Canadian national team volleyball player Olivier Faucher of Plessisville, Que., has used his opportunities this winter to build his international career.
On December 26, Faucher was offered a contract by the Benfica squad of the Portugal pro league as an emergency replacement for another Canadian, Dustin Schneider.
It was Faucher's first international contract but the 26-year-old setter, who starred with Laval University from 2005 to 2009, earned his way into the starting line-up and helped them to the Portugal Cup - a season-long club tournament - last weekend.
"It was a wonderful experience," said Faucher, a four-time All Canadian. "We hadn't won it in four years, so it was a pretty intense event.
This is not an easy line-up to crack. Benfica sports a 29-3 record this season overall and five Brazilians are on the squad. But again, Faucher pounced on a golden opportunity to play full time in the playoffs when the regular setter was injured. Faucher had only played two complete matches in the regular season.
"By the second playoff match I felt the confidence and we were able to win despite injuries to three starters."
Faucher is now focusing on helping Benfica win the A League before heading back to Canada to May to join the national team at its training base in Gatineau, Que.
Meantime, a well-known Canadian name in sport has shown up in the leadership ranks for a new generation. Volleyball Canada has appointed Janna Konihowski Dubyk of Edmonton an assistant coach with the women's national sitting volleyball team.
Konihowski Dubyk, the daughter of Canadian track and field legend Diane Jones-Konihowski and CFL player John Konihowksi, has coached many levels of volleyball after a successful high school and college career as a volleyball player and track and field athlete.
She was an assistant coach for a juvenile and women's college team in 2007-2008. She is currently an assistant coach for the women's under-16 Pandas volleyball club and coaches small group training and gives private lessons at a volleyball training centre.
"Janna is a great asset to our program," said national women's sitting team head coach Dusty Freimark. "Her playing and coaching experience will push our athletes to be better."
Konihowski Dubyk says the goal is to represent Canada at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.