Josh Howatson and Fred Winters, both of Victoria, are spiking, setting and digging with the big dogs of volleyball.
The national team standouts have helped sa国际传媒 qualify for the World League final for the first time. The six-nation final round begins next Wednesday in Mar del Plata, Argentina, after sa国际传媒 concluded qualifying play with an 8-2 record.
It came down to a nervy final game this week at Osaka against Japan in which sa国际传媒 prevailed in five sets.
鈥淭he stress level was pretty high,鈥� said a statement from Canadian captain Winters.
鈥淲hen we fell behind 1-2 in sets, we were aware we could potentially squander our chance to be in the final. But we knew Japan couldn鈥檛 keep that pace and, in the end, we got them.鈥�
Winters, out of Claremont Secondary School, and Howatson, from Oak Bay High, got sa国际传媒 to within one game of qualifying for the 2012 London Summer Olympics last year before falling achingly short.
Three years out from the 2016 Rio Summer Games, the benchmark achievement of qualifying for the 2013 World League final has caught the attention of the Canadian Olympic Committee.
鈥淭his is a huge milestone for our players and our country,鈥� said COC president Marcel Aubut.
鈥淚t is also a lesson about the kind of determination and hard work it takes to successfully compete at the top international level in any sport. This has been a long road for sa国际传媒 and more work remains to be done. But [the World League finals qualification] proves sa国际传媒 has the talent and determination to be the best.鈥�
Howatson, whose younger brother Marc is expected to join him on the senior national team on the road to Rio, and Winters headline a golden era for Island volleyball internationally.
Martin Reader of the Comox Valley represented sa国际传媒 on the beach last summer at the London Olympics.
Maverick Hatch of the Comox Valley and Jamie Broder of Victoria are following in the retired Reader鈥檚 sandprints on the pro beach FIVB World Tour, while breakout star Shanice Marcelle of Victoria is set to lead the women鈥檚 national indoor team on the road to Rio.
