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Schmitt to focus on club career
- Updated: October 6, 2016
Ottawa, Canada, October 6, 2016 – When Gavin Schmitt wrote “it’s been an honour” after the Canadian men’s volleyball team’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games run had ended in fifth place, he still wasn’t sure what the future would hold for him. Since that historic time for Schmitt and his teammates, the star opposite has had time to reflect on his career, and decided he will not return to the Canadian national team programme in 2017. “The first step is to try and get healthy and honour my contract with my pro club in Poland,” said Schmitt, who is playing with Asseco Resovia in Poland’s top level volleyball league. “It is no secret that I have battled injuries over the past few years, and I would really like to get over the ones that ailed me all summer and get through this season.” He has had surgeries on both legs (in 2013 and 2016) for fractures, and other issues, but even so the decision was not an easy one for Schmitt: “I love playing for Canada and love playing with the guys; it is going to be a big change and I am sure not an easy one by any means. While I won’t be playing with the team anymore I still hope to be around at events to support and help grow the sport.” Since first playing volleyball late in high school in his hometown of Saskatoon, he developed into an imposing force and joined the national team programme just a few years later. “I will always remember when I first made the team in 2007. I did not have a very good tryout and I was thinking I wasn’t going to make the team; then the meeting with Glenn (Hoag) …
