College player makes a leap to university squad

Jeff Ross eventually wants to return to the coaching ranks, but before doing that the 25-year-old has resumed his volleyball playing career.

Ross, who has Dene ancestry from Saskatchewan’s English River First Nation, is in his first year of playing for the University of British Columbia men’s volleyball squad.
Though this is his first year with the UBC Thunderbirds, Ross, who grew up in North Battleford, Sask., has already used up two out of the five seasons he is eligible to play at the post-secondary school level. That’s because he spent one year playing at Red Deer College and another season at Edmonton’s Grant MacEwan College.

Ross then spent this past year serving as an assistant coach for the men’s volleyball team at King’s University College in Edmonton.

Earlier this year, Ross contacted the UBC coaching staff about a possible return to the playing ranks. Both parties were impressed with one another.

“I definitely missed playing,” he said. “And I know I wanted to play at a higher level (than in the college ranks).”

Ross is planning to return to coaching some day, but first he’d like to get his university degree. And then he’d like to spend another year or two pursuing a masters degree in coaching.

“I want to coach at the post-secondary level,” he said.

Ross and the Thunderbirds, who compete in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association, will not begin their 2010/2011 regular season until late October, but Ross and his teammates geared up for the coming season with a two-week tour of Korea, which concluded on Sept. 13.
“It was a great team bonding experience and a great getting to know the guys experience,” Ross said.

The Thunderbirds played a total of five matches abroad. Four of those were against Korean university squads, while the other was against a pro club.

UBC did not win any of its matches, but Ross said his side was not disappointed with the results as it was in the early stages of its season. The Korean university teams were preparing for the third and final stage of their own league championships.

“They’re in peak form for the Korean volleyball season,” Ross said.

UBC coach Richard Schick was impressed with how Ross played in Korea.

“He was thrown into a lot of scenarios, as a lot of guys were, and he responded very well,” Schick said.

Ross is studying human kinetics at UBC. He is taking both first- and second-year courses as he was able to transfer some of his credits previously earned in college.
Though this is his first year with the Thunderbirds, Ross is one of the oldest players on the team.

“I think he’s been a big calming influence on our guys,” Schick said.

Schick liked the fact that Ross went out of his way to contact the Thunderbirds about playing, and then to make the squad as a walk-on player also speaks volumes.

“You know he wants to be here,” Schick said. “And he’s probably been one of the most pleasant surprises of our pre-season.”

Schick cautioned that may not translate into a lot of playing time for Ross once the Thunderbirds begin their own regular season.

“This is quite a big jump for him,” Schick said.

Though he’s 6-foot-5, Ross, a middle player, is actually considered short in the Canadian university ranks. Many teams have middle players who are between 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-9.

Ross said the Canadian university game is much faster than the action at the college level. And, he added, players need to be stronger and have more athletic ability in order to compete.

Ross believes he’s now ready for all the changes.
“As it stands now I’m pretty much adjusted,” he said.
And he’s hoping to receive plenty of court time with the Thunderbirds.

“All I can do is work as hard as I can,” he said. “I want to be a starter. But there’s other guys here who are in their fourth and fifth years and they have an edge on me.”