Get to Know Team Canada Athlete

  • Name Adam Kaminski
    Age 25
    Height 205 cm
    Hometown Chatham, ON



    One thing people don't know about you: I play piano and speak Polish


    Favourite thing to cook: Perogies!!!


    Phobias: Styrofoam and Cotton balls ... don't ask


    Favourite movie: Old School


    Favourite old television show: Saved By The Bell


    Favourite downtime activity: Playing Halo online. DTlb!


    Most embarrassing moment in a game: Losing a contact lens form getting hit in the face


    Best part about being a Team Canada volleyball player: Playing with a group of people who have worked and dedicated so much time to reach the same goal


    Source: Volleyball-Canada

  • Name Fred Winters
    Age 26
    Height 195cm
    Position Leftside
    Hometown Victoria, BC



    Dream Car? Bentley Continental GT


    Pet peeve? People who don't know me addressing me as boss, dude, or guy.


    One thing people don’t know about you? My real last name Isn't Winters


    Favourite thing to cook? Cereal


    Best Volleyball memory? Playing in Japan/Brazil


    Favourite athlete? Dwyane Wade


    If you could be a character on any TV show, who would it be? Anyone who appears on Cribs


    If you could meet one person living or dead who would it be? Michael Jordan


    Favorite pre-game meal? Penne pasta


    Favourite movie? Old School


    Three things you have to have with you on the road? Laptop, Ipod, Credit Card


    Favorite old television show? Fresh Prince


    Favorite downtime activity? Golfing


    Favorite sport to watch? Basketball


    Biggest vice? Ice Cream


    Best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Do what makes you happy - Mom


    If you could travel in time, where would you go? Year one


    Most embarrassing moment in a game? Shooting on the wrong hoop (basketball)


    Source: Volleyball-Canada

  • Name Dallas Soonias
    Age 25
    Height 201cm
    Team Team Canada / Club Voleibol Almeria, Spain
    Position Right side
    Hometown Red Deer, Alberta



    Dream Car? 2008 VW GTI


    Dream Job? Shelver at HMV


    Pet peeve? Economic crisis'


    One thing people don’t know about you? Most of the time i take half milk half water on my cereal.


    Favourite thing to cook? Salmon


    Best Volleyball memory? HiFi club Calgary circa 2007


    Favourite athlete? Hedo Turkoglu


    If you could be a character on any TV show, who would it be? Charlie, from Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia.


    Any phobias? Gavin Schmitt


    Favorite pre-game meal? PBnJ


    Favourite movie? Grandmas Boy or Blazing Saddles


    Phrases or words you use too much? Physical.


    Best adrenaline rush? Stealing Glenn Hoag's poutine.


    Favorite old television show? Monty pythons flying circus.


    Biggest vice? Chocolate


    Source: Volleyball-Canada

  • Name Adam Simac
    Age 25
    Height 6 foot 8
    Team Team Canada / VC Franken, Germany
    Position Middle Blocker
    Hometown Orleans, ON



    Dream Car? Aston Martin DBS


    Dream Job? Pro Athlete - so I guess I'm living the dream!


    Pet peeve? Drivers who don't signal when exiting round-a-bouts.


    One thing people don’t know about you? I never played club volleyball before university.


    Favourite thing to cook? Anything on the BBQ


    Best Volleyball memory? Hearing the words "Welcome to Team Canada" from Glenn Hoag and Chris Green in May 2008.


    If you could be a character on any TV show, who would it be? Horatio Caine from CSI Miami, because then I would be able to speak only in one-liners.


    Any phobias? No real phobias, but if I see a spider I grab the nearest object, no matter how big or valuable, and slam the spider.


    Favorite pre-game meal? Chicken breast with rice, and raw bell peppers on the side


    Favourite movie? Goldeneye


    Phrases or words you use too much? I hum a little jingle that some of my teammates invented too often.


    Best adrenaline rush? Rollercoasters


    Three things you have to have with you on the road? iPod, Laptop, a good book.


    Favorite old television show? Saved by the bell


    Biggest vice? Espresso


    Best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Be better than you were yesterday


    Ultimate volleyball goal? Qualify and medal at the Olympics in 2012


    Most embarrassing moment in a game? Hit a standing float serve under the net in a game at Queen's.


    Best part about being a Team Canada volleyball player? Having the chance to play with the best players in Canada every day and compete with them on the international stage.


    Source: Volleyball-Canada

  • Name Mark Dodds
    Age 26
    Height 198 cm
    Team Team Canada / Knack Randstad Roeselare, Belgium
    Position Left Side
    Hometown Lucky Lake Saskatchewan



    Dream Car? Maserati Granturismo


    Pet peeve? Sandles and Socks


    One thing people don’t know about you? I like wearing socks in my sandles.


    Favourite thing to cook? Ribs


    Best Volleyball memory? Playing vs Brazil in World League in Brazil with 18000 fans


    Favourite athlete? Micheal Jordan, Sidney Crosby


    If you could be a character on any TV show, who would it be? Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor


    If you could meet one person living or dead who would it be? Micheal Jordan


    Favorite pre-game meal? Spagetti and Meat Sauce


    Favourite movie? Shawshank Redemption


    Phrases or words you use too much? Absolutely


    Best adrenaline rush? County Music for warm-up


    Three things you have to have with you on the road? Computer, Cell phone and clean underwear


    Favorite old television show? Saved by the bell


    Favorite downtime activity? Watching sports


    Favorite sport to watch? Playoff Hockey


    Biggest vice? Watching too much TV


    Best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Keep your bumps up and spikes down.


    Ultimate volleyball goal? Play in the Olympics.


    If you could travel in time, where would you go? Back in time to see Superman


    Best birthday present you’ve ever received? Slip and Slide


    Most embarrassing moment in a game? Serving a ball under the net


    Best part about being a Team Canada volleyball player? Representing Canada


    *It is amazing what can be accomplished when nobody cares about who gets the credit.*


    Source: Volleyball-Canada

  • Name Olivier Faucher
    Age 24
    Height 191 cm
    Team Team Canada
    Position Setter
    Hometown Plessisville, Québec



    Dream Car? Mazda RX-8


    Dream Job? Professionnal player


    Favourite thing to cook? Chicken


    Best Volleyball memory? CIS championship final 2009


    If you could be a character on any TV show, who would it be? Vincent Chase (Entourage)


    If you could meet one person living or dead who would it be? Albert Einstein


    Favorite pre-game meal? A grilled chicken sandwich from Subway


    Favourite movie? 300


    Phrases or words you use too much? Cool


    Best adrenaline rush? Thrill rides


    Three things you have to have with you on the road? My Ipod, my wallet and something to eat.


    Favorite downtime activity? Watching TV


    Favorite sport to watch? Hockey


    Biggest vice? I drink to much pepsi


    Best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Have fun as long as you can, you will have a lot of time after to work.


    Ultimate volleyball goal? Play in the Olympic games


    Best birthday present you’ve ever received? A Drum


    Most embarrassing moment in a game? Serve on the referee


    Best part about being a Team Canada volleyball player? Play with the top player in the country everyday.


    Source: Volleyball-Canada

  • Name Steve Gotch
    Age 23
    Height 6'4
    Team Team Canada, Forli' - Italy
    Position Left Side
    Hometown Okotoks, AB



    Dream Car? Ferrari F50


    Dream Job? Relief Pitcher


    Pet peeve? People clapping after a plane landing


    One thing people don’t know about you? I'm in a band, but we're on a hiatus


    Favourite thing to cook? I pay Tim Gourlay to cook my food


    Best Volleyball memory? FISU Games


    Favourite athlete? Kenny Powers


    If you could be a character on any TV show, who would it be? Peter Petrelli (before season 3)


    Any phobias? Sesquipedalophobia – fear of long words


    If you could meet one person living or dead who would it be? Randy Rhodes


    Favorite pre-game meal? Spaghettini al' ragu!


    Favourite movie? The Notebook


    Phrases or words you use too much? "eh"


    Best adrenaline rush? Beating The Legend of Zelda – A Link to the Past


    Three things you have to have with you on the road? Lap Top, Ipod, Murse


    Favorite old television show? Where in the World is Carmen San Diego


    Favorite downtime activity? Base Jumping


    Favorite sport to watch? National Spelling B


    Biggest vice? Orange Tic Tac's, which are now white, but taste orange


    Best piece of advice you’ve ever received? The cream always rises to the top


    Ultimate volleyball goal? Olympic Gold


    Best birthday present you’ve ever received? Nhl 93


    Most embarrassing moment in a game? When Blair Bann served it under the net and I was on his team


    Best part about being a Team Canada volleyball player? Getting sleeveless jersey’s. But it is truly an honor to put on the red and white and be able to compete for our country


    Source: Volleyball-Canada

  • He meant pierogi, right? :D I already like him :lol: I love pierogi!!

  • Name Benoit Raymond
    Age 23
    Height 185 cm
    Team Volleyball Canada
    Position Libero
    Hometown Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec



    Dream Car? Aston Martin Vanquish


    Dream Job? Baseball Player


    Pet peeve? People playing with their toe nails


    One thing people don’t know about you? I love 80's music


    Favourite thing to cook? Pasta with meat sauce


    Best Volleyball memory? Scoring the winning point in a canadian championship


    Favourite athlete? Derek Jeter


    If you could be a character on any TV show, who would it be? Seinfeld


    Any phobias? Snakes


    If you could meet one person living or dead who would it be? Barak Obama


    Favorite pre-game meal? Pasta


    Favourite movie? Star wars 1-6


    Phrases or words you use too much? Tu gosses


    Best adrenaline rush? Getting big digs


    Three things you have to have with you on the road? Tooth brush, clean underwear and my laptop


    Favorite old television show? Seinfeld


    Favorite downtime activity? Video games and movies


    Favorite sport to watch? Hockey


    Biggest vice? Swearing


    Best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Sleep is the greatest equalizer


    Ultimate volleyball goal? Winning the Olympics


    If you could travel in time, where would you go? Far away in the future


    Best birthday present you’ve ever received? Ipod


    Most embarrassing moment in a game? Getting a ball in the face


    Best part about being a Team Canada volleyball player? Getting to travel a lot


    Source: Volleyball-Canada

  • Name Justin Duff
    Age 22
    Height 200cm
    Team Team Canada
    Position Middle
    Hometown Winnipeg, Manitoba



    Dream Car? I don't put a lot of thought into cars... perhaps I'll get my brother to suggest something 'nice' someday.


    Dream Job? Lead singer of a successful rock band, or "lottery ticket winner". Thought I will point out that I am taking 0 initiative towards either path.


    Pet peeve? Dirty dishes and/or cups hidden throughout the house.


    One thing people don't know about you? I'm going to say 2: "One of my favourite video games of all time is 'Dance Dance Revolution'" and "My bedroom at Dallas's condo is 'Disney Princess' themed."


    Favourite thing to cook? Eggs!


    Best volleyball memory? Game winning kill against Serbia @ the 2010 World Championships in Italy. You can read about it and many other things at http://justinduffsworldchampionshipblog.blogpsot.com/


    Favourite athlete? Kobe


    If you could be a character on any TV show, who would it be? Charles Harper from Two and a Half Men.


    Any phobias? I dislike large crowds where people are moving independently, in multiple paths, often intersecting mine.


    If you could meet one person living or dead who would it be? You


    Favorite pre-game meal? Food!


    Favourite movie? Recently, "Scott Pilgrim vs The World". Of all time, "28 days/weeks later".


    Phrases or words you use too much? All the best, enjoy your time, this is my excited face/voice.


    Best adrenaline rush? Performing well in front of people.

    Three things you have to have with you on the road? Wallet, Cell phone, Keys. Even if I don't need them.


    Favorite old television show? Samurai Pizza Cats. Y'know... the one with the cats who delivered pizza, and were samurais' on the side.


    Favorite downtime activity? Facebook chat. Does that count..?


    Favorite sport to watch? Basketball or Hockey.


    Biggest vice? Chocolate, OR that sandwich from KFC where the bun IS chicken.


    Best piece of advice you’ve ever received? "On a date, girls do NOT want to hear about 'compact metric spaces'."


    Ultimate volleyball goal? I'm going to keep this rather ambiguous by saying, "To have a successful career, and represent my nation well."


    If you could travel in time, where would you go? The 1980's, I like to think I'd enjoy parachute pants.


    Best birthday present you’ve ever received? Legend of Zelda 64, easy.


    Most embarrassing moment in a game? Id guess... in our Cuba series, I got a few big kill and then a HUGE block on their LS. I was fired up, and was totally feelin' the crowd. But the Cubans are not to be taken lightly, as I would find out. They set their big middle Simon, at every opportunity, and he continually thundered 51's around me, 'undiggably' hard.


    Best part about being a Team Canada volleyball player? You spend every waking moment with a group of people for 4 months, then 0 time with them for 8 months, and when you come back it's like you haven't skipped a beat. Best buds, right off the bat.


    Source: Volleyball-Canada