Volleyball Canada – Volleyball Canada is pleased to confirm the rosters for the 2016 World ParaVolley Intercontinental tournament (March 17 to 23), which will serve as a last-chance Paralympic qualifier for the Canadian men’s team.  The event will take place in Anji, Huzhou, China.

The men’s sitting volleyball team will compete in a nine-team round robin and the winner earns the one berth available for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio.

“We will truly need a complete team effort,” said Ian Halliday, Volleyball Canada’s sitting volleyball high performance director.  “All our athletes on the roster have been training in Alberta since January in preparation for this event, and the addition of two new athletes since the Parapan Am Games will help provide us with more size and power at the net. It is exciting to have this opportunity to compete for the final Paralympic berth and we appreciate the support to allow us to attend this event.”

The women’s team will be competing in the “Qualified Pool” at the Intercontinental, and will play against the six other teams who have also qualified for the Paralympics.  
 
“This will be a big challenge for our group, but we are really looking forward to competing against the best in the world and learning more about them as well as learning from them,” explained Halliday.  The women’s team qualified for the Paralympics based on its Toronto 2015 result. “Our roster for this event features four athletes who have joined the program since the Parapan Am Games, and they bring size and a lot volleyball experience in both standing and sitting.  We are looking forward to exposing them to a higher level of competition as they continue their preparations for the Rio 2016 Paralympics.”
 
Updates and schedules can be found at www.worldparavolley.org
 
Women:
 
Jolan Wong, Petawawa, ON
Chantal Beauchesne, Ottawa, ON
Heidi Peters, Edmonton, AB
Danielle Ellis, White Rock, BC
Jennifer Oakes, Calgary, AB
Leanne Muldrew, Winnipeg, MB
Katelyn Wright, Edmonton, AB
Shacarra Orr, Jaffray, BC
Felicia Voss-Shafiq, Suva, Fiji
Julie Kozun, Saskatoon, SK
 
Head Coach:  Nicole Ban
Assistant Coach:  Christine Smyth
Physiotherapist:  Lauren Vickery
Manager:  Ian Halliday
 
Men:

Doug Learoyd, Calgary, AB
Austin Hinchey, Edmonton, AB
Jamoi Anderson, North York,ON
Chris Bird, Brandon, MB
Andrew Tucker, Bronx, NY, USA
Larry Matthews, St. Albert, AB
Dariusz Symonowicz, Toronto, ON
Jesse Buckingham, Toronto, ON
Jesse Ward, Calgary, AB
 
Head Coach:  Ray Sewell
Assistant Coach:  Paul Shearme
Physiotherapist:  Anne Fleming
Manager:  Ian Halliday

Volleyball Canada media contact:
Jackie Skender
E-mail: jskender@volleyball.ca
Phone: 613.794.7676