a Volleyball Supplement McCrady is so money and he doesn’t even know it Adrienne Lindsay what we have to do and we're he replies without hesitation, “I'm not a guy who can just sit back and be quiet. That's not my style. I have to be loud. I have to talk.” On the volleyball court Daryl McCrady is an intense player. All eyes are drawn to him—not so much because of his blistering spin serve or aggressive net play—but because of his unwavering focus-on the game at hand. It's almost...scary. McCrady is leading the attack this year for the Douglas College Royals. As co-captain along with setter Ryan Henley, McCrady is slowly getting used to his new role on the team. “At first I wasn't quite sure how it was going to be because I've never really had a leading role. Last year was easy because I could just play. I didn’t have to worry about anything. I'd just leave it up to Ken [last year’s captain Ken Kleindienst] to go bicker at the refs and I'd just sit there and laugh because he could stay there - for like ten minutes talking away; I would just play. This year it’s a change. I like it. It's something new. It's brought more confidence towards myself and my team.” Last year, the men’s volleyball team came in second in the province and fifth in nationals. But with most of their starting lineup having left Douglas, this year the team has had to work harder. However, with the provincials just around the corner, McCrady is confident. “We're going to have to play really hard, but I think we'll going to play our hearts out.” “Team bonding. Getting to Mccrad (on rig t, b ocking), demonstrates his moneyness “We've come a long way. know new people every year I mean if you compare our and the bonding you make first practice to how we play with your teammates. It’s now, you wouldn't even know something you'll always it was the same guys. We've = remember pretty much. You really gotten to know each can make pretty good friends other this year, and our team bonding has really affected our play in a positive way.” He smothers a semi-sarcastic with sports; just travelling you'll never have better memories than when you're travelling with a team. laugh. “It’s like a big family.” Always something happens on When asked what he a trip that you can remember likes most about volleyball, that you just get a chuckle Harninder Reel Pierre Florendo Nothing beats the kill. Sure, aces give you quick points, and blocking prevents the other team from scoring. But it is difficult, if not impossible, to do anything that overshadows the pure satisfaction you get from the volleyball hitting the floor without so much as a twitch - from the opposing team. If you want to know about kills, talk to Harninder Reel. It’s her first year here, and she’s already made the Top 10 list for Average kills. and these aren't your sneaky, well-placed kills. These are hard, well-placed kills. She plays in power position, otherwise referred to as the attack position. Harninder’s athletic talents emerged at Richmond High, where she played volleyball, basketball, Ulti- mate frisbee, and soccer. Richmond High is very basketball dominated, so we wondered why she chose volleyball. , 8 February 17 1999 “I don't know. Volley- ball just seemed to appeal to me. The influences I had in volleyball just made me want about her amazing achieve- reach Top 10 status? What's ‘the secret? to play it more. My club “I give total credit to 3 (keyword)” f af — | “ei coach, Sherry Laffling, totally our setters Sabrina have some- q has VR changed the way I looked at + [Kaltenbach] and Ashley thing to do t volleyball. I always used to [Todd]. They‘re by far the with that? i { 4 think of it as something to _ best setters I've ever had the “The - 23 (2 eR ot do, like basketball. But when chance to play with. It’s a cheer is to i I got into the club, it opened total honour to havethem _keep our up a whole new door. I didn't realize how much I loved it because they're smart take us where we want to ment this year. How did you go...” _ cheer of “1-2- out of.” Off the court, McCrady shows the same intense focus, but is surprisingly quiet and subdued. Also surprising is that volleyball isn't the only thing McCrady shows a passion for. Cur- rently a full-time student in physical education, McCrady talks about becoming a PE teacher, and plans to start university in the fall to continue to work towards his degree. “Tll probably either go to UVic or somewhere in Alberta,” he muses. “Hope- fully UVic because it’s still in BC-and is closer to my family and friends.” Volleyball is not a priority. “I want to focus more on school right now. I'm not ruling out playing in university but where I go will depend on the quality of the Phys. Ed. program more than the volleyball team.” He pauses and smiles. “But I'll always play volleyball, even if it’s just on a club team.” Does he feel he’s missed out on anything by playing volleyball? Not at all. “Going to school and playing volleyball has actually increased what I have done. Like going to San Diego and Nationals last year. It was Grand Prairie’s first time hosting Nationals and we played them our first game in front of 3000 fans. They were pounding drums right behind you when you're serving—It’'s something that Ill probably never experience again even if we go to Nationals this year.” For someone so focused on his education, McCrady doesn't regret his commit- ment to the team. “It doesn’t Does the team’s heads focused =» players...they know where to on the game. until I played for her.” Hope put the ball. And a lot of When the you future coaches are paying credit goes to the middles, other team attention... because when the ball does go scores, teams We asked about the to the outside, the middles _ have a ten- preparations made on game = draw a blocker away, leaving dency to say pga i day. How does Harninder get _ only one blocker to go up ‘well, what are Le eae ready for a game? against. That makes our jobs you doing ae ee “Well, I goto bed ata a whole lot easier. tomorrow reasonable hour and when I It's not an individual _ night?’ The get up, Mom makes me areal thing. All the credit goes to cheer is to good breakfast. I relax, the players, even the ones on know that and—I just recently started the bench.” we're a team doing this—go into my On the subject on out there.” bedroom, take 10-15 minutes teamwork, we asked her Another and sit there by myself. I opinion about the team’s reason to go play The Lion King music strengths. “I think we'rea _see the (instrumental) to relax before great passing team. We have a provincials. the game.” lot of strengths...[and] our The teamwork We then asked her the Other Press really interfere with my personal life much because my personal life is pretty much involved in volleyball anyway. It does interfere with going back home, but that’s a choice I made. I'd love to go back more but it’s kinda hard with such a busy schedule.” McCrady graduated from George Elliot Senior Second- ary in Winfield and still spends summers working there to finance his educa- tion. He does miss home and his family, but when asked if he wants to back there to teach, he just smiles. “I want to go somewhere hot—like Hawaii or something. Actu- ally I'll go wherever I have to for the first while—just to get some experience and my foot in the door. Then I'll probably go back to the Okanagan—get a house on the lake, go fishing, be close to my family...I could handle that.” As a matter of fact, McCrady credits both his family and his coaches for the success he’s had in athletics. “I've had good coaches in my life. The coaching staff at Douglas College is the best that I’ve ever had the chance to play with, but I also owe a lot to my family. When I played hockey my mom would be out there cheering with bells and horns. Last year at provincials [in Kelowna] my whole family came out with wigs on and signs. It gives you a good feeling. It makes you want to keep playing— and playing well.” Daryl McCrady is a totally down-to-earth nice guy. Just don't let his oppo- nents know. pushes DC to win. determination and heart will could be what poo; going for a real hard kill