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!!!
2012 CIS National Champs
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
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!!!
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!!!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
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!!!
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!!!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
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!!!
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!!!
October 7th & 8th vs TRU Wolfpack Recap
October 12th, 2010 - Langley, BC
This was a busy week for Spartan Men's Volleyball. Two matches with TRU on Oct 7th & 8th followed by a 5 match weekend tournament at Douglas College. All tolled it was..."great success" for the Spartans.
October 7th, 2010: vs TRU @ MEI, Abbotsford, BC
The first match of the weekend was against long time rival Thompson Rivers University from Kamloops. For those unaware of the rivalry it is often heated and very competitive as the recent Canada West member Wolfpack team has quickly become a force in the league grabbing three national championship appearances including a bronze medal. These same Wolfpackers also knocked the Spartans out of the Canada West playoffs in 2009. Needless to say whenever these two teams collide there is fireworks. The match on October 7th was no different.
The match was hosted by Mennonite Educational Institute which is the standard of BC High School Boy's volleyball winning the previous 5 provincial AA titles and 7 of the last 8. The Eagles have produced many great Spartans as well as T-Birds and Wolfpack players. The current Spartan roster showcases two former Eagles in setter Ben Ball (4th) and libero John Wiebe (3rd). Just prior to the match these two MEI greats were honored in a special ceremony with TRU libero Matt Kruger. All three athletes are two time provincial senior champions and were given commemorative picture collages to remember their time at MEI with.
The crowd was in high spirits as this was their first view of the 2010-11 edition of the Spartans and many alumni, family members and Spartan Faithful were in attendance. The match got off to a good start for the home team as the Spartans blocked their way to a first set win of 25-17.
Game two was more of the same from the Spartans as they lead the whole way finishing the set with a score of 25-17. The TWU lineup is a bit curious to those who've followed the Spartans over the past couple of years. Long time middle standouts Rudy Verhoeff and Josh Doornenbal were no longer standing tall in the middle, rather they were playing on the wings this match. With injuries sidelining expected starters Marc Howatson and Brad Kufske the Spartans have moved their starting middles from the previous two seasons to the wings. This move has made the TWU team extremely big and having four middles on the court give the Spartans a block the Green Bay Packers O-Line would be proud of. It would seem natural that with four middles on the court the team would lose some reception and defense but this was not visually the case. The ball control was solid and the blocking and attacking was much more than solid.
Game three was much more competitive as the Wolfpack played their best set trying to stave off the sweep but a late comeback by the Spartans finished off the night with a 26-24 three set sweep. The teams, sensing the crowd wanted more, agreed to play another set which gave TWU a chance to get some of the younglings in and a taste of playing in front of the Spartan friendly crowd. The young lads of Sparta were great down the stretch and served ace bombs. A total of 7 aces from freshmen Branden Schmid (Calgary, AB) and Nick Del Bianco (Langley, BC) finished off the night and gave the Spartans a 4-0 win.
After the match the Spartan Faithful and Friends were treated to a Russia Tour recap. The athletes shared their highlights and some of the forming experiences the team had while on their two week tour in Russia. It was a great night of sharing and connecting between all generations of Spartan Men's Volleyball. All in all it was a special night. Spartans win, share and all went home happy, maybe not TRU but there is always another day...that day would be Friday.
October 8th: vs TRU @ Langley Events Centre - Home of the Spartans
The Friday night match was the second of the mini tour between the Spartans and the Wolfpack. This was the first match played in the friendly confines of the Langley Events Centre which saw the home team only lose three times during the 2009-10 campaign. Like any wounded animal the Spartans were expecting the pack of Wolves from TRU to come out hot and ready to respond to the previous nights loss. The Spartans came out with bad intentions to defend their home soil and send the 'pack back to their den 0-2. The first set's score says it all 25-9. The Spartans controlled the set from start to finish only committing two unforced errors all set.
Set two saw Schmidt and Del Bianco make their LEC debut and they continued where the veterans left off helping the Spartans take game 2 25-12. The Spartans were playing with great energy and continued to block the ball extremely well. Assistant coach Ryan Adams is in charge of the Spartan block and though TWU has looked good in training blocking even he could not expect the proficiency the home squad blocked the ball with. The third set ended 25-17 and ran the total for the 7 sets to 36 stuff blocks. While under Head Coach Ben Josephson the Spartans have come to be known as a defensive/ball control team based around a highly efficient offense. Now with the addition of a dominating block the Spartans are building a multi-dimensional team that can win in a variety of ways.
After the first two matches of the week TWU was feeling really good as they draw first blood in the TRU v TWU rivalry in 2010. While the wins looked lopsided this will not likely be the case when TRU returns for the Canada West home opener November 5th. CIS rookie of the year in 2009-10 Kevin Tillie was injured and played libero on the second night. Tillie is a very dangerous weapon for the 'pack and with him healthy the matches will take on a very different appearance, but hopefully for the Spartan Faithful the same result.
Look for the next edition of the inter provincial rivalry to take place at the LEC November 5th & 6th.
Go Spartans!!!
This was a busy week for Spartan Men's Volleyball. Two matches with TRU on Oct 7th & 8th followed by a 5 match weekend tournament at Douglas College. All tolled it was..."great success" for the Spartans.
October 7th, 2010: vs TRU @ MEI, Abbotsford, BC
The first match of the weekend was against long time rival Thompson Rivers University from Kamloops. For those unaware of the rivalry it is often heated and very competitive as the recent Canada West member Wolfpack team has quickly become a force in the league grabbing three national championship appearances including a bronze medal. These same Wolfpackers also knocked the Spartans out of the Canada West playoffs in 2009. Needless to say whenever these two teams collide there is fireworks. The match on October 7th was no different.
The match was hosted by Mennonite Educational Institute which is the standard of BC High School Boy's volleyball winning the previous 5 provincial AA titles and 7 of the last 8. The Eagles have produced many great Spartans as well as T-Birds and Wolfpack players. The current Spartan roster showcases two former Eagles in setter Ben Ball (4th) and libero John Wiebe (3rd). Just prior to the match these two MEI greats were honored in a special ceremony with TRU libero Matt Kruger. All three athletes are two time provincial senior champions and were given commemorative picture collages to remember their time at MEI with.
The crowd was in high spirits as this was their first view of the 2010-11 edition of the Spartans and many alumni, family members and Spartan Faithful were in attendance. The match got off to a good start for the home team as the Spartans blocked their way to a first set win of 25-17.
Game two was more of the same from the Spartans as they lead the whole way finishing the set with a score of 25-17. The TWU lineup is a bit curious to those who've followed the Spartans over the past couple of years. Long time middle standouts Rudy Verhoeff and Josh Doornenbal were no longer standing tall in the middle, rather they were playing on the wings this match. With injuries sidelining expected starters Marc Howatson and Brad Kufske the Spartans have moved their starting middles from the previous two seasons to the wings. This move has made the TWU team extremely big and having four middles on the court give the Spartans a block the Green Bay Packers O-Line would be proud of. It would seem natural that with four middles on the court the team would lose some reception and defense but this was not visually the case. The ball control was solid and the blocking and attacking was much more than solid.
Game three was much more competitive as the Wolfpack played their best set trying to stave off the sweep but a late comeback by the Spartans finished off the night with a 26-24 three set sweep. The teams, sensing the crowd wanted more, agreed to play another set which gave TWU a chance to get some of the younglings in and a taste of playing in front of the Spartan friendly crowd. The young lads of Sparta were great down the stretch and served ace bombs. A total of 7 aces from freshmen Branden Schmid (Calgary, AB) and Nick Del Bianco (Langley, BC) finished off the night and gave the Spartans a 4-0 win.
After the match the Spartan Faithful and Friends were treated to a Russia Tour recap. The athletes shared their highlights and some of the forming experiences the team had while on their two week tour in Russia. It was a great night of sharing and connecting between all generations of Spartan Men's Volleyball. All in all it was a special night. Spartans win, share and all went home happy, maybe not TRU but there is always another day...that day would be Friday.
October 8th: vs TRU @ Langley Events Centre - Home of the Spartans
The Friday night match was the second of the mini tour between the Spartans and the Wolfpack. This was the first match played in the friendly confines of the Langley Events Centre which saw the home team only lose three times during the 2009-10 campaign. Like any wounded animal the Spartans were expecting the pack of Wolves from TRU to come out hot and ready to respond to the previous nights loss. The Spartans came out with bad intentions to defend their home soil and send the 'pack back to their den 0-2. The first set's score says it all 25-9. The Spartans controlled the set from start to finish only committing two unforced errors all set.
Set two saw Schmidt and Del Bianco make their LEC debut and they continued where the veterans left off helping the Spartans take game 2 25-12. The Spartans were playing with great energy and continued to block the ball extremely well. Assistant coach Ryan Adams is in charge of the Spartan block and though TWU has looked good in training blocking even he could not expect the proficiency the home squad blocked the ball with. The third set ended 25-17 and ran the total for the 7 sets to 36 stuff blocks. While under Head Coach Ben Josephson the Spartans have come to be known as a defensive/ball control team based around a highly efficient offense. Now with the addition of a dominating block the Spartans are building a multi-dimensional team that can win in a variety of ways.
After the first two matches of the week TWU was feeling really good as they draw first blood in the TRU v TWU rivalry in 2010. While the wins looked lopsided this will not likely be the case when TRU returns for the Canada West home opener November 5th. CIS rookie of the year in 2009-10 Kevin Tillie was injured and played libero on the second night. Tillie is a very dangerous weapon for the 'pack and with him healthy the matches will take on a very different appearance, but hopefully for the Spartan Faithful the same result.
Look for the next edition of the inter provincial rivalry to take place at the LEC November 5th & 6th.
Go Spartans!!!
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Players to watch this week
October 5th, 2010 - Langley, BC
As this weekend's matches loom closer and the Spartans are getting amped up for another Canada West exhibition series we want to look at a couple players that will receive a bulk of the playing time.
Tale of Two Giants:
This season's preseason training has showcased two of the rising young stars for the TWU Spartans. Daniel Jansen Van Doorn (3rd Middle) and Lucas Van Berkel (2nd Middle) have been in the middle (pun intended) of a great battle. Heading into the season it looked like one of the two giants would start while the other would be in a reserve role. As the season looms closer these two have been two of the top performers in practice and in training thus far. Standing 6'8 & 6'9 respectively, Dan and Lucas have made eachother better by competing daily head to head. When teams have depth as the Spartans do this year the concept of iron sharpens iron becomes a very real and dangerous weapon. Dan and Lucas are the recipients of that sharpening as they prepare to cut up some opponents in the weeks to come.
Daniel Jansen Van Doorn:
Heading into his third year with the team Dan has worked hard to put himself into a position to be a threat in Canada West. His training and work away from the court over the past two seasons are now paying dividends in his on court performance. While he still has a lot to learn about performing on a day in and day out basis his high end potential keeps raising. This past off season Dan has put his body in a shape that matches his stature...huge. He has trimmed some of the young athlete excess and has left himself an explosive and quick toolbox to work from. He has always been a dominant presence blocking but now he is adding an attacking presence that makes him a multi-dimentional player. Add an improving jump serve and we may be witnessing the coming out party of a Canada West star.
Lucas Van Berkel:
He came to TWU as a highly recruited player from Edmonton Christian High School and Northern Alberta Volleyball Club. His final decision came down to the Bears of Alberta and the Spartans. The Faithful and Spartans are all thankful to be the beneficiaries of Lucas' decision. At 6'9 Lucas possesses international size and after this summer's experience on the Junior National Team he also has some international experience. Lucas finished the NORCECA tournament as the 4th highest rated plus/minus player in the tournament based on stats compiled by Volleyball Canada. His performance was impressive on its own but considering the fact that Lucas had season ending surgery last January it makes his quick recovery to the international age group level the more impressive. Lucas' special skill set of size and athleticism hasnt been seen to this level a lot in the Canada West. Combine that with his tireless work ethic and you have a budding superstar.
Look for these two to garner a lot of playing time through the preseason for the Spartans. The injury bug has hit the Langley squad and the response has been to move the previous two season's starting middle players to the wings. Rudy Verhoeff (4th) and Josh Doornenbal (5th) have been mainstays in the middle of the Spartan formation for the past two years together. They were arguably the top middle pairing over these seasons. Now in the wake of the injuries they have been training and playing wide opening up the middle of the court for Giants. While injuries often hurt a team beyond repair this season's injuries have given the opportunity for both of these two giants to step in to a playing role. While their head to head battles continue to rage they are no longer competing to see who plays. Now they are competing to make each other better in the attempt to take it out on who ever dares oppose the Spartans.
Look for the giant sighting to take place this Thursday, October 7th at 6pm in Abbotsford, BC at MEI where the Spartans take on the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack.
Go Spartans!!!
As this weekend's matches loom closer and the Spartans are getting amped up for another Canada West exhibition series we want to look at a couple players that will receive a bulk of the playing time.
Tale of Two Giants:
This season's preseason training has showcased two of the rising young stars for the TWU Spartans. Daniel Jansen Van Doorn (3rd Middle) and Lucas Van Berkel (2nd Middle) have been in the middle (pun intended) of a great battle. Heading into the season it looked like one of the two giants would start while the other would be in a reserve role. As the season looms closer these two have been two of the top performers in practice and in training thus far. Standing 6'8 & 6'9 respectively, Dan and Lucas have made eachother better by competing daily head to head. When teams have depth as the Spartans do this year the concept of iron sharpens iron becomes a very real and dangerous weapon. Dan and Lucas are the recipients of that sharpening as they prepare to cut up some opponents in the weeks to come.
Daniel Jansen Van Doorn:
Heading into his third year with the team Dan has worked hard to put himself into a position to be a threat in Canada West. His training and work away from the court over the past two seasons are now paying dividends in his on court performance. While he still has a lot to learn about performing on a day in and day out basis his high end potential keeps raising. This past off season Dan has put his body in a shape that matches his stature...huge. He has trimmed some of the young athlete excess and has left himself an explosive and quick toolbox to work from. He has always been a dominant presence blocking but now he is adding an attacking presence that makes him a multi-dimentional player. Add an improving jump serve and we may be witnessing the coming out party of a Canada West star.
Lucas Van Berkel:
He came to TWU as a highly recruited player from Edmonton Christian High School and Northern Alberta Volleyball Club. His final decision came down to the Bears of Alberta and the Spartans. The Faithful and Spartans are all thankful to be the beneficiaries of Lucas' decision. At 6'9 Lucas possesses international size and after this summer's experience on the Junior National Team he also has some international experience. Lucas finished the NORCECA tournament as the 4th highest rated plus/minus player in the tournament based on stats compiled by Volleyball Canada. His performance was impressive on its own but considering the fact that Lucas had season ending surgery last January it makes his quick recovery to the international age group level the more impressive. Lucas' special skill set of size and athleticism hasnt been seen to this level a lot in the Canada West. Combine that with his tireless work ethic and you have a budding superstar.
Look for these two to garner a lot of playing time through the preseason for the Spartans. The injury bug has hit the Langley squad and the response has been to move the previous two season's starting middle players to the wings. Rudy Verhoeff (4th) and Josh Doornenbal (5th) have been mainstays in the middle of the Spartan formation for the past two years together. They were arguably the top middle pairing over these seasons. Now in the wake of the injuries they have been training and playing wide opening up the middle of the court for Giants. While injuries often hurt a team beyond repair this season's injuries have given the opportunity for both of these two giants to step in to a playing role. While their head to head battles continue to rage they are no longer competing to see who plays. Now they are competing to make each other better in the attempt to take it out on who ever dares oppose the Spartans.
Look for the giant sighting to take place this Thursday, October 7th at 6pm in Abbotsford, BC at MEI where the Spartans take on the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack.
Go Spartans!!!
Monday, October 04, 2010
Things are about to get interesting...
October 4th, 2010 - Langley, BC
This week begins the long haul over the next 7 weeks taking the Spartan Men's Volleyball team right through the first semester. After a busy preseason already the Volley-boys from Tee-Dub now embark on a cross country romp beginning this weekend locally taking them out to Halifax and Fredericton and then back again to finish the semester in the friendly confines of the LEC.
Not sure what brainiac decided it was a good idea for the Spartans to have 28 preseason matches but whats done is done. At the time the roster looked deep but now injuries have taken their toll. While the healthy bodies are more than capable of taking on all comers their once deep ranks have been thinned.
This weekend the mighty Spartans take on 6 matches all locally:
October 7th 6pm vs Thompson Rivers Wolfpack @ MEI in Abbotsford
October 8th 7pm vs Thompson Rivers Wolfpack @ LEC in Langley, BC
October 9th & 10th: Douglas College Tournament, New Westminster, BC
Oct. 9th 10am vs Capilano Blues @ Douglas College
Oct. 9th 1pm vs Douglas Royals @ Douglas College
Oct. 10th 10am vs UFV Cascades @ Douglas College
Oct. 10th TBD vs TBD
October 13th 8pm vs Columbia Bible College @ Langley Christian HS in Langley, BC
October 15-17th: Queen's University Tournament
Oct. 15th 8pm vs Queen's Gaels @ Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario
Oct. 16th 6pm vs Western Mustangs @ Queen's University in Kingston, ON
Oct. 17th 1pm vs Brandon Bobcats @ Queen's University in Kingston, ON
October 18th TBD vs Team Canada Full Time Centre Athletes (To Be Confirmed)
October 19th TBD vs UNB Reds @ University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, NB
October 20th TBD vs UNB Reds @ University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, NB
October 21st TBD vs Dalhousie Tigers @ Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS
October 22nd TBD vs Dalhousie Tigers @ Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS
October 23rd TBD vs Dalhousie Tigers @ Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS
whew...that was tiring just to type...sorry fellas.
Then Canada West Conference play begins:
October 29/30 @ UBC T-Birds in Vancouver, BC
November 5/6 vs TRU Wolfpack @ LEC in Langley ---- HOME OPENER!!!
November 12/13 @ Regina Cougars in Regina, Saskatchewan
November 19/20 @ Alberta Bears in Edmonton, Alberta
November 26/27 vs Winnipeg Wesmen @ LEC in Langley --- LAST GAMES OF SEMESTER!!!
and that ladies and gentlemen is how to run a team through the gauntlet. The first question is why? Well, looking at this year's team and the opportunity to host the National Championships in March we have an opportunity to develop two teams during the first semester without worrying about the potential for losing a match here or there due to exhaustion. This schedule allows us to prepare the current 'core' for this year's run towards the Championship in March. While allowing us to prepare the 'next cycle' for their turn as they take over the reigns once the older guys begin to graduate. The opportunity for the babies and toddler Spartans to play in meaningful matches this early in their careers will pay huge dividends later giving them more experiences on court to rely upon when their time comes to be middle children and old men.
The strength of the 10-11 Spartans is their depth. 1-15 they can all play and sustain the level of play regardless of who is on the court. This depth also allows us to train at an extremely high level day in and day out as the "2nd Side" can battle with most anyone in the country and the "1st Unit" makes sure on a daily basis that they are prepared to play the best. This model has been stolen from Coach Pete Carroll during his time at Univeristy of Southern California. Their motto was "always compete" and they created an environment in practice that was as if not more competitive than their regular season matches on the weekend. This allowed them to play with a toughness and focus that was unmatched for the better part of a decade. While Spartan Men's Volleyball has a long way to go before we can claim the level of the USC Trojan Football Program it has to start somewhere.
This weekend begins the long run toward the end of November when the semester ends and the arrival of the newest and youngest Spartan is sure to add to the team's depth.
Go Jen & Go Spartans!!!
This week begins the long haul over the next 7 weeks taking the Spartan Men's Volleyball team right through the first semester. After a busy preseason already the Volley-boys from Tee-Dub now embark on a cross country romp beginning this weekend locally taking them out to Halifax and Fredericton and then back again to finish the semester in the friendly confines of the LEC.
Not sure what brainiac decided it was a good idea for the Spartans to have 28 preseason matches but whats done is done. At the time the roster looked deep but now injuries have taken their toll. While the healthy bodies are more than capable of taking on all comers their once deep ranks have been thinned.
This weekend the mighty Spartans take on 6 matches all locally:
October 7th 6pm vs Thompson Rivers Wolfpack @ MEI in Abbotsford
October 8th 7pm vs Thompson Rivers Wolfpack @ LEC in Langley, BC
October 9th & 10th: Douglas College Tournament, New Westminster, BC
Oct. 9th 10am vs Capilano Blues @ Douglas College
Oct. 9th 1pm vs Douglas Royals @ Douglas College
Oct. 10th 10am vs UFV Cascades @ Douglas College
Oct. 10th TBD vs TBD
October 13th 8pm vs Columbia Bible College @ Langley Christian HS in Langley, BC
October 15-17th: Queen's University Tournament
Oct. 15th 8pm vs Queen's Gaels @ Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario
Oct. 16th 6pm vs Western Mustangs @ Queen's University in Kingston, ON
Oct. 17th 1pm vs Brandon Bobcats @ Queen's University in Kingston, ON
October 18th TBD vs Team Canada Full Time Centre Athletes (To Be Confirmed)
October 19th TBD vs UNB Reds @ University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, NB
October 20th TBD vs UNB Reds @ University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, NB
October 21st TBD vs Dalhousie Tigers @ Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS
October 22nd TBD vs Dalhousie Tigers @ Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS
October 23rd TBD vs Dalhousie Tigers @ Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS
whew...that was tiring just to type...sorry fellas.
Then Canada West Conference play begins:
October 29/30 @ UBC T-Birds in Vancouver, BC
November 5/6 vs TRU Wolfpack @ LEC in Langley ---- HOME OPENER!!!
November 12/13 @ Regina Cougars in Regina, Saskatchewan
November 19/20 @ Alberta Bears in Edmonton, Alberta
November 26/27 vs Winnipeg Wesmen @ LEC in Langley --- LAST GAMES OF SEMESTER!!!
and that ladies and gentlemen is how to run a team through the gauntlet. The first question is why? Well, looking at this year's team and the opportunity to host the National Championships in March we have an opportunity to develop two teams during the first semester without worrying about the potential for losing a match here or there due to exhaustion. This schedule allows us to prepare the current 'core' for this year's run towards the Championship in March. While allowing us to prepare the 'next cycle' for their turn as they take over the reigns once the older guys begin to graduate. The opportunity for the babies and toddler Spartans to play in meaningful matches this early in their careers will pay huge dividends later giving them more experiences on court to rely upon when their time comes to be middle children and old men.
The strength of the 10-11 Spartans is their depth. 1-15 they can all play and sustain the level of play regardless of who is on the court. This depth also allows us to train at an extremely high level day in and day out as the "2nd Side" can battle with most anyone in the country and the "1st Unit" makes sure on a daily basis that they are prepared to play the best. This model has been stolen from Coach Pete Carroll during his time at Univeristy of Southern California. Their motto was "always compete" and they created an environment in practice that was as if not more competitive than their regular season matches on the weekend. This allowed them to play with a toughness and focus that was unmatched for the better part of a decade. While Spartan Men's Volleyball has a long way to go before we can claim the level of the USC Trojan Football Program it has to start somewhere.
This weekend begins the long run toward the end of November when the semester ends and the arrival of the newest and youngest Spartan is sure to add to the team's depth.
Go Jen & Go Spartans!!!
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