By DAVID WINER Can being too good be a curse? IndoCan volleyball club coach Sukh Singh thinks so, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. When volleyball communities host their annual tournaments, IndoCan’s invitation often gets lost in the mail. Truth be told, they’re too good and a massive favorite to win and take home the prize money each time they take to the court. With most of the roster made up of Pakmen Volleyball Club alumni, the players have been competing together for years and know each other’s next move on the court even without having to practice. They’re South Asian volleyball’s answer to the famed basketballers the Harlem Globetrotters who entertain their fans while toying with their rivals the Washington Generals. “It’s sour apples,” contends Singh of tournament organizers anxious of inviting IndoCan. “They say we’re too good. I say how are you going to get better if you’re not playing against this team.” Singh adds his club, comprised of 65 players, also participates in non-Indian tournaments. However, frustrated with a lack of opportunities, the IndoCan players took their skills on the road recently, flying Down Under to Sydney, Australia to participate in the first annual South Asian World Club Volleyball Championships. In search of world-class competition, the team of former Pakmen Navreet Suhan, captain Saad Shaikh, Avy Bath, Arjun Selhi, Deman Dulat, Harnoor Grewal and Jaskaran Kalsi teamed with Amit Pal Sayal and American Sahib Sidhu against a number of sides from Australia and New Zealand. The result…total domination. After round robin 2-0 victories over Sydney Storm, Black Spikes of New Zealand and BBSCP of Australia, IndoCan blanked Auckland Spikers 2-0 in the quarter-finals, Sydney Storm 3-0 in the semi-finals and BBSCP 3-0 in the gold medal contest. “We wanted to make the trip to a noteworthy event,” said Singh, adding the second annual event will be held next August in Toronto, followed by stops the following two years in New Zealand and Chicago. “Outside of India, the biggest South Asian volleyball countries are in North America, New Zealand and Australia,” explained Singh for the choice of destinations. “We’re looking for teams to play against. And these are three countries who have organized volleyball. Hopefully other teams will reach out to us.” Due to difficulties in securing visas meeting up with teams from Pakistan and India is a no-go at the moment. “I had done my research,” said Singh. “(And) in the final, the majority of the players were from India and are State-level players. They’re the one team that gave us a battle. The other teams I thought would be stronger, but because of needing visas, a few players were missing.” However, Singh contends, “Another item on our bucket list is playing in India. Maybe we’ll host a tournament there in December, November or January. “A lot of teams in India know us,” boasts Singh. “We’re world-wide. International players know us by our name.” And considering the results IndoCan has posted over the years, there seems to be little exaggeration in his argument. The 10-day trip to Australia wasn’t without its memories off the court as well, with stops made at the famous Sydney Opera House, Bondi and Marley Beach and Taronga Zoo where the Koalas and Kangaroos were the main attractions. And it was at a junior kids volleyball camp near one of the beaches where some of the IndoCan members realized the world can be a small place. “Saad went to Ryerson after (graduating from) Pakmen,” explained Singh. “One Australian noticed his Ryerson shorts and said ‘my brother is playing this year at Ryerson,’. As a recruiter for the university team, Saad knew exactly who his brother was.” Singh is very proud of the reputation the IndoCan club has developed in parts of the world, and in particular at home. Involved in volleyball for close to 30 years, a deep connection was made between IndoCan and the Pakmen Volleyball Club with both founder Kelly Smith and coach Jessy Satti, who was a member of IndoCan for a number of years. Now, Satti continues to serve IndoCan as a recruiter and the winning results have gone unchanged. “A lot of the players have been together since Grade 9 in high school in Mississauga and with Pakmen and even university,” explained Singh. “Ninety per cent of the team is from Mississauga and Pakmen. And, there’s nothing I have to tell them. They’ve been together 8-10 years. “If it wasn’t for IndoCan, I don’t think they’d be playing. They knew (when growing up) that one day they wanted to play for (IndoCan). “And since they’ve been together for years,” added Singh, “pool play in tournaments is our practice. That doesn’t mean the guys don’t play some 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 working on their setting and hitting, but at tournaments, they jell quickly and are ready to go.” And the reason so many of the players look forward to representing IndoCan is to make their community proud. “As Canadian-born South Asian kids, their parents are really proud of them,” says Singh. “There’s also a strong fan following. When they show off their skills, children say I want to be like you. “As home-grown Canadians, IndoCan wants to get the Indian community involved in volleyball.” And, because of their popularity, the team has no shortage of sponsors. The trip to Australia, for instance, included free hotel stays and dinners. And, much of the other expenses were paid for from tournament wins where the prize money can exceed $5,000. Pakmen alumni needed little incentive to show off their skills Down Under. “Playing for IndoCan is very special to me,” said captain Shaikh. “I get to play with friends I’ve been playing with and against for over 10 years. IndoCan also gives us worldwide exposure and helps us build relationships outside of Canada. “The core guys on our team know each other’s tendencies, strengths and weaknesses so well that we have the ability to naturally cover any holes that show

It’s no surprise that even the most famous athletes in the world point out that it’s incredibly important for them to be “students of the game”. In other words, every athlete must be able to learn fast. Actually, it’s not enough to have talent to succeed in sport. In addition, an athlete should have striving for excellence and constantly work hard to take his/her skills to the next level. In fact, there is always something new for every athlete to learn and improve on. And of course, an athlete must be driven by a huge passion for sport. Pakmen volleyball club is proud of its 15U girls’ volleyball team. It’s worth noting that girls of this wonderful team have demonstrated their ability to learn fast. Without a doubt, this has a significant impact on their careers. Today, we are beginning to see the results. The reality is girls have recently won Eastern National gold medals. Members of the Mississauga Pakmen 15U girls’ team demonstrated excellent results at Milton’s RIM Park (the competition took place between May 12 and May 14). Obviously, Pakmen girls were undisputed leaders at that tournament and left all of their competitors behind the scene. It’s important to note that Pakmen 15U girls’ team won all of 9 matches during this tournament. Girls also had some problems during the competition. Of course, the biggest challenge for girls was an opening set loss to Halton Hurricanes in the final. However, girls analyzed their mistakes quickly and got the situation under control. So, they finished the match with a 23-25, 25-16, 15-10 decision. According to the opinion of team’s head coach Rick Christiansen, the key to the success was team unity. The coach points out that the team is very united. Girls constantly support each other during practices, matches and even off the court. However, the most important thing is that Pakmen 15U girls are “students of the game”. After games and practices, girls oftentimes choose to watch university games as well as international games. They analyze the games carefully and learn new things together. Rick Christiansen also points out that the team’s assistant coach, Hernan Humana, contributes greatly to the success of Pakmen 15U girls’ team. The reality is Hernan is known for being the assistant of the team’s head coach. However, Christiansen believes that it’s best for Hernan Humana to have the title of team’s mentor coach. Christiansen points out that working with such a volleyball legend as Hernan Humana provides great experience and delivers multiple significant benefits. Rick Christiansen says that Hernan’s help is immeasurable in his work. According to the Rick’s opinion, Hernan Humana has strong knowledge of the sport as well as a great volleyball mind. Above all, Hernan is a kind, generous and thoughtful person who is pleasant to work with. Rick also notes that working with Hernan helps him develop as a coach. Rick calls him a friend. Today, Hernan Humana is a professor at York University. In the past, he was a member of the Chilean national team. It’s important to note that Hernan coached Canada’s John Child and Mark Heese and helped them win the bronze medal at the Olympic beach volleyball tournament that took place in 1996. Humana calls himself “a student of the game” and puts emphasis on the importance of meditation. He believes that meditation helps volleyball players control breathing, achieve relaxation and stay focused. Christiansen says that Hernan Humana makes meditation a key part of Pakmen 15U girls team’s training program. Actually, girls do meditation before volleyball practices. According to Hernan’s opinion meditation helps girls keep their breathing as well as thoughts under control. Humana believes that the Mississauga Pakmen 15U girls’ team is making a huge progress. Obviously, girls are getting better this year. He says that girls were more disciplined and spent more time on meditation this year. Another important thing is that the team focused on specific physical training earlier this year. Above all, girls did drill much better and this helped them improve volleyball skills. That’s the reason why Pakmen 15U girls’ team has demonstrated a huge success. Humana pays a close attention to the fact that the team’s rivals are not weak this year. He believes that some of teams played even better than Pakmen 15U girls’ team. However, such things as confidence, fearless attitude as well as ability to fight till the end have helped the team to make impossible possible. As a result, the team’s dream has turned into reality. It’s also important to note that Christiansen as well as Humana paid a close attention to such an important aspect of the game as serving. Humana notes that the Pakmen 15U girls’ team is one of top Canada’s serving teams. It’s worth noting that coaches as well as volleyball players were focused on serving this year. Obviously, practicing serve played a big role in the team’s strategy. The athletes spent a lot of time on doing serving and serve receive drills. Plus, team’s training has become more intense. Coaches also spent a lot of time on improving the game of their passers. In other words, both servers and passers received the special training that helped them accomplish their goals. The co-captain Fabianna Suarez-Egusquiza said that the primary focus for Pakmen 15U girls is serving. She believes that serving is the type of skill that volleyball players find it easy to control. Fabianna points out that the team accomplished its goal by the end of the season and there is no question about that. Finally, serving has become the powerful weapon for the Pakmen 15U girls’ team. Obviously, serving has a significant positive impact on the success of the team. Wernham, a Grade 9 student at Mississauga’s St. Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School says that the Pakmen 15U girls’ team was well prepared at the beginning of the year. Plus, the team has developed and grown significantly during the season. Wernham says that athletes of the team spend up to

Edmonton, Alberta: The sun is setting over the Sunday night skyline, and Pakmen’s 18U girls are exuberantly munching pizza in the meeting room of a suburban Holiday Inn. Black baseball caps are jauntily perched on their heads. On the side of each hat, there’s a red maple leaf embroidered with a white volleyball. Above the peak it simply says, 2017 Champions. It’s a historic first for the club. In the final act of the indoor season, and on its biggest stage, a Pakmen girls’ team has just won the 18U Volleyball Canada National Championships. For many in the room, this three-day journey has been three years in the making. Five players took home Nationals bronze medals in 16U and 17U with Pakmen. Another two have won silver. Coaches Mike Albert and Pat Daniels led last year’s 18Us to the Nationals’ final for two consecutive seasons, only to endure heart-breaking losses. But this year’s talented Pakmen roster would give them the opportunity to take one more run at that coveted national title. On Friday, the tournament begins under brilliant blue skies. Pakmen have a tough day ahead, as the Volleyball Canada seeding process has placed three of the country’s top teams in the same group of four. Only the top two will advance to the Tier 1 power pools, and it’s quickly dubbed “the group of death” by observers. Pakmen’s opening match against Alberta’s Junior Dinos is a three-set thriller worthy of final day status. The Pakmen girls eventually take the game 27-25, 21-25,15-9. It sets the tone for the day. They make short work of Saskatchewan’s Stealth, and finish by defeating the Ducks, the British Columbia provincial champions. The players wake up in the misty pre-dawn on Saturday. They’re at the Saville Centre by 6:45am, where the courts are a deafening cacophony of teams warming up. It’s another hard day, with no room for error. Once again, only the top two in each pool will qualify for the Tier 1 playoffs. But the Pakmen girls are now firing on all cylinders, and their serving, passing, blocking, and hitting are outstanding. They win all three games of the day without dropping a set, defeating the South County Bandits and BCO Elite, then grounding B.C.’s Airbourne. The weather on day three turns cool and cloudy, but the mood is sunny in the Pakmen camp. The team is operating like a well-oiled machine. Mike Albert has deftly managed his players, giving every member of the team on-court time, resting his starters when Pakmen take a lead. It’s a deep squad. Defensive specialist Megan Smith, middle Beth Rohde, hitters Vanessa Leslie and Nicole Thompson — they are all contributing. Even injured setter Alex Bartmann has made the trip, her foot in a cast, to cheer on her teammates. With three games to go in the knock-out stage, the girls are confident, but cautious. This is no time to be complacent. The Junior Bisons are the first up. They hang on gamely, but the Manitobans gradually fade under the Pakmen onslaught. They succumb 25-14, 25-12. Next is the semi-final, where the Cobras await. The Cobras are big, strong, powerful, and the Bisons girls cram into the packed stands to support their provincial compatriots. But Pakmen put paid to the Cobras’ hopes. They defeat them 25-15, 25-13. The Pakmen girls are rolling, and the hallways are alive with talk of the team. Over on the next court, Ontario’s Halton Hurricanes have breezed through their quarters, eliminating the Ottawa Mavericks in two sets. In their semi, Halton face the Tigers for the second time in the tournament. It’s a repeat of the first day’s game, and once again, they narrowly beat the Maritime champions in three sets. The 18U championship final will be an all-Ontario marquee match-up: Pakmen versus the Halton Hurricanes. The court-side spectators are buzzing. This season, Pakmen have bested the Hurricanes all four times they’ve met, winning three one-day tournaments and the Ontario Grand Prix. The Hurricanes have taken advantage of Pakmen’s only two missteps, and after Pakmen were eliminated, took victory in one regular-season tournament and at the Ontario Championships. Now, at the biggest event of the season, can Halton finally beat the Pakmen girls? Or will Pakmen prevail for a remarkable fifth time and take their first National Championship? As the final begins, the teams match each other point for point. But the Pakmen girls have the edge. Setter Alicia Lam is moving the ball left, right, middle, confounding the Halton blockers. Lucy Glen-Carter is crushing balls from right, hitting line, cross-court, deep corner, seemingly unstoppable. Power hitter Janelle Albert is suddenly cutting shots and chipping winners over hands. Megan Beedie and Jenna Woock are a wall in the middle. Julia Wiercigroch is an ever-present threat from left. Libero Caitlin Le is diving and rolling across the back court, saving every ball she can. Pakmen are peaking when it matters most. They’re out-thinking their opponents. They’re playing as one. And that’s the thing about volleyball — it’s the only team sport where individual brilliance can’t consistently bring a team success. You have to work together, in synchronicity. The coach must adjust, motivate, encourage, praise, and there’s Mike Albert on the sidelines, doing just that. Pat Daniels and Ken Burns are doing the same behind him. The players are throwing themselves around the court. For each point they win, there’s an explosive celebration. At time-outs, they recover, exhausted. For each Halton score, Pakmen respond. The Hurricanes cling on stubbornly. Yet slowly, inexorably, Pakmen move ahead. They seize the lead and maintain it through both sets, taking the first 25-19, and the second 25-21. It’s all over. They’ve done it. For the first time, the Pakmen 18U girls are the Canada Volleyball National Champions. Back at the hotel, after the medals, the awards, the photos, and the celebrations, the sun also sets on their club volleyball careers. Like all youth volleyball players, they’ll remember their teammates. They’ll remember that sense of shared community

By DAVID WINER Ava Mann and Kaylee Glagau began the summer with two objectives. After their first goal of capturing the OVA Provincial Beach Championships was derailed by a three-set semi-final upset, the Mississauga Pakmen indoor teammates were hell bent on not allowing such an outcome to recur. “Coming third in Ontario really pushed us to get better and train harder for Nationals,” explained Glagau. And the duo lived up to their pact, not dropping a single set, on the way to claiming Volleyball Canada’s Youth Beach 14UGirls Nationals title at Toronto’s Ashbridges Bay August 19-21. Having to play 11 matches over three days, conserving their strength and stamina was essential, and Mann and Glagau prevailed in decisive fashion, capturing the gold medal with a 21-5, 21-10 win over Charlotte Bilodeau and Solveig Roy of Quebec. “We had a very tough loss in the semis at Provincials (to Phoenix Lee and Tia Shum that went to 14-16 in the third set) and after that we decided to train harder because we had three weeks before Nationals and we wanted to be the best we could be,” explained a determined Mann. “All year we were working towards gold at Provincials and Nationals, so when we didn’t get it at Provincials, we knew we would play stronger than ever at Nationals.” On hand to give them moral and technical support was Pakmen coach Aleks Mamuzic, who couldn’t say enough about Mann and Glagau’s work ethic and tenacity. “Even though the girls won the bronze after losing the semis at Provincials, it is always rough losing a third set by two points,” said Mamuzic. “(But) the girls didn’t let that loss stop them from working hard on and off the beach courts (in preparations for their next opportunity at Nationals).” And, because their expectations never varied throughout the season, it appeared as if there was little place for shock, or even surprise, when Mann and Glagau claimed their spot at the top of the podium at Nationals. “I think our win wasn’t surprising to us because we train a lot and we put a lot of effort into our beach season,” said Glagau. “We also take private beach lessons, which helps us, because we get a lot of one on two coaching and we can work on specific things, which I think helped us to get to where we are right now.” And where they are right now is in pretty select company as one of three Pakmen teams to win National beach titles this summer. “The girls were focused all tournament,” raved Mamuzic. “They passed well, set aggressively, and that allowed them to have a lot of scoring opportunities on their attacks.” “(The gold medal) definitely feels special because we achieved a personal goal and we were really proud to represent Pakmen,” said the 5-foot-10 Mann upon reflection. “It feels amazing because all of our hard work finally paid off,” she added. “I’m proud of both Kaylee and myself.” “It feels pretty good. Especially since Ava and I ended our 14U season on a great note,” added the 6-foot-1 Glagau. “I’m looking forward to many more championships.” Mamuzic feels there’s still a lot more talent to be untapped, especially with Glagau’s height advantage at the net. “Although both girls have solid fundamentals, it doesn’t hurt that Kaylee put up the biggest block in the 14U division,” said Mamuzic. “Most teams try to set the ball off the net more, which makes peeling and playing defense a lot easier. (Meanwhile) Ava is a workhorse on defense, she chases down every ball. Even if she doesn’t get it up, it’s that type of attitude that makes her partner play better.” “The coaching that we got from Aleks was definitely key to our success,” said Mann. “We had also been doing extra physical training with Reid Hall. Also we both know each other as partners and were trying to achieve the gold together.” That partnership Mann refers to is pivotal. “Kaylee and I have been a team for two years now and I think we know each other’s personalities really well, so when one of us is down the other knows how to bring the other one back into the game.” Another strength, according to Glagau is the professional way each player conducts herself, whether it’s at game time, or at practice. “The secret to our success is that we try to train like national champions by never slacking off at practices,” explained Glagau. “Also, having a really good relationship and friendship with your partner is important, because without that, we couldn’t have won Nationals. It’s therefore not surprising that Mann and Glagau have every intention of keeping their partnership. “We plan on remaining a team and I hope we remain a team forever because I couldn’t imagine myself playing with anyone else,” said Glagau. “Not only is Ava my beach partner, she is also my best friend, and if somehow we are not beach partners in the future, I hope we could still be friends. “I also think our games complement each other very well,” added Glagau. “Who knows how far we can go with hard work, determination and always remembering to have fun.” Unfortunately, the two friends couldn’t celebrate their championship together, because both families had to rush off on holidays, but the two agreed to take a rain check. “We didn’t celebrate together after because we had to go to our cottages, but I would have liked to,” explained Glagau. “We usually do at the end of other tournaments. “Our parents have a good relationship with each other too,” she added. “We are all very close and get along very well.” Mann, who will attend Burlington’s Dr. Frank J Hayden Secondary at the start of the school year, and Glagau, who will go to Mississauga’s Streetsville Secondary School, defeated Quebec’s Laurence Huard and Sarah-Jeanne Beaulieu in the semi-finals, 21-8, 21-4, and bested Markham’s Isabella Samadzadeh and Sonya Bogatchev 21-19, 21-6 in

By DAVID WINER Jamie Ha had an itch he couldn’t scratch for much of the spring and summer. After winning the Ontario Volleyball Association Provincial indoor title with his 14U Mississauga Pakmen teammates, Ha fully expected to lay claim to the Eastern Canadian indoor title as well. But, as is often the case in sports, expectations are sometimes met head on with disappointment, and the Pakmen suffered an early departure from the indoor Nationals in the first week of May. Luckily for Ha and his good friend and teammate Harjas Chahal, volleyball has two seasons. And where expectations fell short in the spring, hopes and wishes were met and exceeded at the tail end of the summer, as a gold medal at the Provincial 14U Beach Volleyball Championships on July 30, was followed by more gold at the Youth Beach Nationals Aug. 18-21 at Toronto’s Ashbridges Bay. “It feels amazing to win both Provincials and Nationals because during the indoor season the boys 14U Pakmen team lost in the quarter-finals at Nationals and Harjas and I feel proud to represent Pakmen and win beach Provincials and Nationals.” “Being a double gold medalist feels amazing,” offered an exultant Chahal. “And in the gold medal match, when we got the final point, I was on my knees celebrating as Jamie was jumping around. We both couldn’t believe it. “At the beginning of the season, we knew we would be contenders for gold, but we didn’t know that we’d end up winning Provincials, let alone Nationals, so we were both grateful.” It’s as if the two David Leeder Middle School graduates won the back-to-back titles for their indoor teammates as much as for themselves. While Ha and Chahal defeated Aurora’s Dalton Irwin and Markus Law-Heese 23-21, 21-13 in the championship final, and Quebec’s Carl-Eric Lafleur and Florent Hogue 21-14, 21-17 in the semi-finals, the two 14-year-olds felt their toughest challenge came against Ontario’s David Kang and Arthur Bento in the quarter-finals when they were stretched to three sets, eventually prevailing 15-21, 21-10, 15-10. “Playing David Kang and Arthur Bento in the quarter-finals was our toughest match of the tournament because they beat us in the first set due to a lack of communication,” felt Ha. “But in the next two sets, Harjas and I started talking before and after every point (which helped) to secure the win.” “Losing the first set to Kang and Bento was expected because we weren’t playing and communicating like we had been the whole season,” agreed Chahal. “Being the morning, (and) also the third day (of the championship) had a bit of a part to play (in it), but our coach Jessy Satti had a talk to us and just said to communicate and talk, which we did the next two sets, which led us to a win.” And for his part, Satti couldn’t be more proud of his players. “Jamie and Harjas were sharp all day,” said Satti. “They had moments where nerves were kicking in, but they managed to overcome that by communicating with each other and taking pressure off each other. “Once the nerves settled, and they started getting comfortable, they became a very aggressive team,” added Satti. “They were hitting the ball hard and serving very tough. It was nice to see them play their best volleyball at the very last tournament of the year, and at the most important tournament.” Other than the three-set victory over Kang and Bento, the 5-foot-6 Ha and the 6-foot-1 Chahal were also extended to a third set against fellow Pakmen teammates Ishaan Thandi and Lyam Krapp in preliminary round action, dropping the opener 21-18, before bouncing back with 21-14, 15-13 wins. Thandi and Krapp eventually bowed out to Lafleur and Hoag 2-1 in the quarters. “Losing to Thandi and Krapp did have a part to play (in our gold medal), because me and Jamie were used to being down the first set during the season, so we knew how to come back from it again,” said Chahal. “Like our coach Jessy says, ‘it doesn’t matter how you start out, it matters how you finish,” so in keeping that in mind, we pushed through and ended up winning both games.” “Coach Jessy has helped us a lot, with him constantly reminding us of little details that Harjas and I use while we play in games,” said Ha. “Jessy has also guided us during practice and at Provincials and Nationals.” This summer also proved one more thing to the David Leeder graduates, who will go their separate ways in September. While Ha will attend St. Marcellinus Catholic Secondary School, Chahal will attend the neighboring Mississauga Secondary School. And that is, “Harjas and I will remain as a team,” said Ha of his best friend. “We both learned a lot about the game of beach this summer and we will continue to improve on (communicating with) each other off and on the beach courts, as well as cheering after every point.” “I feel Jamie and I clicked because we had that chemistry being on sports teams together (since Grade 3) and knowing each other since elementary school,” chimed in Chahal. “I knew we were going to be contenders for gold, both at Provincials and Nationals and I had the confidence, but saying something and doing it, are two different things, but we tried our hardest and our hard work paid off. “You can expect me and Jamie to try out for the upcoming 15U indoor (Pakmen) team and hopefully we can win a Provincial and National championship.” Other than the preliminary round victory against Thandi and Krapp, Ha and Chahal also defeated Loreto Cerasuolo and Tyler McBride of Oakville; Andrew Song and Forest Turpel of Niagara; Markus Hong and Ethan Hendriksen of London; Lafleur and Hoag; and Irwin and Law-Heese, by 2-0 margins. “Winning in two sets was important because we didn’t want to waste any more energy than we needed to as the tournament was three days long,”

By DAVID WINER Peter Rugosi can play volleyball for the rest of his life and he will never eclipse what he accomplished over the past 12 months. After all, how can one improve on perfection. Paired with fellow Pakmen star Cole Ketrzynski this summer, the two 15-year-olds played up an age group yet still swept the 16U Provincial and National Beach Volleyball titles. Combining those championships with the Provincial and Eastern Canadian indoor titles he won with the 15U Pakmen, and Rugosi won all four major titles this year. “I feel extremely lucky because (four titles) is really, really hard to get and I somehow managed to. I never thought that I would be able to achieve what I have achieved this year,” gushed the 5-foot-11 Rugosi on a dream year. Had Ketrzynski not moved up two age groups during the indoor season, he too would have walked away with four gold medals. The Coup de gras occurred this past weekend (Aug. 19-21) at Toronto’s Ashbridges Bay. Taking on 14 of the best 16U teams in the country at Volleyball Canada’s Youth Beach Nationals, Rugosi and Ketrzynski won all 10 of their matches. “This feels unreal and like a dream for me because I have never gotten a national beach title before and I never thought I would’ve gotten my first one playing up an age group,” added Rugosi in regard to his most recent achievement. Rugosi and Ketrzynski earned the National Beach title with a straight-set 21-12, 21-16 win over Matthew Lee and Justin Lui of Ontario in the final. Earlier, the duo swept past Quebec’s Jonathan Portelance and Yannick Beaudet 21-12, 21-16 in the quarter-finals and Alberta’s Sam Elgert and Matt Neaves 21-11, 21-11 in the semi-finals. Rugosi and Ketrzynski were only stretched to three sets in one of their 10 matches, when they faced Lee and Lui in the final preliminary round match, losing the opening set 17-21, before rallying back to prevail 21-15, 15-12. Rugosi, who will attend Etobicoke’s Bishop Allen Academy in the fall, explained how losing that one set enabled them to better face what lay ahead in the final day of play. “I feel like losing the one set was something that Cole and I needed to do in order to win the title,” he explained. “Because, it was always on our minds. Losing that one set reminded us that we were vulnerable to losing. We knew that we had to play to the best of our abilities every single match. “I also feel that staying free from all the extra work, and keeping it down to two sets for almost every game, meant that we could focus on the game rather than how hot it was.” Ketrzynski wholeheartedly agreed. “I much prefer to win a (match) in two (rather) than in three (sets) because it maximizes your recovery time,” offered Ketrzynski. “And also anything can happen in a third set, so it’s always better to try and go two straight.” And having fought back from a set down against Lui and Lee meant that they had the confidence when facing them again in the final. “We both thought that we could beat them because we had complete confidence in each other from the very start,” said Rugosi. “That one set that they took off of us didn’t make us doubt our abilities for one second. We figured out what we did wrong the first day we played them and made sure that it didn’t happen again.” “Going to the third set with them did put a thought in my mind,” said Ketrzynski. “Not that we’re in trouble, but that we need to put in that extra effort in order to pull off the win.” And, with Rugosi’s father Franco eyeing the proceedings with his coaching cap on, little was left to chance. “He saw all the mistakes we were making and he would tell us what they were during timeouts,” revealed Rugosi. “Without him, we wouldn’t have won.” Pakmen head beach coach Jessy Satti, who was also involved in preparing Rugosi and Ketrzynski for the championships, came away impressed. “Cole and Peter played with great energy,” observed Satti. “They are big at the net and solid defensively. “I’m really impressed at how well they played, considering that they are a new pair (and that) they’ve rarely trained with each other,” added Satti. “They are both great players, and having the three-day tournament format, they were really able to get comfortable playing with each other. They got much better day by day.” Having played together for two tournaments last summer, followed by this entire outdoor season, Ketrzynski and Rugosi grew increasingly comfortable with one another’s tendencies on the beach, which led to improved play on a weekly basis. “The secret for us, I think, was just getting used to each other more because Cole and I haven’t practiced a lot together,” reflected Rugosi. “I think the Ontario Summer Games (Aug. 12-14, where they placed second to Cole’s brother Xander and Jack McBain) helped a lot because we played together a lot more there, allowing us to get used to each other’s style of play.” “I felt we were much more confident in what we were doing having played together the past few weekends,” added Ketrzynski. All those matches improved the duo’s timing, especially when it came to setting up the towering 6-foot-5 Ketrzynski at the net. “(Ketrzynski’s height) was a big advantage,” concurred Rugosi, “because everyone we played was taller than the people I usually play with in 15U, so he helped a lot blocking and taking up space on the court, making my job easier as a defender.” “The height certainly helps,” said Ketrzynski, who will attend Toronto’s York Mills Collegiate in September. “However, we did come across a bigger team (in Elgert and Neaves) and we still managed to win,” suggesting height can be helpful, but that talent aces size most days. In earlier, preliminary round matches, Rugosi and Ketrzynski

By DAVID WINER Winning gold at the OVA Beach Ontario Championships is becoming old hat for Peter Rugosi. Entering this year’s 15U championships at Toronto’s Ashbridges Bay over the weekend (Aug. 6-7), the Mississauga Pakmen Volleyball Club star had already claimed the top of the podium each of the last two summers with fellow Pakmen member and long-time amigo Mark Dildar by his side. But, Ontario Summer Games Region 5 coaches threw a wrench into the works by teaming Rugosi with a different partner this summer, fellow Pakmen Cole Ketrzynski. Instead of fretting about any lack of chemistry, or griping about Dildar not being by his side, Rugosi promptly demonstrated why he is a true champion by building a well-tuned Maserati with that wrench that purred all the way to the finish, rewarding Rugosi with his third straight provincial crown. “The coaches strongly suggested that (Cole and I) play a tournament together before (next weekend’s) Ontario Summer Games and we decided that provincials would be a good tournament,” explained Rugosi, who added, “We tried out as individuals and the coaches made us a team.” Rugosi, who also won Provincial indoor championships each of the past two seasons, added there were other complications prohibiting he and Dildar from returning to defend their title for a third straight summer. “Mark (Dildar) is a great indoor and beach player, but unfortunately it didn’t work out this year and he didn’t play because of Region 5 and because of his elbow injury at the beginning of the year. (Mind you) If I hadn’t been selected for the team this year then I would’ve played with Mark at provincials.” Although relatively new as a team, having only played twice last summer including an age group up at the Nationals where they placed fifth, Rugosi and Ketrzynski hardly missed a beat over the weekend, cruising to victory without losing any of the 16 sets against their eight opponents in the 27-team field that was eventually whittled down to 12 in Tier One and 15 in the lower Champions Division. Much of the credit belongs with Pakmen beach coach Jessy Satti, who prepared his two charges for the beach Provincials. Satti, who regularly works hand-and-hand with beach head coach Lennard Krapp, took on most of the responsibilities this summer, with Krapp currently coaching Olympians Sam Schachter and Josh Binstock in Rio de Janeiro. “Peter and Cole make a great team,” said Satti. “Cole is a dominant blocker and Peter is one of the fastest defenders on the beach. Both set well and both can put the ball away attacking.” And while Rugosi and Ketrzynski rarely had the opportunity to compete with one another, they had the chance to admire each other’s abilities. “We got to know each other by playing against each other in court and in beach and one day last year he asked me if I’d like to play a tournament with him and it worked out great so we’ve been playing for about a year,” explained Ketrzynski about his partnership with Rugosi. And Rugosi soon realized there’s a distinct advantage to feeding the towering Ketrzynski the ball at the net. “My secret with Cole is that I set him on the tape and he just hits the ball straight down,” said Rugosi. “Cole is 6-foot-5 with an incredible amount of skill, so it is no problem for him to do that. (And) all the weaknesses we had (like serving) we were fixing all throughout the tournament so that when we hit the finals, you could barely see a weakness.” That final match pitted Rugosi and Ketrzynski against Cole Irwin and Noel Campfens of Toronto’s Patriots Volleyball Club, with the Pakmen prevailing 21-12, 21-15. Earlier, Rugosi and Ketrzynski downed Robert Cooke and Erik Siksna of Aurora 21-7, 21-9 in the semi-finals and Craig Therkildsen of Aurora and Grant Reddon of Durham 21-17, 21-12 in the quarters. “They were all tough games, but in the end it would’ve probably been Craig and Grant in the quarters (who gave us the toughest resistance) because we have never seen Grant play before so we had no idea of what to expect from him,” added the 5-foot-11 Rugosi, who will attend Grade 10 at Etobicoke’s Bishop Allen Academy in the fall. Among all the championships Rugosi has won in recent seasons, he suggests, “This ranks really high because it was the most recent achievement in my life and and I also won provincials in indoor which I haven’t done since the 13U season.” While Rugosi is accustomed to the best, when it comes to picking out jewellery….er…gold, Ketrzynski, despite his obvious talents, is a relative neophyte when it comes to precious metals. “It’s the best I’ve ever done in beach,” said Ketrzynski, who played up two age groups in his first year with the Pakmen this past indoor season after coming over from the Patriots, “so I was very happy with the result.” Ketrzynski, who will attend Grade 10 at Toronto’s York Mills Collegiate in the fall, would appear to be the perfect fit for Rugosi. While Rugosi reflected on Ketrzynski’s great co-ordination and leaping ability at the net, Ketrzynski offered, “I think something that helps with our success would be Peter’s reliability and his skills. He’s always able to give me the set I need and help me play to the best of my abilities.” Being surrounded by Pakmen in indoor play has also been a boon to Ketrzynski’s immense talents, adding that “I enjoyed the switch a lot and the change in the intensity and competition.” Along with the competition, outdoor players have also had to compete against the heat in this record-breaking summer. And both Rugosi and Ketrzynski insisted learning to deal with the heat is almost as important as preparing for their opponents. “Something I found helpful to beat the heat was to wash off with cold water between games, either in the lake, or at the showers they have by the washrooms,” offered

By DAVID WINER “Wily, old veterans,” of the court are hardly the words that spring to mind when characterizing a couple of 14 year old athletes. Up-and-comers, ambitious, or perhaps promising, can best describe the immense talent and potential today’s elite youngsters may project. But, Harjas Chahal and Jamie Ha are hardly your typical striving teens. Members of the Mississauga Pakmen Volleyball Club, Chahal and Ha have an advantage over just about all of their opponents when taking to the sand for a beach volleyball match – camaraderie brought about by familiarity. “Jamie and I have lots of chemistry as we have known each other since Grade 3,” explained Chahal of his relationship with fellow David Leeder Middle School graduate Ha. “We also played on multiple school sports teams together. This allowed us to get to know each other as well as build trust in each other.” Those strengths contributed to a gold medal performance at the OVA (Ontario Volleyball Association) U14 Beach Volleyball Championships on July 30 at Toronto’s Ashbridges Bay. Riding on a high after defeating fellow Pakmen teammate Ishaan Thandi and his teammate Lyam Krapp in the semi-finals, 2-0 (21-19, 21-12), Chahal and Ha proceeded to beat Markus Hong and Ethan Hendriksen of London for the gold, 21-17, 21-13. “We don’t get mad nor do we get frustrated with each other because we trust one another,” continued Chahal about his unique relationship. “Also, another big factor is that, even though I have more experience (five years of volleyball to Ha’s three), he can understand the game just as much, which is useful going against tough opponents.” And Hong and Hendriksen certainly posed as tough foes, entering the championship final as befitting the defending Ontario champions and the No. 1 seeds. “We had never played them leading up to the finals, so we didn’t know about their weaknesses or strengths until we played them,” admitted Chahal, who missed most of last summer’s play with a broken toe. So, with little previous knowledge of the defending champs, Chahal admitted there was nothing planned for afterwards to celebrate the gold medal finish. “We were just in shock that we had won gold at provincials, it was almost like a dream come true.” Chahal also had kind words for bronze medalists Thandi and Krapp. “One of the toughest teams we faced were my Pakmen teammate Ishaan Thandi and his partner Lyam Krapp. We had faced them In the finals twice before provincials (with) both (matches)going into third sets and being (settled by) a difference of two (points), which we both won once.” While this is the first year Chahal and Ha have played together on the OVA outdoor circuit, there’s little doubting their ability to anticipate each others whereabouts and moves. “Harjas and I click as a team because we’ve known each other since elementary school and we always play with each other on the beach courts at David Leeder during school recess and for practice,” said Ha, adding, “The Pakmen elite beach training prepared Harjas and I by giving us more playing time together and our coach, Jessy Satti, gave us a lot of tips that we used to help us in provincials.” And while the final and semi-final contained some nervous moments for the duo, Ha took pride in the fact, “Harjas and I had a relatively easy road to gold. We had a couple challenging sets, but we didn’t drop (one).” While the 5-foot-6 Ha and the 6-foot-1 Chahal will likely be indoor teammates with the 15U Pakmen in the fall, the two will find themselves as opponents for the first time in school play. Ha will attend St. Marcellinus Catholic Secondary School in the fall, while Chahal will attend the neighboring Mississauga Secondary School – two Region of Peel volleyball powerhouses that will certainly improve with the aforementioned additions. Mississauga, however, appears to have the upper-hand for now, considering bronze medalist, Thandi, will be teammates with Chahal. At 6-foot-1, Thandi can be considered a late bloomer, having spent much of his early years dribbling and dunking on the basketball court. Thandi will be entering his third year of indoor action with the Pakmen and is completing his second year of beach play. “I just started to play volleyball in Grade 7,” explained Thandi. “I was a basketball player for powerhouse CIA Bounce but made the decision last year to focus on volleyball. (And) Pakmen is the only volleyball club I have played for – to be the best you have to play for and with the best.” Thandi certainly has the inside track in that department. Not only can Thandi turn to Satti for coaching advice, he can also pick the brain of Krapp’s father, Lennard. “Coach Lennard has been a technical coach with our Pakmen indoor team for the past three years and he is now heading to Rio to coach one of the men’s beach volleyball teams (Josh Binstock and Sam Schachter) at the Olympics,” said Thandi. “I have been lucky to have amazing coaches in indoor and beach including coach Lennard, coach Jessy and our indoor coaches, coach Tom (Leca) and James (Gomez).” And, other than the first- and second-place finishers, Thandi and Krapp were the next highest seeds entering the 12-team Tier One division of the tournament “I knew that out of the 12 teams, realistically any eight or so could have won,” said Thandi. “I felt we were contenders for gold, but also knew we would have to play Jamie and Harjas in the semis to get to the gold medal match because of the rankings.” “(But) we (still) felt good heading into provincials as in the past two tournaments, we met Harjas and Jamie in the finals – with them winning one tournament and us winning the other. “Harjas and Jamie complement each other well,” pointed out Thandi of his outdoor foes. “Harjas is one of the best hitters in our age group and Jamie is probably the best defender

By DAVID WINER For a second straight year, the Mississauga Pakmen 16U boys had to look on despondently, as their opponents posed for celebratory pictures with their sparkling OVA Provincial gold medals draped around their necks. And for a second successive year, the Pakmen were able to fixate on that nightmare and use it as incentive to focus on the next task at hand. It takes a special class of athlete to rebound from such emotional depths in a matter of a few weeks, yet the Pakmen were able to succeed in doing so, not once, but twice, winning the 2015 Canadian 15U championship in Calgary, and the 2016 Eastern Canadian 16U title this past weekend (May 20-22) at Waterloo’s RIM Park. The ability to rally back and excel against the country’s best sides is what has separated the Pakmen from the crowd in Canadian volleyball these past two years, making them the team to look out for when the 2017 indoor season kicks off. This time around, the Pakmen were able to get past the Condors of Chaudiere-Appalaches, Quebec, 25-12, 25-20 in the quarters, and Kitchener Predators Legacy, 25-13, 18-25, 22-20 in the semi-finals, before knocking off Gatineau, Quebec’s Griffons de l’Outaouais in the Eastern Canadian final, 25-13-, 25-19. “Yes, last year we came second at Provincials and first at Nationals. Same thing this year; second at Provincials, first at Nationals,” concurred head coach Jessy Satti. “It’s a bit of a strange pattern, we had a hard time two years in a row closing out Provincials, but we were able to bounce back for Nationals. “I give a lot of credit to the guys,” added Satti. “They hold their skills to a high standard and I think both times, after losing Provincials, they were able to push themselves to work hard for Nationals. “The key was to play with confidence and get the job done by playing our style.We pass the ball well and we run a good offence, so the boys did a good job preparing themselves for every serve that came over the net.” “Losing Provincials two years in a row was not easy,” admitted 6-foot-2 setter and team captain, Saad Shaikh. “At that point you can either just give up, or use it as motivation and work hard. We used it as fuel and worked hard. We used the loss as motivation. That motivation helped us win Nationals last year and this year.” “I think we, as a team, take defeat as motivation and not something that puts us down,” chimed in middle Arjun Selhi. “This sense of motivation helps us perform well at a high pressured tournament.” “The losses that we took at Provincials just motivated our team to train much harder and re-evaluate our strengths and weaknesses,” said 6-foot right side Vikas Ravendra. “We made changes where we felt were needed for the better of our team.” The emotional toughness the Pakmen displayed in order to rebound from Provincial disappointment was never more prevalent in the semi-final against Kitchener. “The proudest moment was in the semi finals (against the Predators),” recalled Satti. “We were down 6-12 in the third set, and the guys fought back to win the match 22-20. The guys stuck together as a team and didn’t give up. As a coach you can’t ask for a better moment than that.” The players’ opinions vary on how important this Eastern Canadian title was in comparison to beating this country’s best from coast-to-coast 12 months earlier in Calgary. “Last year the team that beat us (Durham Attack Black) was at the same Nationals, thus winning (there) gave us a more superior feeling,” said Selhi. “However, this year, we had to work our hardest being down 3-8 in the third set of semis. I feel we worked harder for this title.” Meanwhile, winning on a national stage proved more gratifying for Ravendra. “Winning this year was an amazing accomplishment, but didn’t feel anywhere close to last year’s National gold medal,” said Ravendra, who attends St. Marcellinus Secondary School along with setter Gurnoor Bath and middle Matthew Powell. “In Calgary we had the chance to bring home a gold medal, not just for our club, but for the province of Ontario.” As for Shaikh, he takes equal satisfaction from both gold medals. “Winning this year almost feels the same as last year because almost all the guys from last year are on the team this year and it feels great knowing I have two National titles with the guys I love playing with.” One thing all three players can agree on was the excellent job Satti did in refocusing the team on Nationals after such a disappointing Provincials.   “We have great coaches who believe in us,” said Shaikh, a Grade 10 student at Mississauga Secondary School. “The reason for our success is everyone having the same competitive mindset. We were all focused on winning and wanted to take care of business.” “Our team is successful due to our amazing coaching staff,” agreed Ravendra. “They dedicate a lot of their own time to design drills that will help improve our areas of weakness. Another big factor for our success, that many people don’t notice, is how deep our team is. Everyone on our roster can come in at any given moment in a game and make a positive impact.” “The coaches understand each and every athlete and know the sport (intimately),” added Selhi, “helping us succeed. The team’s chemistry is also very good. We know each other, not only as athletes, but as brothers. We all go to schools close to one another with at least one teammate (as school mates).” Three players, in particular, stood out in Waterloo in the eyes of coaches and officials. “Everyone played great,” said Satti. “We had two tournament all stars, Avy Bath and Matthew Powell, and the tournament MVP Arjun. Those three guys really helped lead the way. Vikas (also) played a key role in leading us

By DAVID WINER The best way to face a storm is head on. Veering away from it will only result in capsizing. Mississauga Pakmen didn’t have to consult a manual on marine navigation when preparing for this indoor volleyball season, they just needed to trust in one another and weather the storm together. And united, as one, the club’s 15U boys swept both the Ontario Volleyball Association and Eastern Canadian Championships in dramatic fashion over arch nemesis, Aurora Storm RipTide. While the Pakmen faltered against the Storm in the preliminary round of the Eastern Canadians, and needed the maximum three sets to win both gold medals, they found a way to prevail in the face of the Storm in crucial moments. Credited for steering the Pakmen through the turbulence is head coach Kelly Smith. While the scores clearly indicated there was little separating the Pakmen from the Storm throughout the indoor season, including the Ontario Championships April 22-24 and Eastern Canadians from May 13-15 at Waterloo’s RIM Park, Smith felt the difference was, “Our guys don’t give up. As long as you don’t give up, you are always a threat. “Storm is an excellent team and we have battled back and forth with them all season,” added the club’s founder and President. “We beat them in a hard-fought, come-from-behind match at Provincials. We lost to them in pool play at Nationals, but we were playing without our captain and leader, Pete Rugosi.” Rugosi turned and sprained his right ankle against Toronto’s Patriots VC in the third match of the opening day of play and could be seen court side in a walking boot and on crutches during the second day of action when Pakmen suffered their lone loss. “I was jumping up to block a ball and when I came down, I landed on the setter’s foot from the other team who had put his foot over the line,” explained Rugosi. “So (after seeing the doctor), I sat and cheered my team from the bench. “But I was really anxious and wanted to play. (Finally) on Sunday, I thought I could play through the pain since my ankle was feeling better.” But, despite wearing a brace to help support the ankle, Rugosi admitted, “I could barely handle the pain at the beginning of the day. But as the day went on, the less I felt my ankle because of the adrenaline pumping through my body.” “When (Peter) returned to play in the playoffs,” explained Smith, “it made a huge difference. He’s an unreal competitor and he makes every player more confident on the court.” “I knew how much this medal would mean to our team, and me, so I wanted to push hard,” recounted Rugosi. ” I just ignored the pain as best as I could and played my best. We set the middles a lot so that I wouldn’t have to cut out every time to spike since I couldn’t run that fast.” Rugosi’s comeback and stellar play certainly didn’t go unnoticed by Volleyball Canada’s organizing committee who named him the most valuable player of the Championship, while teammate Saqib Shaikh was named to the National All-Star team. Volleyball Canada awards one all-star selection to each of the fourth and third-place teams, and two to the second-place team, while awarding one selection to the gold medalists, coupled with the MVP award. “He was the standout player at the tournament — serving, attacking, blocking, passing and digging — in every area,” said Smith. “I feel very humbled being named tournament MVP because it’s a huge award and every one played amazing on my team so it must have been tough to choose the MVP,” said Rugosi. “Being named National All-Star was a big honour,” conveyed Shaikh of his selection. “Not too many players win this award, so being named (an All-Star) was very special. I felt like my leadership and playing left side and right side led to me getting this award.” “All the guys played well,” added Smith. “Our two setters, Ashraf Shaikh (Saqib’s cousin) and Trent Ketrzynski, (also) deserve a lot of credit because they work hard, have good skills, make good decisions on the court, and always put the team first.” Ashraf Shaikh appreciated the positive sentiments from his coach. “I feel like the talent and hard work that we possess on this team is unbelievable. Our coaches are very good at keeping us focused all the time. (Coach Smith) always stressed to us about hard work and where it will lead you on and off the court. The team trust and bond we have is also unbelievable. “Our team was very confident going into both Provincials and Nationals. But that confidence didn’t just come from nowhere,” said the 5-foot-9 Ashraf Shaikh. “We had a very talented and hard working team that always gets the job done no matter who is on the court. (In) beating Storm in most of the tournaments that we played, we thought it was very realistic that we would beat them again.” The Grade 9 Mississauga Secondary School student added the team’s success stems from “the great chemistry we have on and off the court. We always trust in each other to get the job done. “I feel (as a setter) I should be leading my team and helping everyone out,” continued Ashraf of his responsibilities to his teammates. “Setters do not get most of the credit, but I feel if the setter is not making good decisions and not setting well, then the team will not have success. The attributes that I possess come from my coaches and the person within me. My coaches have taught me how to make good decisions when I am setting, and the work ethic and team first attitude comes from within, as I realize that hard work will take me a long way in life and a team first attitude will always benefit the team more as a whole. You become a team first