As coach of the Cascades men’s volleyball team, Nathan Bennett believes the team is already working on a successful season with a strong focus on making the playoffs.
“We’ve started the season facing three top-five teams and it’s been difficult, but coming out with two wins is a good start. I think it’s great, now that I look at it [playing top teams], because the competition brings our level up right away. We were in every set and played hard in every match.”
Bennett has previously tasted success as a player and a coach, and believes the Cascades men’s volleyball team has what it takes to reach the playoffs this season.
“We’re here to win,” Bennett said. “We’re going out every night to win the match, not just improve our game. The whole group is standing out. Actually, Nimo Benne is having a career year so far, Jonas [Van Huizen] has been very consistent with his setting, and I can say that everyone else has been raising their level. I’m happy with the team’s start this season.”
The coach’s resumé includes an extensive volleyball history including more than a decade playing professionally in Europe, a four year stint with the British National Volleyball team and more than a decade coaching provincial, national, and university level volleyball. Bennett has the desire and experience to take the men’s volleyball program to become one of the top teams in the Canada West Conference.
“Coming into this season, we have a team that can compete with the best teams in the country. If you’re a volleyball fan, you know that Canada West is the best volleyball Canada has to offer. It’s the most physical, the most athletic, and it’s the fastest game. And we’re in there competing and beating teams like U of A [University of Alberta], Trinity, UBC, Sask [University of Saskatchewan] and Mount Royal, the top five in our conference. We’re right there.”
This is the Cascades’ first full season of Canada West play. Last year the Canada West Conference returned after previous seasons were cancelled due to the pandemic. The 2021-22 season saw the Canada West Conference split into three divisions, with the Cascades men’s team in the West division facing several of Canada’s top volleyball teams all season long.
Bennett spoke of sharing the conference with teams like six-time national and seven-time conference champions, Trinity Western University. TWU travels to the U.S. to compete with, and often beat, American NCAA Division One teams like the UCLA Bruins.
Bennet said, “The Canada West Conference is on par with American NCAA Division One volleyball teams — that’s an easy statement.”
The coach, and the men’s volleyball team are working on creating an excellent fanbase. Bennett says he would like to see a fan base — from UFV and the local communities — create a difficult environment for opposing teams when they come to play at UFV that is on the same level as the Cascades’ experience at other schools.
“We’re on par with Brandon University, Thompson Rivers and UBC Okanagan. They’re smaller communities with a strong fan base for their [university] teams. We have an excellent product, basketball has an excellent product, volleyball and soccer are all excellent products, and we are working on creating that excellent fanbase as we improve our program.”
UFV athletes and teams are receiving national recognition and rankings. The athletes and teams are showing up on game night and competing at a high level, so we need to do a better job to get the word out to UFV and our local community.
Bennett believes marketing their product, with the combination of increased attendance at games, fan support, and media exposure, will benefit the men’s volleyball program by being a place where top players want to play.
The men’s volleyball team has their next home games November 25-26, 2022 against the Mount Royal Cougars at the UFV Athletics Centre.
The Cascades are also hosting a Senior Night for Stefan Halas, their fourth year Middle, who graduates this semester. The men’s volleyball schedule is at gocascades.ca.
Steve is a third-year BFA creative writing/visual arts student who’s been a contributing writer, staff writer and now an editor at The Cascade. He's always found stories and adventures but now has the joy of capturing and reporting them.