Brzozowski, Weinmeier eyeing strong impact at inaugural Volleyball Canada University/College Beach Nationals
A pair of Men's Volleyball Huskies will take a historic step onto the national stage this coming weekend in Toronto, Ont.
When Volleyball Canada hosts their inaugural University/College Beach National Championships at Ashbridges Bay this weekend, Trey Weinmeier and Radoslaw (Radek) Brzozowski will be representing the Huskies and eyeing a strong result to go along with what has already been a scintillating summer for the pair.
"It's amazing; I'm really excited for it," Weinmeier said. "Especially being the first college nationals ever, getting the opportunity to represent our college and show what we can do at this and hopefully come home with a banner."
Weinmeier, from Edmonton, Alta., and Brzozowski, from Wrocłow, Poland, brought their own previous experience in beach volleyball before joining forces. They've peaked at the right time as well, capturing the 2022 Alberta Volleyball Adult Men's Beach Provincial Championship and landing on the podium at other major tournaments on the beach volleyball scene in Alberta and British Columbia this summer.
"Beach teaches you a lot of ball control, which we can use in the [court] game after that," Brzozowski said. "You basically have to be good at every skill to win games to perform, not just in what your position requires from you.
"It would be very beneficial for everyone to play to increase their skill level as well."
The distinctions go even further for the duo as they're the lone registered team from Alberta as well as the lone Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) team on the men's side of the competition.
"It's pretty cool," Huskies Men's Volleyball Head Coach Keegan Kuhr said. "They've worked hard all summer, focusing on their beach and I'm pretty excited to see all their hard work pay off.
"I'm looking forward to it and really happy Volleyball Canada was putting this on."
Kuhr added it was great to see the Huskies support another sport, noting some key differences between the court and beach versions of the sport.
"Being able to add another offering to our sports programme is huge in terms of being able to recruit and is a great complement alongside the traditional ACAC sports we already take part in," he said.
Looking to bring home a banner for Keyano from the beach scene, they've already accomplished that feat together on the court. The pair were instrumental in the 2018-19 Men's Volleyball Huskies squad that captured the ACAC Men's Volleyball Championship for the Huskies.
Additionally, Brzozowski played a strong role in delivering the Huskies a Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Bronze Medal in 2017-18.
After placing themselves on the podium in major tournaments and topping their provincial competition, Weinmeier is excited to take on other teams from throughout Canada.
"Throughout the summer, we competed against a bunch of different athletes from other colleges," Weinmeier said. "It meant a lot. We got to play a lot of really good teams.
"It's going to be interesting to play against actual other colleges from the east and see what guys come with there and what teams show up. [The] provincial title was our first goal and our second goal is college nationals."
Weinmeier and Brzozowski have been placed into Pool G at the tournament with teams from Western University and Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM).
The 2022 Volleyball Canada University/College Beach National Championships run from September 3-4 in Toronto, Ont.