Steve Rogalsky - Ace

Second-year rightside Steve Rogalsky lends new meaning to the term “power hitter”—just ask the players on the opposite side of the net attempting to dig up his serves or his pounding hits at the net. Last year Rogalsky made an immediate impact for the Spartans in just his first season of CIS competition, helping the program achieve a best-ever CIS Bronze Medal. Along the way he obliterated the record for service aces with an unheard of 13 in a five-set win over Winnipeg almost exactly one year ago (Jan. 24, 2004). (For the non-volleyball savvy out there, 13 aces is equivalent to, and as rare as, a 50-point game in basketball) Rogalsky has continued to improve this year, managing to avoid the cursed “sophomore slump” with averages of 3.31 kills/game (5th in Canada West; up from 2.59 last season) and 0.45 aces/game (3rd; up from 0.37).

Why did you choose TWU?
I came to TWU because of the coach of the volleyball team, and I also appreciate the Christian setting in the classrooms.

What are some community service or ministry experiences you’ve had and what have they meant to you?
I helped coach a midget boys volleyball team and I learned a lot about how different people need to be coached and taught differently. I also help out coaching a midget girls volleyball team; I thought I knew how to teach kids, and then I tried coaching girls...
I went to China to play basketball with my high school team. We made it into a missions trip and brought bibles in with us and taught kids about God. It was, to our knowledge, the first time the Chinese government allowed a publicly proclaimed Christian school into China. Looking back, it was a great sense of confirmation of how God provides.

What would you do to change the world, and why?
Give every child two loving parents, a full belly, and the same chance at life I am being given.

What is your favorite Bible verse, and why?
Isaiah 44:5 One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD’; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and will take the name Israel.

What are your athletic goals at TWU?
To be named a Canada West First Team All-Star and a CIS First Team All-Canadian, and to Team Canada at the FISU Games (World University Games).

What are some interesting jobs you’ve had?
A dairy farmer—I worked on a dairy farm doing everything from milking cows to bailing hay to euthanizing sick cows.

What is your career ambition?
I would love to play volleyball professionally in Europe while studying medicine in graduate school.

Who has been the biggest influence in your life, and why?
Naming the biggest influence is too strong to give any one person. Of course, trying to model my life as a servant of God like Jesus, however I also learn and I am influenced by the people that surround me such as friends, Coach, professors, and family. If I could take the best quality of each person and let it influence me I would consider myself a blessed man.

What advice would you give to youngsters?
Advice that I’m figuring out myself: to be successful in life you are going to have to work hard somewhere along the line, better sooner than later.

What was the greatest moment in your life?
Waking up this morning and thanking God for the day. Then being able to go to a Christian school and getting to practice volleyball.

Last Updated: 2008-01-10
Author: Scott Stewart
Email: aestewart@wei.org