Nick Bell’s decision to expand his volleyball horizons couldn’t have worked out better for the RDC Kings.
The 19-year-old native of Brisbane, Australia, gives the Kings one of the top setters in the Alberta Colleges Men’s Volleyball League.
Bell made the decision to come to Canada last summer and late enough that he couldn’t get into university.
“I’ve been playing volleyball for five or six years at the highest level you can go in Australia and decided to try something overseas,” he explained.
“I talked with the coach at the University of Alberta and he had his setting set so he put me onto Aaron (Kings head coach Aaron Schulha).”
Bell played several years with the Australian junior national team as well as the Queensland provincial squad.
“Whatever I could do at a high level,” he said.
He also attended university, but didn’t play volleyball.
“It’s not the same as here,” he said.
“This is a lot of fun as the whole college seems to be into athletics and we get a lot of support. You don’t get crowds like this at home.”
Bell knew very little about Alberta and nothing about RDC before deciding to make the move.
“I knew a couple of Aussies at NAIT and I did hear that Western Canada was where volleyball was at and Alberta was better than B.C., so that made my decision to come here easier,” he explained. “But as for Red Deer, I never heard of it before I google mapped it.”
He had no idea the Kings have one of the premier men’s programs in the country with as many as five players on the national team.
“I saw that when I googled it and found out from the guys about the strength of the program once I got here,” he said.
There is a difference in the sport between Australia and the ACAC.
“Here they like quicker, faster players and so they’re a few inches shorter,” said the six-foot-three Bell. “I’m one of the shortest players at home while here I’m a bigger guy.”
Bell has fit in perfectly with the Kings and is starting to take more of a leadership role.
“The biggest adjustment was getting to know all the guys and being one of the rookies,” he said. “At home they don’t do the rookie thing, you’re just one of the team. Here I’m beginning to find out where I’m at. The guys are great and the coaches have helped me a lot and I’m fitting in.
“And I’m starting to take on more of a leadership role, which is good.”
But there has been an additional adjustment .
“Living away from home and cooking my own meals isn’t a lot of fun,” he said with a smile.
Bell, who is halfway through his degree at home, is taking general studies and hasn’t made up his mind what the future holds.
“I may play a year, then return home to finish my degree and get on with life. Or I may look at playing pro or CIS. Right now it’s all up in the air.”
The volleyball squads are off this week, returning to action Nov. 5 at home against Augustana.
l SAIT volleyball has a Red Deer flavour with libero Danielle Harder of Notre Dame and setter Robyn Froese of Lindsay Thurber on the women’s team and right side Tim Finnigan of Notre Dame with the men.
l The basketball squads open their home schedule this weekend with a twin bill against Medicine Hat College. The women tip off Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m. with the men to follow.
l The hockey Queens, 0-4, look to get on the winning track with a home-and-home series against Grant MacEwan University Griffins, 0-2 — Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Arena and Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Londonderry Arena in Edmonton.
l The RDC cross-country running team will compete in the ACAC finals Saturday in Edmonton.
l Basketball Queens second-year guard Lisa Ivanics was named the Boston Pizza RDC female athlete of the week while volleyball middle blocker Sean Tuff took the top male award.
Ivanics had 51 points, 11 rebounds and eight steals as the Queens took both ends of a weekend doubleheader from Briercrest.
Tuff was solid for the Kings in a two-match split with Lethbridge, finishing with 20 kills, six stuff blocks and two aces.
drode@www.reddeeradvocate.com