Joel Regehr of Courtenay received the 2015 Ray Lepp Volleyball Scholarship on Friday, Jan. 15 prior to the UBC Thunderbirds game against the Brandon Bobcats.
Regehr, a Mark R. Isfeld graduate, played on Canada’s junior national team during the summer. The 6'7" and 207-pound middle blocker is in his second year with the T-Birds.
Volleyball BC awards a $2,000 Ray Lepp scholarship annually to one female and one male player. Criteria for the award is as follows:
1. Committed to a year of eligibility for volleyball at a BC Athlete Assistance funded post-secondary institution for the 2014-2015 season
2. Demonstrate significant potential, preferably showing promise to compete at the national team level 3. Have been a contributing member of the most recent BC Provincial team for which they are/were age eligible
4. Have excelled at Volleyball BC's Youth Provincials and the BC High School Championships
5. Be a positive role model for other athletes
Regehr's mother Donna Baydock is a UBC grad and former coach of the women's volleyball team. In a previous interview, he said her history at the school (she was named Canada West and CIS Coach of the Year in 1989) was one of the reasons he chose to play for the Thunderbirds.
Another was the coaching staff. "I also enjoy coach Richard Schick's coaching style and feel I can become the best I can be with the resources at UBC …"
Said Schick of Regehr: "With his size and physical ability, he's going to be an outstanding CIS player."
SIDE OUTS In 2013, Regehr was ranked the #5 graduating player in B.C. high school boys volleyball by The Province newspaper … G.P. Vanier grad Brad Gunter (Thompson Rivers University WolfPack) won the 2014 Ray Lepp Scholarship … UBC is currently fifth in the 13-team CanWest conference …