The west coast is AMAZING!!

So the first day back out west I played in a tournament called a Cliver. It is a tournament run by a gentleman by the name of Jim Clive and the association called KBVA. It is a great run tourney and June 26th happened to be a record breaking tournament with 43 teams! The sun was out, the beach was full and I had a lot of friends and family swing by to cheer me on. It was game time and a no pressure experience I was looking forward to as I signed up with a new partner while Chaim was still in Norway.

The partner I played with is originally from Poland but moved to Canada to play for Vancouver Island University. He wound up staying with his wife and he has a history of success on the Polish sand. He is a 6'5 specimen who specializes in defence so we were a natural fit during Chaim's absence.

To keep things short, we played 3 pool play sets to 25 and came second in our pool. We lost to the first seed in the pool while we figured out our playing style and offensive connection. Luckily for us the best was yet to come.


The bracket was long due to the 43 teams so we had 5 matches to get to gold. Time between matches was short so my mother fed us well and we pushed hard against some good teams and came out on top.

In the semis we met classic Vancouver Island ballers Sean and Dan Casey who I have been playing with since the first time I ate sand. We won that match handily as Chris sided out like a Champ and we moved into the finals vs a team from the USA. This team was all about ball control but we were a larger more physical team. We took the match convincingly in two sets in front of a rowdy peanut gallery and then rolled up to the Sunset Grill where we followed tradition and bought pitchers of beers for the players.

All in all it was a solid day at the office!

What are you wearing on your arms?

Just before I left for Europe in May I was given a new product by a gentlemen by the name of Regg. He was looking for feedback from the athletes on a new performance product specifically designed for volleyball player's. I tested them out and love what they have to offer!

Since I started using them consistently, people all over the world have been asking me "what are you wearing on your arms?" Well ladies and gentlemen, here are the reasons for me wearing Skins active cotton performance sleeves.

1) They are based around the principle of the brand new material called "active cotton" which is a one way sweat wicking cotton. This material doesn't retain a lot of moisture and is far more efficient than synthetic fabrics. So for people with sweaty forearms, the sleeves relieve sweat build up from forearms which is a crucial contact point in the sport of volleyball. With such strict regulations on hand setting, we can't afford to be called on a double touch violation and having protective arm sleeves facilitate a dry bump every time, even if you are a sweaty sponge!

2) The fabric itself grips the ball better than bare skin. This gives me a superior feel on the ball which I truly believe improves my passing percentage. I can feel a firmer contact when the ball hits my forearms which improves my forearm passing accuracy and precision. 

3) They retain heat and allow for your arm to stay warmer. This keeps the elbow joint fresh and keeps your muscles warm and activated.

4) They provide protection from the sun's harmful rays.

5) I get to look like Allen Iverson!

The product is still in the development phase but will hopefully be available for purchase in the near future. I will be looking to rep the product so if you have any questions please feel free to contact me through the blog.

Looking forward to using them as Chaim Schalk and I push for a few Western Canadian victories at both the Vancouver Open and Centre of Gravity Games!

And here is the new flyer on a side note! Hope you like this Liz and Heather!