Fred Winters鈥� career, meanwhile, is turning into the China Syndrome.
The two Island volleyball stars made news Wednesday for different reasons, the Olympian Reader by retiring and Winters by being a trail blazer.
Canadian national team captain Winters, from Victoria and a graduate of Claremont Secondary, and fellow national teamer Steve Brinkman of Bowmanville, Ont., are the first foreigners to play professional volleyball in China. They led their BAIC Motors team to the league final, scheduled for Tuesday in Beijing, by defeating Henan in the semifinals.
鈥淭he message was made very clear to us [from the beginning of the season] that we are vying for the championship,鈥� Winters said in a statement. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of pressure but the club has slowly brought us along so there is no feeling of panic. They鈥檝e really helped us adapt to Chinese life.鈥�
Winters led sa国际传媒 to within one win of the 2012 London Olympics in qualifying play last year.
Comox Valley鈥檚 Reader, who made the Sweet 16 at the London Olympics last year in beach volleyball with partner Josh Binstock, announced his retirement at age 28.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been an honour to represent sa国际传媒 [on the FIVB World Tour] around the globe in more than 30 countries,鈥� said Reader, by phone from Toronto.
鈥淚鈥檝e cherished my time in international sports. I have no regrets.鈥�
The six-foot-seven Reader, who also models and grew up snowboarding on Mount Washington and windsurfing at Tofino, is former volleyball captain of the Camosun College Chargers and 2004 sa国际传媒 colleges player of the year.
鈥淐oming from the Island was imperative to my international career,鈥� said the graduate of Highland Secondary.
鈥淭hey have great volleyball programming on the Island. If I had come from anywhere else, my career would not have been the same.鈥�
Reader will concentrate on his personal training business and company Strive Conditioning.
