SPARTANS CIS CHAMPION COACH JOSEPHSON NAMED TO FISU STAFF

Ben Josephson

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL (ANNOUNCEMENT)
TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 2011
FISU NATIONAL TEAM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPARTANS CIS CHAMPION COACH JOSEPHSON NAMED TO FISU STAFF

OTTAWA - Volleyball Canada announced that Larry McKay of the University of Winnipeg has been named head coach for the men’s Team Canada at the World University Games with Trinity Western’s Ben Josephson and Royal Military College’s Steve Leknois as assistants.

“I am really excited to have the opportunity to work with our national B team this summer,” Josephson said. “The message coming off of our championship season was that we will have to work twice as hard if we would like to do it again. By spending the summer with the national team and having the chance to work with some of our nation's best players and coaches I hope to learn and grow as a coach to better help our group make another run at a national championship.

“I consider Larry McKay to be one of the very best coaches coaching in our country and our national team head coach Glenn Hoag is considered one of the best coaches in the world. The opportunity to coach alongside these two accomplished and knowledgeable coaches is a dream come true. I cannot wait to get to Gatineau and start to soak up the knowledge available as we prepare our teams for this summer's competitions.”

McKay has been head coach of the University of Winnipeg Wesmen men’s volleyball team for 22 seasons.  Last year he was the head coach of Canada’s National Senior “B” team and was part of the National Senior team’s staff in preparation for the world championships.

“I am grateful to The University of Winnipeg for allowing me to take on this responsibility,” McKay said. “As this team will represent Canada and all Canadian post-secondary institutions, I will be pleased to represent our university at these World University Games.”

McKay has led the Wesmen to seven national championship medals and was named the CIS coach of the year for the 1992-93 and 2001-02 seasons. In 2003 he was Team Canada’s head coach at the men’s U21 world championships.

For Josephson, who this year guided Trinity Western to a CIS national championship, it will be his second stint with Canada’s national program. In 2005, Josephson was on the Canadian coaching staff that finished 10th at the FISU games in Turkey.

“Any time you have the opportunity to represent your country at any event it is an honor,” Josephson said. “I have had this opportunity in the past and cherish it deeply and am honored to be getting another chance to wear our country's colors at a sporting competition.”

Josephson just finished his fourth season as TWU men’s volleyball head coach. In his four years with the Spartans he has led TWU to an overall record of 75-56, which included a record of 29-10 and CIS championship gold medal in 2010-11 and a record of 20-13 and a CIS championship silver in 2009-10.

Leknois has been the head coach of the RMC’s men’s volleyball team since 2002.  He was also an assistant with the National Men’s “B” team this past summer.

"We are very pleased to have Steve named as an assistant coach with the men's national team," said Darren Cates, RMC Director of Athletics. "It is a tremendous professional development opportunity for Steve, and also brings great recognition to our volleyball program at RMC".

The World University Games are August 12-23 in Shenzhen, China. The team will hold their selection camp in Gatineau from May 7-13, and will begin their training and preparations for the summer immediately upon the selection of the team.

-TW-

Last Updated: 2011-05-03
Author: Mark Janzen