie in the standings between the Spartans and the Calgary Dinos with the latter winning on sets for and against thus taking the 4th seed into the playoffs. That 4th seed was gold at the time due to the “lucky loser” playoff structure. Six teams made the playoffs with 1 vs 6, 2 vs 5 and 3 vs 4. The three winners advanced to the Canada West Final 4 along with the highest seeded losing team so if the first three teams all covered their playoff series then the 4th seed became the “lucky loser.” Due to the tiebreak the Dinos won that honor and the Spartans had to go to Winnipeg to play the 18-2 Manitoba Bisons. Two quick wins for the home team and the Spartans had to watch the Dinos take what they thought was their spot at the National Tournament en route to a respectable 4th place finish and the Spartans unfortunate playoff opponent Manitoba went on to win the National Title. Looking back on that season the Spartans loss to Regina sealed their fate thus moving their first appearance on the National stage to the following year where they were the “lucky loser” and rode that horseshoe to a bronze medal in the program’s first National Tournament appearance.

Fast-forward to today and the Spartans have not lost to the Cougars since that day in 2003. Another hobbled Spartan squad heads to Regina in hopes of avoiding that 2003 fate. The 2010-11 Spartan walking wounded has been well documented in this blog as well as in other Spartan publications. Add to the trio of Marc Howatson, Devyn Plett and Brad Kufske the newly injured Derek Thiessen and wounded Rudy Verhoeff, who is able to play but through some pain, and you have a very thin bench available for this coming weekend. Thinning the Spartan ranks even more, but for much more positive reasons, is the absence of Head Coach Ben Josephson from the bench this weekend. Following the birth of his first child, a son named Cooper, Josephson has elected to stay behind to improve his fathering abilities and aid his wife Jennifer. Taking the helm this weekend is Assistant Coach Ryan Adams and with whom lay the human-interest story of the weekend.

Adams was a freshman at TWU in the fall of 1998, the final year of CCAA competition for TWU before joining the CIAU in 1999. Ryan left TWU before that historic match mentioned earlier to go back to Ontario, his home province, to finish schooling at McMaster University. Upon completion as a Marauder, Adams took an assistant coaching position with…you guessed it, the University of Regina Cougars Men’s Volleyball Team. It was the first stop on a string of coaching experiences that has led Ryan back to Spartan Men’s Volleyball. After Regina Ryan took the Head Coaching position with the Briercrest Clippers Women’s Volleyball team. Then it was back to TWU as an assistant coach of the Spartan women and after three years there he made the move through the office wall and now is in his second year as the Men’s team assistant. To add to the human interest Ryan’s wife Deb is from Regina and many of her family members, including her parents, still reside there. It will be a homecoming of sorts for Ryan as he and his wife make the trip back to Regina where it all began.

There are also a few other unique story lines this weekend that surround some other relationships between Cougars and Spartans. The Regina Head Coach Greg Barthell led the Canadian Junior National Team to a NORCECA silver medal this past summer that qualified the team to compete in next summer’s World Junior Championships. Two current Spartans, Lucas Van Berkel (2nd Middle) and Branden Schmidt (1st, Outside) were fortunate enough to play for Coach Barthell this past summer. Prior to his posting at the U of R, Barthell was the Head Coach at The King’s University College in Edmonton and had recruited a few of the current Spartans, namely Josh Doornenbal who was seriously considering TKUC before finally deciding on TWU.

With all of the story lines weaving together this weekend there still are a couple volleyball matches to play. The on court match up is one that favours the Spartan squad who still have a lot of fire power regardless of their injury situation. The Cougars are a young and building squad with very little CIS experience on the roster. The #4 ranked Spartans are a heavy favourite to sweep the weekend but as last weekend showed anything is possible in the Canada West volleyball conference. TWU was heavily favored to sweep the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack but it took 10 sets to earn a split on the unranked Kamloops team. Elsewhere in the conference #1 ranked Alberta Bears, the Spartans next opponent, needed to come back from down 0-2 against the unranked UBC T-Birds who the Spartans had beaten soundly the week before 3-0, and 3-1. It is becoming clear in a short period of time that the 2010-11 Canada West season will be a tight and competitive one. Who knows what, where and when the pitfalls and upsets may come for any team. This could be a bit of a trap weekend for the Spartans. With their bench boss home in Langley with his son, their first three left side players unavailable to the team and their assistant coach making his CIS coaching debut in his wife’s home town the Spartans have their hands full with a very sound volleyball team in the Cougars. It will take an inspired performance and bench contributions to raise TWU to victory in Regina. Here is to seeing that performance on this Remembrance Day weekend, lest we forget the fate that befell the 2003 Spartan team.

Go Spartans!!!

UBC Weekend Preview

October 28th, 2010 – Langley, BC

After the mother of all preseason schedules the Canada West regular season is upon us at Spartan Men’s Volleyball. Excitement is in the air, athletes and coaches are sleepless in anticipation…well coaches…coach…for sure. To add to the Christmas Eve feeling is the opponent facing the Spartans on opening weekend. The cross-town rivals UBC T-Birds are the assigned opponents for the second consecutive season.

To put into perspective what this weekend’s match up has to offer we must look back on the past of this rivalry. From the Spartans first year in the CIS the ‘Birds were always an exciting opponent to play against. In the early years UBC boasted a great team stacked with freaky athletes that included left side greats Jeff Orchard and Guy Davis, serving and attacking specialist middle player Mike Dalziel and one of the most gifted jumpers CanWest has ever seen in right side Chad Grimm. As the Spartans great up and the freaky Bird cycle graduated the balance of power switched to Langley. In one stretch the Spartans won 26 of 27 matches. As typical of the rivalry just as one team established dominance the other team closed the gap and eventually took over the lower mainland thrown of vball dominance.

At the tail end of the Championship cycle the T-Birds gathered another great group of athletes that included MEI product Jarrod Krause, current National teamer Steve Gotch and perennial CanWest libero of the year Blair Bann. This ‘Bird core were able to knock off the Spartan squad twice in Vancouver stripping TWU of their #1 national ranking at the time. A few weeks later the Spartans were able to avenge those defeats by defeating the T-Birds in dominant fashion en route to TWU’s first Canada West Championship. Those same teams met again in McMaster in the National Championship bronze medal match with the Spartans dominating that match again winning their 4th consecutive national medal 3-0.

As the Championship cycle for the Spartans graduated and the current Spartan cycle began to take their places on the court it was UBC’s turn to dominate the regular season matches. TWU was able to score a 5 set thrilling upset of the Birds but that was followed up with two heart-breaking losses in Vancouver the following year. On both nights TWU had taken the first set only to lose the next three sets making it a 1-3 loss on both nights. To make things worse the Saturday night match has gone down in infamy in Spartan lore. After dropping sets 2 & 3 the Spartans built a big lead in the 4th set and had all the momentum. Up 23-16 the fate was all but sealed when the unthinkable happened. After a side out to make the score 23-17 the ‘Birds went on a 7 point run to go up 24-23 eventually winning the set and match 28-26. It was the last match of the first semester and it left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Spartans all Christmas break long.

For the current Spartans that loss is one of the toughest they have ever taken. But from all things positive outcomes are possible. That loss has created an environment in training that no lead is safe, no outcome is certain, both up or down. That lesson has helped shape the way the current team competes, trains and prepares for each and every match. On the eve of yet another epic weekend’s battle with the UBC Thunderbirds it is important to remember the wars that have gone on before…at the War (Memorial Gymnasium, UBC), at the Enar (David E. Enarson Gymnasium, TWU) or most recently as last season the Langley Events Centre.

Last season the home opener was against UBC and in front of 1200 spectators, the largest crowd in Spartan MVB history the home team was able to win a 5 set thriller in dramatic fashion. The second night saw a reversal of fortunes from that fateful night in Vancouver that Spartan lore refers to as “the run.” TWU lost the first set but recovered to build towards a 4 set win including a 25-14 drubbing in the 4th set.

This season the season opener for both teams is the home opener for UBC. There is sure to be a big crowd on hand to witness another Lower Mainland volleyball battle royale. While UBC is coming off what they would describe as a disappointing 2009-10 campaign that saw them miss the playoffs with a 4-14 record they return most of their key players and add a few additions to bolster their roster. Last season’s underperformance is one that the UBC Birds have trained hard to prepare to overcome in the 2010-11 season. While their hopes are high the Spartans look to try to get back on the winning track at the War Memorial Gymnasium in Vancouver. It has been 6 years since the TWU squad has won a match in the UBC gym. The #3 ranked Spartans are the clear favourite in this weekend’s matches but the history of the rivalry has shown that favourites or underdogs have no bearing on the outcomes when these two teams collide.

The Spartans are coming off a lengthy 28 match preseason schedule that saw them compete from Russia to Kelowna to Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The hurricane of travel and matches has prepared the TWU athletes to compete in all kinds of scenarios. Winning easy, losing hard, winning hard and thankfully only one loss hard, the Spartans are very match ready. The preseason schedule has allowed for a lot of match time for all 15 members of the active roster. That depth will allow TWU to absorb most any kind of pitfall that may come their way this weekend. It will most likely take all 12 athletes on the match roster to try to dispatch a feisty UBC team that will battle to the end to defend their home turf.

Look for 4th year and team captain Rudy Verhoeff to make his regular season debut on the left side a memorable one. Rudy has been one of the Spartans best players throughout the preseason schedule. Fellow former middle player Josh Doornenbal has also been impressive during the preseason as he makes the move from the middle to the right side. The ability of these two accomplished middles to play effectively on the wing proves their all around or universal abilities on the volleyball court. These two mainstays on the Spartan starting lineup will be relied upon heavily by the “engine,” setter Ben Ball to keep the Spartan offense clicking. New comers to the starting line up Dan Jansen Van Doorn and Lucas Van Berkel take over in the middle for Rudy and Josh. Both of the giants have seen a lot of preseason match play and their game readiness is as close as it can be for the Conference phase of the season. Adding to the mix are two great internal positional battles for the Spartans. Jarrod Offereins and John Wiebe are the two liberos competing for the starting job all preseason with both putting up great matches throughout the Eastern Canada Tour. That battle will continue to rage on throughout the first semester adding depth and competitiveness to the Spartan squad. The second left side position is another hotly contested spot by Mikiah Schalk (5th) and freshman Nick Del Bianco. In the last two matches of the preseason vs Dalhousie Tigers in Halifax these two both put up their best matches of the young season. The performance of both have put the Spartans in a very enviable position but coach Josephson in a difficult position of having to choose which to give the opener start to. While difficult the position of having too many match ready players is a problem most teams in the country would relish.

With the Spartans seemingly firing on all cylinders this weekend should be a great kick off to the 2010-11 season. The confident Spartans and the feisty T-Birds should put on a great show this weekend in Vancouver. Match times are set for 8pm both nights at UBC’s War Memorial Gymnasium on the beautiful UBC campus. Both matches will also be webcast for those outside the Vancouver area.

Go Spartans!!!

East Canada Tour: Fredericton Recap

September 22nd, 2010: Halifax, Nova Scotia

The second portion, and much longer portion of the Eastern Canada Tour began with a lengthy travel day. The team departed Kingston for Ottawa from which they flew to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Upon arrival in Halifax it was quickly back into vans and then a 4 hour drive to Fredericton, New Brunswick, home of the UNB Varsity Reds who would be the next Spartan opponent. It was a late arrival so a quick sleep was required for the boys before our first team practice in nearly two weeks.

Upon arrival at the UNB campus we were struck by the beauty of the campus. UNB had banners hanging from the light poles celebrating 225 years of operation and the campus was just what you would expect from a long standing university. All the buildings were red brick with white trim. There were huge trees everywhere that were in full fall bloom with red, orange and yellow leaves complimenting the beautiful architecture. It was something straight out of Dead Poet’s Society, all we needed was Robin Williams and O Captain my Captain to make the scene complete.

They gym was also something out of a movie. It was an old building, like they all were but its charm was special. Walking in was like stepping into Hoosiers with the dark wood floor, old style seats and bleachers. Visions of Jimmy Chipwood shooting hoops in the corner and Ollie granny tossing a free throw were easily conjured. It was a fun place to practice and it became clear that the campus was excited to have us there. Many students and staff were coming in and out of practice to see the westerners and take a look at the team UNB had brought in to open their exhibition schedule with.

The match environment was even better. They had a great crowd in and the noise level was picking up in warm up that suggested it was going to be a very exciting night. Just before the game a number of shirtless, red paint covered students settled in the front row and began a ruckus creating a classic university sport experience for the volleyball match. The game didn’t disappoint either. It was a grueling 5 set thriller with the teams trading big kills, blocks and digs giving all who came to watch a great display of preseason volleyball. The Spartans cam out victorious after 2.5 hours and another great five set character win.

After the match it was a quick bite at McDonalds, not exactly high performance but its McDonalds monopoly so it was a treat for the guys for winning. Just like when they were kids and after the little league game or soccer game and dads would take their kids to McD’s for ice cream so it was for the large boys on the Spartan volleyball team.

Day two ad the same flow, morning practice in Hickory then nap, study hall and a pregame meal. Then back to the gym for game two of the two game set with UNB Varsity Reds. Game two saw the Reds control the first two sets winning both by 4 points. Game three was the Spartans and they won 25-14 in dominant fashion. Game 4 was a slugfest down to the wire with the home team UNB winning the set and match. The crowd went nuts as the underdog host upset the #3 ranked Spartans. While the match didn’t go the way of the Spartan, it was a great match for the Spartan babies to gather some more much needed match experience.

After the match it was back to the hotel for another quick sleep and an early morning. The Spartans departed Fredericton at 6:30am for Nova Scotia by way of a ferry. A quick drive to Saint John and a three hour ferry ride across the Bay of Fundy landing in Digby. The ferry was a great time of relaxation; much better than the 7 hour van ride option. ON the ferry the boys were able to get some much-needed homework done as the stress of a week of missed classes was alleviated somewhat. Those who did not have homework slept on the benches making a ring of Spartans laying head to foot ringing the outskirts of the ferry cabin.

Upon arrival in Digby the Spartans found a little seafood diner to get some lunch. It mush have been a sight for the locals to see 15 huge men walk into a diner that most of them had to duck their heads in order to avoid concussing them selves on the low hanging beams. It was lobster and fish and chips for the boys and home made pie, a feast for a king, well more like a sailor but either way it was a great meal. Then it was back into the vans and a short drive to West King’s District High School that was hosting the first of three matches with perennial eastern power Dalhousie University.

The team arrived to the high school a little earlier than needed so we had some time to kill. We saw a sign for a zoo so the curiosity of a zoo in what seemed like the middle of nowhere was too much to pass up. We found the zoo expecting some farm animals but instead found a fully functioning zoo with exotic animals. They had the Guinness record biggest Lion in captivity in the world there but he had passed away a few months before so we did not get to see him but saw his grave. A little odd to see a lion’s greave but not much odder than seeing a zoo in the middle of farm country Nova Scotia. The steep price of $3 entry to the zoo was a little too much for 30 minutes so the staff was gracious enough to let the guys into the reptile area for free. There they had all manners of lizards, turtles and snakes. The highlight was a couple 15’ boa constrictors, one of which was hanging from the roof. Ricky and Lucy were their names and Ricky decided to put on a show for the guys has he dropped from the ceiling to the floor eliciting a school girl scream from the entire team that had gathered to admire the massive snakes. A bunch of large athletes screaming was too much for the baby girl in the room as she began to cry and the boys giggled like equally young children.

Outside we were able to look at some of the other animals that they had gathered at this peculiar zoo. They had monkeys, donkeys, horses, and wild turkeys running everywhere. A bunch of the guys had fun trying to catch the turkeys and it was a good warm up for the upcoming match. Then it was back to the gym where the host committee had prepared a pregame meal of lasagna and Caesar salad for both teams. It was a fun time to catch up with friends on the other team as many of the Spartans had played club, provincial team or national team with some members of the Dalhousie Tigers team. After dinner there was some dead time and for those who know some of this year’s Spartan team, idle time usually leads to shenanigans.

In Digby a couple guys had found a fireworks store and the pyromaniacs purchased some exploding fun. While we were killing time in the gym we realized the pyros had gone missing so in looking for them someone went outside and heard fireworks coming from the bushes. The team was gathered and the search commenced for the fun that was being had. A bunch of explosions, both of bottle rockets and laughter kept the fellas occupied as they waited to take the court for warm up.

Then it was work time as the team suited up for the match. The Dalhousie Tigers have been to the CIS National Tournament a record 33 straight seasons and coach Dan Ota always produces a well-prepared and talented team. Being the first match of the three game set and with both teams having key players nursing injuries it was a great match for the younger players on both teams to compete. This was Dal’s first exhibition match of the season so they were a little sloppy but so too were the tired Spartans. The teams traded sets with Dal taking 1 & 3 and TWU taking 2 & 4. Finally after almost two hours of error filled volleyball a great volleyball game broke out in the fifth. The deciding set was a great display of two of the most talented teams in the country doing battle. It was a 1 point game the whole way with Tiger three time All Canadian Sander “Ranchdip” Ratsep ripping a match winning ace taking the set 16-14 and the match 3-2. It was a great game for the Spartan youngsters with three freshmen two third years, a second yearn and Ben Ball being the lone “starter” from last year’s team on the court. Another great test of character for the young Spartans that will pay dividends later in their career.

After the match the host committee had a light post game snack prepared and then it was back into the vans and an hour and a half drive to the city of Halifax and the final destination of the Eastern Canada Tour. The team checked into the hotel and hit the hay for some much needed rest after another really long day.

Games 2 & 3 and the final two matches of the lengthy Eastern Canada Tour are to be played at Dalhousie in the Dalplex, home of the Tigers. Both teams look to put their best lineups on the floor in what should be the best matches of the tour and the final preparation matches before both teams begin conference play the following weekend.

Great things are about to happen,

Go Spartans!!!

Queen's Tournament Recap

October 17th, 2010: Kingston, Ontario

This past weekend Spartan Men's Volleyball competed in the Queen's Invitational Tournament hosted by Queen's University. This was an important event for the Spartans to play in because it gave them the opportunity to play two of the OUA's (Ontario Conference) top teams and also exposed them the facility that will host the 2012 CIS National Tournament.

The Spartan's preseason schedule is a hectic one that has seen them compete in Russia, BC now Ontario and on to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The mentality is to expose the athletes to as many difficult playing conditions as possible to test their toughness under stress and force some team unity in the process. To make things even crazier than travelling east to play an unfamiliar team in an unfamiliar place. The Spartans had to play the first game on little to no sleep. The team departed Abbotsford at 7:45pm on October 14th. Landed in Calgary at 10pm and took off for Toronto at 12:45am, October 15th. A quick turn around at Lester B Pearson airport in Toronto and off to Ottawa arriving at 8am. Then a two hour van ride to Kingston and what was to be a chance to nap turned into a test of durability. The team could not check into the hotel until 3pm so off to the Queen's gym they went. Shortly after arriving at the gym the Spartans scattered around the beautiful Athletic Recreation Centre or ARC to find whatever open piece of furniture, floor or bleacher they could to fall asleep on. Not exactly a high performance procedure. After a short and interrupted nap the team checked into the hotel and tried to catch a few more z's. The it was up for pregame meal and off to the gym for a the feature match of the tournament with the host team Queen's Gaels. For those who remember last March's CIS National Tournament this was the same team the Spartans faced in the quarterfinal match. Last season's OUA champs returned all but one player from last year's team and are thought to be the top team in the OUA this coming season. It was truly going to be a great test for the tired yet resilient Spartans.

To make things worse the match between Brandon and Western went the distance and lengthened the the time before the Spartans could go back to sleep. Starting the match at 9pm a full 25:15 hours after departing Abbotsford it was clear the level of performance was not going to be up to the usual Spartan standard. Queen's took game 1 25-23 and the Spartans showed signs of themselves but made a lot of uncharacteristic errors. They responded to take game 2 25-23 but fell 25-23 in the 3rd. The match was extremely competitive with both squads boasting a number of National level athletes. Game 4 saw the Spartans shake the sleep from their eyes and the all to familiar blocking dominance was on display helping win the game 25-18. On to the 5th set and the Gaels (what is a Gael anyway) jumped out to a 4-1 lead. It would have been very easy for the Spartans to fold up and take any of the plethora of excuses available to them and hold their heads high after a valiant battle. "We were up all night", nope, "We ate too late," nope, "we didn't get a serve and pass in the new gym," nope, "we are missing our true left sides," nope, "we have 4 middles on the court," nope, "our setter is injured," nope, "we haven't practiced in 9 days," nope. None of that was heard. What was heard was the intensity of an extremely proud and competitive group as all 13 athletes joined in one voice and declared we will not go quietly into the Kingston night. The Spartans rallied and played inspired volleyball and won the set and match 15-10. It was a great character win for the Langley lads. An adage the team uses is that nothing is learned from losing. Losing reveals lessons, winning learns them. The team learned a valuable lesson that day. If the team stays together and relies upon each other they can truly accomplish anything, on and off the court. Day 1 complete and finally the Spartan could get their much deserved rest.

Day 2 was much better than day 1 from a high performance preparation stand point. The team was able to sleep in, get a good breakfast and relax during the afternoon. They had the chance to get some homework done as they are now about to miss 5 days of school during the midterm phase of the school year. The chance to alleviate some of that stress always helps athletes clear their minds to focus on the task at hand. A good pregame meal and off to the gym for the 6pm tilt versus the Western Mustangs, the team that had beaten the highly thought of Brandon Bobcats the evening before. This match had a much better feeling heading into it from a Spartan perspective. The lads were loose and focused and that carried over into their play winning the first two sets 25-21 and 25-18 respectively. The the match took a turn. The Spartans built a good lead in the third and then just lost focus. The resilient Mustangs went from trot to gallop and ran all over the Spartans claiming a 25-23 set win. TWU tried to regain focus and built a lead only to relinquish it late losing 25-23 again. For the second night in a row a tired Spartan squad had to reach deep to try to dispatch a very tenacious Mustang team Jack Black and Kyle Gas would be proud of. Unlike the night before the Spartans could not shake the 'stangs. 8-8, 9-9, 10-10, 11-11 and then it happened. Block, ace, kill...game set match and another character win for the Spartans. After the match there was nothing but respect for the Western team for battling back from down 0-2 but the Spartans were the better team and found a way again. Then it was off to bed and some more needed sleep for the short turn around and a 1pm match the next afternoon with the Brandon Bobcats in what would be a winner take all match.

Day 3 saw the Spartans in a much more normal groove. Up for breakfast, then took a tour of Fort Henry and walked around downtown Kingston admiring the old buildings. We found a novelty shop that sold a fishing game that you could play while on the proverbial porcelain toilet that a few almost purchased but the asking price of 30 bones was a little too much for an easy laugh. A picture, a joke and it was off to the gym. Brandon returned the reigning CIS player of the year from a year ago Paul Sanderson who brought a few more of his Aussie countrymen with him for the 2010-11 campaign. This Bobcat team who is widely thought to be the class of the conference this season had played well the night before and easily dispatched the Queen's team 3-0. To make the match a little more interesting the Spartans would play three freshmen in the wing hitter positions. Nick Del Bianco and Derek Thiessen manned the left side while Brandon Schmidt held down the Right. The curious looks from the Bobcat players at the younglings across the net from them and the sight of Spartan standouts Rudy Verhoeff and Josh Doornenbal standing in the sub's pen was fun to watch. Even more fun to watch was the way the young Spartans battled the Bobcats the entire set. Leading at 18 by 1 it was a slug fest to finish just shy 23-25. The young Spartan squad continued to improve their game and led again 18-17 only to lose by the same margin, 23-25. The improvement curve continued as the Spartans took an 18-14 lead and finished with a 25-21 lead and new life sprang up on the bench. Set four was another great battle as the young Spartans were showing to be the more physical team, which was a bit of a shock considering the Bobcats had a 7'1" Aussie patrolling the middle. While TWU was the more physical presence at the net the Bobcats showed their experience and they greased their way to a 25-23 set and match win. The loss was hard to swallow considering that the Spartans had multiple opportunities to win each set but one thing or another broke down to stifle their hopes. In the end it was another great experience for the tool box to be relied upon at a later date. The Spartans took the Bobcats best shot without their veterans and made almost the most of the opportunity.

With the win Brandon won the tournament but the future of the Spartans served notice that they will be tough for a long time to come. Rudy Verhoeff and setter Ben Ball received much deserved All Star recognition for their performances in the tournament. The it was off to dinner and a great night of sports watching. Phillies v Giants in the NLCS and Sunday Night Football...what more could we ask for...maybe one more win.

Go Spartans!!!

Douglas Tournament Recap Oct 9th & 10th

October 12th, 2010 - Langley, BC

After coming off two matches with Canada West rival Thompson Rivers University the Spartans switched gears and entered a tournament at Douglas College that featured the top college teams in the BCCAA and Keyano College from the Alberta College league.

This is the fourth year the Spartans have competed in the Douglas Tournament on the Thanksgiving weekend. It provides some great on court experience for the Spartan younglings. The ability for a team to perform well on weekends is due to its ability to train well during the week. As the conference schedule draws closer the training pits the older players against the younger players. The ability of the "second" unit to push and compete against the "first" unit helps sharpen the team and raises their performance level. The younger Spartans had a great opportunity to raise their level playing against similar aged competition this past weekend and will make their ability to push and compete against their fellow Spartans that much better.

Game 1 of the tournament was against the Capilano Blues from northern Vancouver. The Blues were a very scrappy team with inspired defense and gave the Spartan squad a tough battle. Game 1 to the Spartans, game 2 to the Blues and game 3 to the Spartans. The Spartans were showcasing four freshamen in their lineup: Micah Jansen Van Doorn (Setter, Langley, BC), Nick Del Bianco (Left Side, Langley, BC), Branden Schmidt (Right Side, Calgary, AB) and Derek Thiessen (Outside Hitter, Coquitlam, BC). Thiessen is a freshman by eligibility standards as he had to sit out last season recovering from an ACL surgery. The young Spartans showed their youth in this match making a few too many unforced errors to win in two sets but showed enough maturity to play well in the third and deciding set.

Game 2 was against the host Douglas Royals. These two teams are very familiar with many members of both teams playing together in club and high school. The familiarity made the match fun as the two teams battled. The Spartans were paced by Derek Thiesen and Branden Schmidt who were on fire offensively. It was great to see Thiessen start to regain his former glory as he continues to find his match rhythm. Schmidt, a highly recruited high schooler from a year ago, showed why he was a prize recruit for the Spartans this off season as he imposed his physical presence on the match from the baseline serving and at the net attacking and blocking. The Spartans started the first set poorly going down 7-17 but after a timeout and a challenge from coach they went out and played with extreme passion winning the first set 27-25. The timeout challenge was simple, "they way you are playing...I don't think you can beat this team" stated coach Josephson. Sounds awefully like something a coach would say to u16 players but the Spartans sure didnt play like u16 athletes after the timeout. It was some of the most dominating volleyball of the tournament to finish the first set. Sets 2 & 3 were more of the same as the Spartans found their rhythm and executed the Royals to at three set death. Douglas College will be one of the dominant teams in teh BCCA this season as they are very big and are extremely well coached. They will be a team that will make some huge noise in the CCAA playoffs in March 2011.

Game 3 of the tournament saw a battle of the Valley with TWU taking on University of the Fraser Valley Cascades. In another match that saw a lot of former teammates competing against each other it was very enjoyable to watch the battle. The Spartans were playing really solid ball by this point in the tournament. The younglings were proving to be very tough servers as they continued to bomb away from the baseline with all four freshmen hitting their spin serves will by this point. The Cascades passed the tough Spartan serves well but they were a little too small to get past what is becoming the identity of this year's team match by match...Blike. Its a block but scores like a spike...blike. The Spartans used their dominance at the net to score another 3-0 win.

October 10th or 10-10-10 was the playoff phase of the tournament. In the semi final the Spartans played fellow Christian school and Valley residents Columbia Bible College. The Bearcats' head coach Rocky Olfert is a Spartan alum and spent one season with the Spartans as an assistant coach. He is more than an accomplished coach and his team was the best team systematically in the tournament based on the performances versus TWU. The CBC team was also very big and posed some major issues for TWU at the net. For the first time in the tournament the Spartans were rejected on their aggressive shots. A few adjustments by the young Spartans and the floor shots turned into hand wipes and the Spartans began to roll again. This match showcased the youngling's ability from the baseline instead of the net as they served their way to a 3-0 win. Though the Spartans were able to win all three sets the match was very competitive and will fuel the battle that will continue Wednesday October 13th, as the teams play again at Langley Christian High School.

The final was another match against the TRU Wolfpack. Many of TRU's older players and regular starters went home the night before as they had been down since thursday. The team the 'pack put on the floor for the final was many of their young players with a couple ringers. Former national teamer Drew Venables, TRU assistant coach, who set for the Manitoba Bisons was enlisted as the TRU setter. At 6'8 he gave the Spartans some trouble at the net with the height he was able to pass the ball at. The Wolfpack also showed their size at the other positions blocking their way to a good sized first set lead. When the first set was all but finished the Spartans made one last surge and came back from a 22-24 deficit to win 27-25. After that first set the young Spartans led by 4th year captain Rudy Verhoeff stormed through sets 2 & 3 en route to yet another 3-0 win over TRU. This match showcased last year's top BC high school volleyball athlete Nick Del Bianco. Nick hit .500 and went error free for the match in one of this season's special performances helping the Spartans take the Douglas Tournament championship.

The tournament was a great display of system volleyball the Spartan way. The younglings played better and better as the tournament went along and these experiences will go a long way to helping this team as it prepares for Canada West play as well as building for the future when the current core begins to retire. The future of Spartan Men's Volleyball will be in good hands.

The Spartans resume play Wednesday, October 13th vs CBC at Langley Christian before heading out east for 8 matches in 10 days. These matches include opponents such as Queen's, Western Ontario, Brandon, UNB and Dalhousie. This will be the final preseason push before returning home to begin Canada West play October 29t at the UBC T-Birds and another heated rivarly.

Go Spartans!!!