Future bright for sophomore setter Redekop

Sam Redekop may be a sophomore, but Vincent Massey Vikings coach Rylan Metcalf had no problem building his varsity boys’ volleyball team around him.

The six-foot setter is one of Manitoba’s best in the class of 2028, and he’s only getting better.

“Seeing his skill and the potential that he has, we had no choice really. He was a clear standout, and we’re very glad and fortunate to have him on the team,” Metcalf said.

“He just understands volleyball. He has a true passion for it, and he’s always wanting to get better and improve. That’s something that at a young age is so rare to really be driven in that specific sport and it’s awesome to see.

“He definitely fits in with the crop from the AAAA category, and he has goals. He wants to get better, but where he’s at right now is definitely impressive.”

Redekop and his team are undefeated through pool play at the Viking Classic.

They defeated the Neelin Spartans 2-1 in their first outing before sweeping the Jeanne-Sauve Olympiens and Whitefish Bay 2-0 in Games 2 and 3. They will now face Crocus in the quarterfinals.

Redekop watched from the bleachers as his older brother, Zach, competed in front of a sea of rowdy fans in purple, and it instantly became a weekend to look forward to.

“It’s such a great experience. All my teammates told me it’s one of the funnest games they’ve ever played in their high school career with the crowd, the experience, the atmosphere,” Redekop said. “I’m so hyped and excited to play in it.”

Redekop was born into a terrific situation to thrive as a volleyball player. His father, Ted, coaches Brandon Volleyball Club teams, while Zach and his older sister Zoe — a starter on Massey’s top-ranked girls’ team — have been steady sources of advice.

On top of that, his cousins are Jordan, James, Cameron, and Ryan DeGroot, who played for Massey. James suited up for the Brandon University Bobcat women’s team, and then, more recently, Ryan played for the Assiniboine College Cougars.

“It’s helped me so much,” Sam Redekop said.

“I’d go to open gyms with Zach and (Bobcats rookie) Ethan (Baraniuk) a lot … and my sister, sometimes we’d go to the Massey gym and play together. It really helped me improve.”

Redekop has been in the BVC system since his 13-and-under year, and played up with the 16U boys last spring.

He impressively did the same with Team Manitoba in the summer, training under coach Joe Moore with a squad of guys heading into Grade 11.

Redekop embraces the challenge of facing older players. He said the summer was huge for his game.

“A big eye-opener was the knowledge of the game everyone else had — their court sense and their awareness and the strategies they’ve learned throughout their career,” Redekop said.

The Vikings snuck into the last spot in the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association AAAA top 10 this week, following a fifth-place finish at the St. Paul’s High School tournament in Winnipeg on the weekend.

Considering they only start three seniors, the future is bright.

Redekop is trying to learn as much as he can from the trio of opposite Griffin Zilkey and middle blockers Logan Van Santen and Nikos Tellidis before they move on.

“The Grade 12 guys have been great mentors for me, especially Griffin,” Redekop said. “He’s a good leader out there, always showing all the rookies and the young guys what things are like at the varsity level and really helps prepare us for games.”

The quarterfinals begin today at 10 a.m., at Massey and the Healthy Living Centre.

The semifinals are at the HLC at 2:30 p.m., with the final set for 4:30 p.m., on the HLC Main court.

On the girls’ side, Massey also swept its round-robin action after defeating Neelin 2-0, topping Jeanne-Sauve 2-1, and then sweeping Elton 2-0. They will play the Reston Tigers in the quarters.

They have four rounds of playoffs, starting at 9 a.m. The rest of the A-side is at the HLC. The quarters are at 11 a.m., with the semifinals at 3:30 and the final at 5:30.

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