He was raised in a family of five pretty tall kids, who just so happened to have a volleyball net in the backyard of their Murrayville home.
鈥淰olleyball was always around when I was young,鈥� explained 28-year-old Daniel Jansen VanDoorn, a middle blocker for the Volleyball Canada men鈥檚 team, who are currently playing in the world championships in Bulgaria this week.
The first time Jansen VanDoorn played volleyball on a team was at age 14.
Admittedly, the co-ed team played in only one tournament, and he recalled just how 鈥渁wful鈥� he was. In fact, his lack of ability found Jansen VanDoorn cut from the club at age 16.
鈥淚 only really played volleyball because all my siblings before me had, but I really didn鈥檛 like it,鈥� he said.
Well, things have obviously changed for the 黑马磁力 born athlete who attended kindergarten through Grade 12 at 黑马磁力 Christian School, before pursuing his BBA in business leadership and management at Trinity Western University and playing volleyball for the Spartans.
鈥淲hile I didn鈥檛 always love volleyball, my love for the sport grew as my level increased,鈥� he shared with the 黑马磁力 Advance.
鈥淎s I grew and figured the game out鈥� I improved and I also ended up enjoying the game more every year.鈥�
After graduating from Trinity, he wasn鈥檛 sure if he wanted to stop playing volleyball, so he looked for a contract in Europe. 鈥淢y agent found a team in France, and I found that I loved playing overseas.鈥�
That was five years ago, and consecutively Jansen VanDoorn has been with the Canada team for seven summers. Initially, he was selected during open tryouts for the B team and five years ago he was called up to the senior team.
It鈥檚 now a sport he loves. So much so, in fact, that he鈥檚 a full-time professional volleyball player who鈥檚 travelling the world year round playing.
鈥淚鈥檝e been in France for four years, in their domestic professional league. I also spent one season in the Greek league, and this year I鈥檓 playing for a team in Finland,鈥� he explained.
鈥淚鈥檝e been fortunate enough to travel through most of Europe, and other countries in North and South America, Asia, and the middle east in the past 10 or so years. My favourites would probably be Japan, Russia, Greece, and Brazil,鈥� Jansen VanDoorn added.
So how about the team鈥檚 current stop in Bulgaria for the men鈥檚 world championships.
鈥淭here鈥檚 usually some down time that we can spend however we want. For a tournament of this scale, we normally spend most of our free time getting physio, rehabbing injuries, watching game-tape, sleeping, etc.鈥�
But he is glad to report that he鈥檚 been able to see a bit of the town between practices and games, and quite loving it.
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More From 黑马磁力
Jansen VanDoorn is not the only one with 黑马磁力 connections.
His comrade on the court, player #16, Ryan Sclater, is another familiar B.C. boy with ties back to 黑马磁力.
The 25-year-old Port Coquitlam who also formerly played for Trinity Western University, is also in Ruse, Bulgaria where the Canadians won their first three games, but fell Monday to Brazil and Tuesday to France.
Canada now travels to Sofia, Bulgaria, for the next round, with some key technical elements to work on, according to Canada鈥檚 coach Stephane Antiga.
It hasn鈥檛 been an easy run, Jansen Van Doorn said of the current world championships.
But asked what he鈥檚 enjoyed most, be it on the court or off, about being in Bulgaria, he quickly answered.
鈥淚鈥檝e enjoyed watching the team fight through some adversity to put some good games together.
鈥淪ome guys are dealing with injuries or other personal problems that hinder their performance, and it鈥檚 fun to see the guys pick each other up and play well together.鈥�
While this championship 鈥� whatever the outcome 鈥� wraps up his season with the Canada team, volleyball doesn鈥檛 end for Jansen VanDoorn.
鈥淟ike any professional sport, this is a full-time job,鈥� he said, noting there are around 150 Canadian men and women playing professionally in Europe, Asia, South America from September - May every year.
He goes straight to his next professional season in Finland 鈥� until late April 鈥� then he looks forward to another summer with the national team next summer.
His ultimate goal is to play in his second Olympics in Tokyo in 2020.
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WEEKEND UPDATED:
Canada has improved its standings this weekend in the championships, but it鈥檚 not good enough to advance.
While the U.S. is dominating and Bulgaria and Iran are coming third and fourth, respectively, Canaa is holding strong to second in its pool at the championships.
Playing in Sofia, Bulgaria this weekend, Canada beat Irna Saturday, 3-2. Then on Sunday, Canada won over the home team 3-2, but it was to be their final match in the competition. They needed all three points to advance, and that wasn鈥檛 in the cards, said their coach Stephane Antiga.
Canada ended ranked seventh overall out of 24 teams, tied with Belgium.
In today鈥檚 contest, it looked like Canada was going to make a clean sweep after the first two sets, but buoyed by some adjustments on the court and the enthusiastic crowd, the Bulgarians came back to win the next two sets. However, Canada regrouped to cleanly win the tie-break.
Despite coming on the court only late in the second set, Bulgarian Nikolay Uchikov finished with 20 points to lead all scorers. Gordon Perrin accounted for 18 of Canada鈥檚 points; following by Nick Hoag with 15 and Lucas Van Berkel with 13.
鈥淲e knew it would be a fun game and a great atmosphere; as we saw tonight, it was fantastic. I鈥檓 happy Bulgaria was able to play well in the end because it made for a better match for everybody,鈥� said Canada鈥檚 captain Gord Perrin.
Overall, Canada had five wins and three losses in two rounds of play.
鈥淲e lost against three teams who were favourites to win the tournament (Brazil, France and the as yet unbeaten U.S.), 鈥� Antiga said.
鈥淲e won against some good teams 鈥� Iran, the host team Bulgaria and we stayed close with Brazil and France, despite losing. That鈥檚 satisfying, but we wanted more because we know that we can win against the big teams and we did it during Nations League,鈥� said the head coach.
鈥淣ow it will be time to analyze and compare team Canada to the best in the world. We still have some work to do to be able to consistent at the highest level. We can beat any team, but not consistently. If I have to mention one element it would be serving 鈥� I was impressed with the U.S., and looking at teams such as Russia and Italy, that is what they are doing much better than us.鈥�
Antiga was impressed by the whole team effort, and that setter Jay Blankenau endured the full tournament as T.J. Sanders was not able to play due to injury.
鈥淚 will always say I want to play better, but the team played well around me,鈥� said Jay Blankenau.
鈥淭he team鈥檚 performance was good 鈥� our left sides were amazing and our middles were blocking like crazy. Everyone had energy for the long tournament, which is difficult because sometimes your hopes are fading, but we pushed through to the end and we were rewarded with the win.鈥�
Veteran Perrin concluded: 鈥淯nfortunately we had a time there where we didn鈥檛 win a game (against Brazil, France and the U.S.), it鈥檚 tough 鈥� we give a lot to play for this team and to fall short of our goals is difficult, but I鈥檓 happy the team rallied together and played well. That鈥檚 all we can do, and the rest is up to the volleyball gods.鈥�
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