KAMLOOPS – Thompson Rivers University athletics, and specifically the men’s volleyball program, received some outstanding news when Canadian Interuniversity Sport announced that it has selected TRU to host the 2010 CIS men’s volleyball National Championship.
This will mark the first time the men’s volleyball tournament has graced the courts of British Columbia since UBC hosted in 1983, and it will be the start of at least two years of national-level varsity volleyball in BC, as Trinity Western University has been selected to organize the 2011 men’s volleyball tournament.
Although TRU has never hosted a CIS championship, this is not unfamiliar ground for both the university and the city of Kamloops. Along with the new first-class Tournament Capital facilities, Thompson Rivers University has a long and distinguished history of hosting high quality events in the BCCAA and the CCAA. In addition, the City of Kamloops is known for its enthusiastic volunteer base and supportive businesses when hosting regional, provincial, national, and international events.
“I am very excited about hosting the 2010 men’s national volleyball championships, and it is great for TRU and the City of Kamloops,” says TRU Director of Athletics, Ken Olynyk. “With the new facility, the Tournament Capital Centre, and the support of TRU and the city of Kamloops, I know this will be a benchmark championship.”
The Okanagan-Thompson Region is a new market for the CIS and the city of Kamloops is an untapped market as Thompson Rivers University has only been competing in the CIS for two years. WolfPack men’s volleyball is very active in the interior of BC, hosting camps and exhibition games, and with TRU’s hosting of the 2010 CIS men’s volleyball championship, the CIS stands to gain exposure and interest from a largely untapped market. The nearest CIS institution is University College of the Fraser Valley, which lies 270 km west of Kamloops.
“As a member of the CIS I believe it is important for us to support our own organization and one way in which we can do that is to bid to host the national championships,” said Olynyk.
Hosting the CIS men’s volleyball championship will showcase the top Canadian university student-athletes in the interior region of BC, giving younger athletes a goal to aspire toward. As High Performance Director of Volleyball BC, Steve Manuel, said, “Over 20 years have passed since a men’s CIS volleyball championship was hosted in BC. I believe that this is one factor for the recent decline in the number of boys playing volleyball, particularly in British Columbia’s interior region. A key component in the development of a sport at the youth level is to host high-profile events.”
“This is definitely a boost for men’s volleyball, not only in Kamloops but also the interior of BC,” said TRU WolfPack assistant men’s volleyball coach Chad Grimm.
“Kamloops has always been a great host to large sporting events such as this, and I look forward to having men’s volleyball play a starring role in an event of this calibre. Hosting this event will help increase participation in boy’s volleyball in our area. It will also benefit our recruiting for the future and act as motivation for our current players to reach the elite level it will take to compete for a medal in 2010 in front of our home fans.”
“Our team should be a veteran team in 2010 and a team that will take a serious run at being national champions,” added Olynyk.
For more information, please contact Ken Olynyk at 250-828-5273 or 250-320-4263 or by email.
