Finding success at the professional level is the goal of one of Red Deer College Kings’ volleyball players.
Sam Brisbane, 19, who is taking the Bachelor of Commerce program at RDC in hopes of becoming an accountant, was recently named ‘Athlete of the Week’ by the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC).
Brisbane, who is from Melbourne, Australia, came to Canada at the end of August last year to attend RDC.
“There’s no college sport in Australia so if I wanted to get an education and get better at volleyball I had to go overseas. I knew a couple of people who had come to Canada and I emailed a few coaches and here I am. I went to the ACAC and Red Deer was at the top of the ladder, so I knew I wanted to be here.”
Brisbane is the setter for the Kings volleyball team and led them to a silver medal at the CCAA National Championships at Niagara College earlier this month.
He will enter his second year at RDC and with the Kings volleyball team in the fall after going home to Australia for the summer.
Brisbane’s love of volleyball started about seven years ago when he was in high school.
“My high school had a really good reputation and we had a really good teacher. And then from there it was just about getting involved in state teams and academy teams and starting to see the same people and it just grew from there.”
He added the team aspect of the sport is what he enjoys the most.
“You don’t just win yourself, you win as a team.”
Brisbane’s ultimate dream is to play volleyball at the professional level overseas after finishing four more years of education in Canada.
“I want to go overseas to Europe and play there.”
As for his time at RDC, Brisbane said he’s enjoyed being part of the post-secondary institution.
“It’s been great. Everyone is really nice and has been really nice to me and we’ve had some success with the volleyball team as well. It’s been a lot of fun here. It’s just been really cold during the winter,” he chuckled.
He also hopes to help lead the Kings volleyball squad into victory next season.
“I’d like to go one better at nationals and win it all.”
efawcett@reddeerexpress.com
