Performing in their home country at the Parapan Am Games was the thrill of a lifetime for sitting volleyball players Dave Marchand of St. Albert and Larry Matthews of Villeneuve.
“It was the absolute highlight,” said Marchand, a bilateral amputee, of the recent multi-sport event in Toronto for athletes with physical disabilities. “It was in Canada and you don’t get to play at home very often and to have my wife and daughter there, as well as some friends and family, it was a real special moment to play on home soil.”
Matthews was proud to be a Canadian at one of the biggest international competitions of his career.
“After 20 years of playing disabled volleyball, it was quite a feeling to play on that home soil in a big event,” said Matthews, who was born without a fully developed left leg and blew out his knee. “The excitement of walking in for the opening ceremonies was huge. To wear the Canadian flag and march out with a big group and have the crowd cheer like that, we’ve always had a loud cheer, but this was probably one of the loudest we’ve ever had.”
Winning bronze was also extra special even though Canada was unsuccessful in qualifying for the Rio 2016 Paralympics.
“Our big game was the semifinal against the United States. The winner qualified for Rio and we lost so winning bronze was kind of a bittersweet medal,” Marchand said. “Brazil was the class of the tournament. They’re number two in the world and they were already in the Paralympics as hosts so there was this zone spot up between us and the Americans (in the semifinals) and we lost three sets to one. That was heartbreaking. We fought hard, but we just didn’t win.
“The bronze medal, I guess you could say, was the icing on the cake. We beat Columbia (3-0) and Columbia wasn’t quite in the same class as the rest of the teams there.”
It was an emotional moment for Matthews, 46.
“We had a lot of rookies on the floor and they just didn’t have the experience to close a game, to finish it off,” said the silver medallist for Canada in standing volleyball at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics. “It was a little tough as a vet to kind of see the dream slip away in front of you, but on the other hand it was encouraging to see the rookies learning what they need to do in the next four years to build themselves up to be in that spot again and to win the game to move on to the next Paralympics.”
Canada finished 4-3 overall after sweeping Columbia for the second time in the tournament. Two of the three losses were 3-0 decisions to Brazil and United States in the preliminary round.
“It was a great experience. The venue in Toronto was beautiful. It was world class. It probably had over a thousand seats and our games were probably the best attended. Most of them were sold out. It was tough to get tickets,” Marchand said. “It was a very good atmosphere with a lot of red and white in the crowd, a lot of flags and a lot of chanting.”
Canada also won bronze at the 2011 Parapan Am Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, with Marchand and Matthews on the team.
“When I first started (four and a half years ago) I was, I guess, the 10th or 11th player, whatever number of players we had. I was the lowest rung on the team and I made my way up to being a starter at tryouts this year,” said Marchand, 50. “I would like to think I have a lot of heart and desire. I’ve never missed practices and I do everything I can to make myself better.”
The senior manager of network operations at CN Rail credits Matthews, a member of the national disabled standing team from 1994 to 2007 before switching to the sitting game, and Jose Rebelo of Montreal for their guidance and support.
“They’ve made me a much better player so hats off to those two guys,” said Marchand, who had his legs amputated below the knee at the age of 35 due to complications from bacterial meningitis. “They’ve been on the team for 15-plus years, and their leadership and their knowledge of the sport and their class on the court and off the court is something we all try to bring to the team.”
Matthews embraced his leadership role on the team with open arms.
“I’m there to mentor the young players. I didn’t play a lot (in Toronto) and I kind of knew that was my role going in. I’ve kind of reached my peak and I’m on the downslide,” said the prosthetics technician.
In sitting volleyball, the rules are pretty much the same as regular volleyball but the court size is 10 x 6 metres and the net height is 1.15m off the floor.
“You can block the serve, which in standing or normal volleyball the block is not allowed on service contact. Also, one part of your butt cheek at all times must remain on the ground when you’re making contact with the ball,” said Matthews, who played high school volleyball in Fort Saskatchewan. “It’s very much a setter’s game. It’s very quick too so you have to get your shoulders moving because you’re not using your feet as much. You’re using your shoulders to get to where you need to be and getting your hands up fast enough to play the ball.”
“My brother described it as kind of watching a pinball machine,” added Marchand, who was introduced to the sport during treatments at the Glenrose Hospital.
“I quite enjoyed it. The women’s national team coach saw me playing and advised the men’s coach, they were in town two weeks later for a camp, and they invited me to come out and play with them and they asked me if I would like to play on the team and the rest is history,” said the Alberta Amputee Sports and Recreation Association member.
Edmonton is home base for the national team for the next three years and Matthews encourages individuals to check the sport out.
“We’re not in wheelchairs, we’re on the ground and you have to be physically fit to play the game,” said the three-time Parapan Am bronze medallist in sitting volleyball and four-time world champion in disabled standing volleyball who has benefitted from strong family support throughout his career.
