Local volleyballers looking for a game
Nick Taylor has found an alternative way to continue his volleyball career. He hopes his most recent teammates can do the same.
The 17-year-old from Corner Brook, who was captain of Newfoundland and Labrador’s entry at the 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg, had been set to begin his university career at Memorial University this fall, but when Memorial pulled the plug on its men’s varsity volleyball program in June, citing budgetary reasons, Taylor found himself in v-ball “limbo,” but just for a little while.
“I was pretty messed up when I found out the news. I had no idea it (Memorial’s decision) was coming. I was all set to go there,” he said. “At first, I didn’t know what to do. I did know I still wanted to play ball.”
Memorial would have honoured his scholarship, but Taylor was determined to continue his athletic career at a higher level.
He eventually reached out to Chris Wilding, head coach of the Trent University Excalibur men’s volleyball team. Wilding had recruited Taylor for the Peterborough, Ont., school and when he found out the young Newfoundlander was suddenly available again, told him there was a spot for him on the roster of the Excalibur, who play in the Ontario Universities Association.
Taylor will attend Trent with the intention of taking honours biology and an aim of becoming a chiropractor.
“So things worked out for me. I’m still disappointed (by not being able to play Memorial), but I am happy I have a spot, especially because I know there are a lot of guys, either who were already on that (Sea-hawks) team or who were hoping to play for Memorial, who are disappointed, too.”
Many in the latter category played on the Games team, which finished its competition in Winnipeg last weekend in ninth place. It was a young squad, the majority with still a full year left in high school.
“At least they have that year,” said Taylor. “And if they want to
play, I know they’ll find schools. They have the talent.”
Nathan Lake of Conception Bay South, who is part of that Grade 11 group, had been set to play at MUN and had already made a verbal commitment
“I was going to sign at the start of the school year,” said Lake, a 16-year-old attending Queen Elizabeth High. “That would have been the first time I was allowed to officially sign, but I was committed to going to Memorial.
“Now, I’m looking elsewhere.” Lake has starting checking out schools in Ontario, “and others out west a little bit, but there’s nothing firm yet.”
He did not mention schools in Atlantic Canada. With Memorial out of the picture, Dalhousie in Halifax and UNB in Fredericton are the only schools east of Quebec with U-sports men’s volleyball programs.
“It was already difficult, and now it’s become more difficult to play anywhere close to home,” said Lake.
He is hoping his performance at the Games may have opened some eyes.
“Obviously, there were (university) coaches and scouts watching, so you wanted to make a good impression.
“But I didn’t play any differently than I would have if I still thought I was going to Memorial.
They’ll know I’m going to be the same player no matter whatever else had changed.
“I really wanted to stay home, but whether I’m 30 minutes away from home or two plane rides away from home, it wasn’t going to change the way I was on the court.”
Both Lake and Taylor acknowledged the Games program for helping them further their volleyball careers.
“It definitely helped me. It made be a better player, but it also made me a better person,” said Taylor.
And perhaps it helped him better deal with all that came with having to attend somewhere other than Memorial … and not just because of volleyball.
His older brother, Zack, is a third-year electrical engineering student at Memorial and the two brothers had been looking forward to sharing an apartment during Nick’s freshman year.
“For one thing, I haven’t seen him a whole lot since he started university, him being in St. John’s for school and then away for work term. So I was looking forward to that part of it, too,” said Taylor.
“But he understands how badly I want to play volleyball.”