The beach has been good to Lions’ volleyball players

Several players with York connections posted outstanding results at the Ontario Volleyball Association’s beach championships on Aug. 4-5 at Ashbridges Bay, Toronto.

Lions star Paul Podstawka and incoming York student Chris Simek continued their outstanding summer by winning the under-24 provincial championship and the elite men’s title on the weekend of Aug. 4-5. The defending national under-24 champions became the first all-York team to qualify for a main draw of an FIVB World Tour event in Portugal in June this year.

Meanwhile, Lions teammates Reid Hall and Adam Podstawka claimed the Ontario under-21 title, while incoming York student Tom Podstawka and Queen’s teammate Sam Pedlow finished third in that age group. Both of those teams will represent Canada at the under-21 World Beach Volleyball Championships, Sept. 5-9, in Modena, Italy.

Last year, Hall and Adam Podstawka won gold at the under-20 Canadian Beach Volleyball Championship. In 2005, they captured the under-18 Canadian title.

The Lions open the 2007-2008 OUA men’s volleyball regular season on Oct. 26 (7pm) when they travel to Hamilton to face the McMaster Marauders. York’s home opener is Nov. 2 (8pm) against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues.

Submitted to YFile by Mike Koreen, sport information officer in York’s School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health.