Saxton happy for volleyball homecoming

Life’s a beach for Ben Saxton. And he’s not a beach bum.

To some, when Saxton finished his two-national-championship career with the University of Alberta Golden Bears to become a professional beach volleyball player, they might have figured he was on a path that might make him one.

Now 30, he’s returning to Alberta with something in common with Canada’s world champion women’s team of Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-paredes going into the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour event that gets underway Wednesday at Northlands Park.

Pavan and Humana-paredes, along with Saxton and his new teammate Grant O’gorman, are both seeded No. 1 in the tournament. The women, of course, came out of the world championships ranked No. 1 in the world.

The Saxton-o’gorman Canadian team is currently ranked 24th on the planet.

It’s doubtful there is anyone on the property this weekend more born into volleyball than Saxton. His parents, Don and Mylene, played on the national indoor teams. Indeed, his dad played in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and is in the Volleyball Canada Hall of Fame.

“Basically, they own the Volleydome in Calgary,” Saxton said of the facility on the same property as Mcmahon Stadium.

Ben had the thrill of becoming an Olympian, too, at Rio 2016 with previous partner Chaim Schalk, eliminated in the Round of 16.

There are a lot of reasons beach volleyball teams break up, but Saxton lost his partner because of dual citizenship.

“Chaim changed citizenship to play as an American,” he said.

His new partner is 25 and there’s been the expected adjustment period. But the first FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour event in Canada since 2011 would be the perfect occasion for the two to come together and seize the moment.

“We have a great opportunity to win it,” said Saxton.

While he played in the 2011 event in Quebec City, Saxton said he couldn’t be more pumped to play here this year.

“It’s the first time ever in my home province of Alberta and not only will my parents be here but all sorts of others.”

One other thing.

His younger sister, Camille, is going to be here. Not to watch, but to play.

She begins play in the qualifying competition today.

As the tournament’s No. 1 seed, big brother doesn’t have to go through qualifying.

His tournament starts on Thursday.