Posted: Feb 04, 2017
Beatson Fills His Role With Kings Perfectly
By DANNY RODE
Ryan Beatson may have the toughest job in the Alberta Colleges Men’s Volleyball League — backing up RDC Kings all-star setter Luke Brisbane.
While Beatson would love to be the starter, he’s more than willing to accept his role with one of the premier teams in the country.
“It is a tough position,” he said. “But I’m expected to be one of the leaders on the team and everyone has a role and I do my best to fit the role I earned.”
Kings head coach Aaron Schulha understands how Beatson feels.
“As a fourth year player he wants to be a starter. He’s a competitive guy and willing to compete for everything he gets. But regardless he commits to his role.”
Brisbane, who was the MVP at least year’s nationals, has been sidelined since Christmas with a quad injury, leaving Beatson as the starter.
While the two have different styles Beatson has spent many hours watching Brisbane.
“Luke brings a high calibre to what he’s doing and I like to compare myself to him and try to keep up with him,” said the Hunting Hills grad. “By following him I believe I can put myself into a position to be one of the better setters in the league as well.”
Schulha feels comfortable with Beatson in the starting role.
“He’s a great team guy and regardless how it happened he’s received quality time and we will continue to need him and Luke down the stretch. We need both guys doing what they can to make us a better team. We have two good options.”
RDC hosts Lethbridge this weekend with the women getting underway at 6 p.m. today and 1 p.m. Saturday, followed by the men.
It’s unlikely Brisbane will be available this weekend, although he’s getting closer.
Beatson came out of Hunting Hills and accepted an offered to play for Medicine Hat College.
“I had a couple of offers, but Medicine Hat was a little closer to home and they had a good team,” explained the 21-year-old Beatson, who played two years with the Rattlers.
“I didn’t play a lot, although the second year I shared time,” he said.
But the third year he wasn’t offered a position, so he decided to return home and finish his schooling (Bachelor of Arts) at RDC.
“A friend of mine with RDC (Chris Walper) asked me to come out to a summer session so they would have a setter. I attended a couple of those and I caught Schulha’s eye. We had a sit down and he offered me a spot last season.
“I grew up watching RDC and knew the legacy and what Schulha has brought to the program. I was ecstatic to say the least to be offered the position.”
Beatson fit in nicely as a bench player, filling a big role with the RDC program.
“We have tough practices and they expect big things from us (bench players),” said Beatson. “To accomplish the things that this program has accomplished we have to have great players coming off the bench. We have very competitive practices, which keeps everyone at a high level.”
Schulha agrees.
“We talk about trying to make practice sessions the best and having two capable setters makes a difference in how you run practices and makes everyone better and makes us better as a team on the weekends.”
Beatson is finished this season and hopes to return to the nationals in Ontario.
“That’s our goal from Day 1 and everyone is willing to do what it takes to go back.”
The Kings won the nationals in Vancouver last season, which was a thrill of his life for Beatson.
“It was one of my favourite days in my life,” he said. “Just being there and being with the team was such a confidence boost.”
Brisbane will return next season and Schulha has already filled in the backup spot with the addition of six-foot-four left-hander Jake Rapin of Prince Albert, Sask.