Three members of the Redeemer Royals men鈥檚 volleyball team share their journey to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) National Championship.
Jason Wildeboer always knew that volleyball would be a significant component of his post-secondary education. Although he initially considered attending a public university, Redeemer鈥檚 athletic culture soon made it the obvious choice.
鈥淭he athletics program at [that university] was all about high performance and money,鈥 he says. 鈥淩edeemer鈥檚 program is centered around caring for student-athletes as people. Obviously, we want to succeed, and hard work breeds that, but it鈥檚 more about our character and how it will develop over the next four to five years.鈥
Brett Jenkins, Wildeboer鈥檚 teammate, was drawn in by the way Redeemer鈥檚 mission was articulated by Brad Douwes, the former men鈥檚 volleyball coach.
Redeemer鈥檚 program is centered around caring for student-athletes as people. Obviously, we want to succeed, and hard work breeds that, but it鈥檚 more about our character and how it will develop over the next four to five years.
鈥淥ne of the first things [Douwes] said to me was that he couldn鈥檛 wait to see me grow as an athlete, a person and in my faith,鈥 says Jenkins 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 expect that, and it was amazing to see how much he incorporated faith into the team.鈥
Student-athlete Jason Wildeboer ’22 (#12)
Their instincts couldn鈥檛 have been better. In March 2022, the Redeemer Royals men鈥檚 volleyball team qualified for the CCAA Men’s Volleyball National Championship in Quebec City. After valiantly going up against other heavyweights such as the Camosun Chargers, Saint-Jean Geants and Humber Hawks, they finished fourth overall. Wildeboer attributes this triumph to the aforementioned emphasis on character and the team鈥檚 cohesive, supportive nature.聽
鈥淢ost of the guys have been together since our first year in 2018,鈥 he explains. 鈥淚n university sports, you always want the older athletes to show the younger athletes what it means to represent a school. This year, we were able to put that into practice and, after not being able to play for two years because of COVID, our performance showed how grateful we were to be back in a gym.鈥
Student-athlete Ben Siebenga ’25
Ben Siebenga, a first-year team member, was immediately impressed with the intense dedication shown throughout the season.
鈥淪ince the beginning of the year, we knew we had the chance to make it this far,鈥 he says. 鈥淥ur motto was 鈥榟ay in the barn,鈥 which basically means you put in as much hard work as you can to reap the rewards later.鈥
Despite enduring some tough first sets, the team stayed motivated by committing to do their best for each other.
鈥淓ven though we lost the first sets in 90 per cent of our games, we still won most of them because we identified our mistakes and knew we were in control,鈥 says Jenkins.
鈥淲e held each other to high expectations, and I think that really helped us have the same mindset,鈥 says Siebenga. 鈥淲e prepared well, we knew what we were up against and we took it one point at a time.鈥
Student-athlete Brett Jenkins ’23
At the championship, Wildeboer received the CCAA Exemplary Leadership Award, and Jenkins was named a Championship All-Star. However, they both affirm that individual accolades drastically pale in comparison to what the team accomplished as a whole.
鈥淢y award could鈥檝e gone to any one of our starters. I was just lucky that it was me,鈥 says Jenkins. 鈥淎t the end of the day, we work together, and I wouldn鈥檛 have gotten it without them.鈥
鈥淭o be fourth in the country is an honour and way more special than any single recognition,鈥 says Wildeboer. 鈥淯ltimately, what means the most to me is that I鈥檓 able to say I love every single guy on our team.鈥
It鈥檚 important to take a step back, remember that God has given you those gifts and abilities and push forward.
For Siebenga, who still has three more years left as a student-athlete, this year served as an amazing preview for what he hopes is to come.
鈥淭he coaching staff and the team have the ability to influence my life even more. As of right now, I鈥檝e definitely learned resilience and discipline just by watching our starters play. Even if they drop a set, they keep going and don鈥檛 let it get to them. It鈥檚 important to take a step back, remember that God has given you those gifts and abilities and push forward.鈥
Designed by Christian teachers for Christian teachers, the master of education is the first of several graduate programs planned to launch over the next few years.
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