Back with the B team

Max Burt's old number six hangs at Gander Collegiate for a reason.

The GC volleyball alumni has gone on to achieve great success at both the university and national level, and just last week Burt achieved yet another Canadian accomplishment.

For the second consecutive year, Burt, currently living in Ottawa, was named to the Canadian National Men's Indoor Volleyball B squad. The six-foot, 10-inch middle player was basking in the moment last week, days after he was told he made the national B team.

"I'm just hanging out here in Ottawa," said Burt when contacted by The Beacon. "Life's good...the weather's good..."

Burt was one of 45 athletes at Volleyball Canada's senior men's national training camp, held May 10-13 in Gatineau, Que., and the only invitee from Newfoundland and Labrador.

Burt, the starting middle player for the Dalhousie Tigers, called the accomplishment a "tremendous honour," and a great opportunity to receive high-level training.

"It's a tough roster to crack. Just to have this opportunity to train over the next five weeks, and compete and push forward is great," he said. "It's tough to make it when you're still in university because some guys are training year-round. This is a chance to keep getting better and to get this high-level training."

Burt said he felt like it was even tougher to make it this year than last year. He said competition was top notch during the four-day camp, but now that he's officially on the B team, he'll concentrate on improving aspects of his game that will help him compete on a much larger stage.

"These camps teach you what you need to know to go further and improve. It shows what the demands of a pro career are, and what it takes to get there," he said. "Last year, they highlighted what I had to improve on...and they were pretty pleased because they could tell I put a lot of hard work into improving those skills (at Dalhousie University). That's one of the main reasons they took me back, and with this training I'll keep developing."

Burt said he has to continue working on his defensive skills, while continuing to sharpen his offence. At Dal, Burt is one of the guys the team will look to when it needs a big kill. However, on the international stage, Burt said players in his position are looked upon to stop attacks, not create them.

"Blocking is the main thing. Playing the middle position, the more I can concentrate on blocking the better career I'll have in the future. My defence can get better, but my offensive skills, like serving and attacking, are my strengths," he said. "Internationally, the middle players aren't really counted on to provide offence, whereas at Dal, I'm one of the key components on offence. I'm more of a defensive guy here, so that's where I have to keep developing."

Burt will continue training with the B team in Gatineau for the next five weeks. The squad may get an opportunity to play against the national military team, but the squad will mainly focus on training.

Burt is ecstatic to wear Canada's maple leaf, and said he hopes volleyball players in the area will look at what he's been able to accomplish and use it as motivation.

"It's an honour to represent my country," said Burt. "I hope it inspires other people from home to reach their dreams. If you work hard enough, they can come true."

info@ganderbeacon.ca