Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – In a show of solidarity with the Thompson Rivers WolfPack, the MacEwan Griffins men's volleyball team will be wearing orange shoelaces for their matches at the Kamloops, B.C.-based institution this weekend.
Owyn McInnis, a fourth-year outside hitter on the team, was killed in a multi-vehicle crash in that city last November. TRU held a Memorial Service for him on Wednesday.
With their first home matches since the tragedy set for this weekend against MacEwan (Friday, 8:15 p.m. MT and Saturday, 5:45 p.m. MT, both Canada West TV), Griffins head coach Brad Poplawski noted they wanted to show their support, even as the two teams prepare to battle each other on the court.
"I don't know what they have planned for it," he said. "I know our captains have gone out and bought orange shoelaces just as a show of support and solidarity. We just want to make sure we acknowledge and understand. That being said, they're going to want two wins and we're going to want to battle them.
"I think it is an emotional weekend. It's just such a tragedy and your heart goes out to Pat (Hennelly) and his program."
The WolfPack already made an emotional return to action last weekend in Winnipeg, earning a split against the Wesmen.
"Watching them play last weekend in Winnipeg, honestly I couldn't have been more impressed with their team," said Poplawski. "The way they competed, the way they played, it looked like volleyball brought them some joy again. I imagine that's what they're using it as because they played with a lot of fire and emotion."
The Griffins are coming into the weekend off a pair of losses at home to Manitoba where they competed well in Friday's 3-1 loss and were flat in Saturday's 3-0 setback.
"I think execution is something we were missing on Saturday," said Poplawski. "I think we were in the right spots; we just weren't making plays. We talk a lot about intent. When you play volleyball, you have that small window of intent. The ball's on you pretty quick. Every action you make, you have to know what you need to do in that moment. That's what we're trying to train towards is understanding how to react in every moment. I just want to see that intent with every action.
"It's just being present in the moment and understanding your job, your responsibility and executing within that. I want to see more of that from my guys."
They'll be short-handed with some sickness creeping into the lineup, but as has been the case in a tough-luck season full of multiple injuries, the Griffins will do their best to soldier on.
"The guys we put on the floor, my expectation is they're going to compete and play our system and battle," said Poplawski.
That's the volleyball part, which will certainly feel somewhat inconsequential this weekend. Wins and losses certainly pale in comparison with the heartache TRU is going through.
"It does feel somewhat secondary, and it puts things in perspective," said Poplawski. "We weren't happy with our first semester, and we're frustrated, but at the end of the day, we're very lucky to get to do this – play a sport we love and compete.
"At the end of the day, there's a lot bigger things than volleyball. It does put things in perspective a lot for everyone."
