WOLFPACK HAVE FOUR PLAYERS CHOSEN TO NATIONAL MENS VB TEAM TRYOUT CAMP
(l-r Gord Perrin, Josh Boruck, Conor Eatch)
For immediate release: March 27,2009
Kamloops, BC—Four members of the 2008-09 Thompson Rivers University WolfPack Men’s Volleyball team have been invited to the training camp of Canada’s Junior National Team. Outside hitters Gord Perrin (2nd year, Creston, BC), Josh Boruck (1st year, Revelstoke, BC) along with middles Conor Eatch (1st year, Aurora, Ont) and Stefan Savoie (2nd year, Winnipeg, Man) will be attending the camp which will be held June 15-18 in Winnipeg Manitoba.
“This is great,” said WolfPack head coach Pat Hennelly. “ Not only for the WolfPack volleyball program but for these guys. They now get the chance to make a team which will represent Canada at the World Championships in India this summer.”
“It says that Pat has recognized talented players at a young age. “ says National Team coach Chris Green. “It says that these players are here for a tryout. In the end, regardless of where you are from, there is a style of volleyball we want you to play. Errors MUST be limited. Reliability to one another is CRUCIAL. Tactical and methodical play must be PRACTICED.”
Green watched all four perform at this month’s CIS Nationals in Edmonton. “At the CIS tournament in Edmonton, I was able to make assessments of these 4 players because their coach saw it in their best interest to play them for evaluation. I had not seen Josh and Conor play so this was invaluable. Pat had stated he wanted me to take a good look at them and thus we were able to because he had them contribute on court. I was able to see enough to warrant a look at tryouts. Pats assistance in that was and is appreciated.”
Perrin and Savoie were part of the team which finished second at the NORCECA Qualifying tournament in El Salvador last July. Perrin was a starter while Savoie was injured in training and named as an Alternate.
“Gord should have a good chance to start again,” stated Hennelly. While Green, who saw all four players perform at March’s 2009 CIS Nationals in Edmonton had this to say: “ What I saw in Gordon was a more mature and responsible athlete on court and this was very welcome. He has taken on a strong presence on the court for a young athlete in his position and at Worlds, where he could face guys who have been playing pro and earning pay checks. This tryout is about guys who can come in and be consistent, reliable and trustworthy. If so the team can count on them, and then so can the country. It is an honor to wear your country¹s uniform, and we feel the obligation to all who fund us. We want our players to understand this as well. Having said that, I am counting on Gordon to come to tryouts and carry on what he started last summer.”
Green goes onto say “His ‘ advantage ‘ is really up to him, I am looking for warriors to battle internationally. International Volleyball is serious, as the majority of these teams who have qualified, have their main players playing top pro divisions and have been trained at a young age to do that. Some programs are full time and some will have 25 weeks prep time.”
“I am confident that if guys like Gord come in with a strong frame of mind, we can achieve success at the world championships. These guys showed last summer, that no one will out work us. Gord was one who showed this. If he does this again, he has a great shot.”
Hennelly believes all four of his players have a great chance of representing Canada. “Gord has been one of our best players since he came to our program. Josh had a great final third of the season and was named to the CIS All Rookie team. He came up with some big performances at the CIS Nationals. Conor was hit hard by injuries this season but was a starter in November. He was “Player of the Match” against Dalhousie.”
The Four WolfPack players were notified of their selection to the 24 person camp this morning (March 27).
For more info