Aussie Lyndon relishing U SPORTS opportunity, adjusting to cold weather, as he leads MacEwan vs. Brandon

Jason Hills 
For MacEwan Athletics 
 
EDMONTON – Alexander Lyndon always knew he wasn’t ready to give up his love for volleyball after he graduated high school, but having grown up in Australia, there aren’t many opportunities to play at the college or university level. 

So, to keep his volleyball dream alive, he travelled over 13,000 km’s, first to Calgary and now Edmonton, and after spending his first two seasons with SAIT, has been the MacEwan Griffins starting setter for the majority of the past two years. 

“Growing up in Australia and playing volleyball, you don’t ever think it’s going to lead you to Canada, but it is quite a common path for a lot of guys to go overseas. We don’t really have college sports there, and so if you want scholarships to pursue your education and play volleyball, it’s a route to go,” said Lyndon. 

“When I came to Canada, I had always planned to play at the U SPORTS level, and this has been a great fit for me. I really like Edmonton, and the school and the program were exactly what I was looking for.” 

Last year, Lyndon recorded 592 assists in 24 games, averaging 8.11 assists per set in his first season at the U SPORTS level. 

This year, he got off to a tough start, after suffering a concussion in practice. After opening the season against Calgary, he missed the next two weeks, but he returned last weekend against UBC, and will be leading the way for the Griffins (0-8) this weekend when they host the University of Brandon Bobcats (3-3) on Friday (7:30 p.m.) and Saturday (4:30 p.m., David Atkinson Gym, Canada West TV).

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The Griffins have been dealt a bad hand when it comes to injuries this season with as many as seven regulars out of the lineup. They’re slowly getting their walking wounded back on the court, and having Lyndon back in the fold came at the right time as the team’s other setters Mason Natras and Samuel Rains have been out with injuries. 

“It’s been unfortunate. We had a couple guys coming out at the same time in key positions and key roles, but we’ve had to have that next man up mentality,” said Lyndon, who this year has 69 assists, through four games. 

With the Griffins having some players move on from graduation this past year, it’s given Lyndon an opportunity to take on more of a leadership role with the Griffins. 

He’s one of four captains on the squad, and he relishes the opportunity to be a leader on a team filled with a lot of young talent. 

“I want to lead by example and be a role model for some of the younger guys and show them what it takes to be a high impact player at this level,” said Lyndon. 

“For myself personally, in the past I tried to just focus on just being a good setter, but that’s not enough. I need to bring a more well-rounded game and be able to produce more for my teammates.” 

Lyndon said there haven’t been too many on court adjustments from playing volleyball in Canada, after growing up with the game Down Under. 

The biggest adjustments have come off the court. 

“It’s so darn cold in the winters, and it took me a while to get used to everyone driving on the wrong side of the road,” Lyndon said with a laugh. 

“On the court, I had to learn some different things, systems-wise, and learn some different calls.” 

With the Griffins going with a strategy of employing two setters on the court at the same time, Alex Lyndon has had the opportunity to earn some kills this season (Eduardo Perez photo).

Lyndon hasn’t felt too homesick while living in Edmonton. While around the city, he’s heard plenty of Aussie accents around. While his family hasn’t been able to watch him play during the season, they have been able to come visit during the Christmas holidays. 

“They packed all the warmest clothes they owned, and after a few days, they had to go out to a department store and stock up with warmer clothing,” said Lyndon. 

“It’s been nice to have them come visit me, but this year, I might be able to get home for a couple weeks over the holidays.” 

Lyndon has enjoyed his Canadian experience of playing volleyball. The sport of volleyball is popular in Australia, but the strong programs tend to be more concentrated, while here in Canada, it’s strong across the country. 

“Back when I was playing volleyball in high school, we only had maybe two or three players on our team that had a strong volleyball background, so we were practically coaching our teammates. We had to be strong role models for our teammates,” said Lyndon. 

“U SPORTS is one of the top leagues at the college level in the world, and I feel lucky to be able to compete in it every weekend. 

“Just being able to pursue an education and still being able to compete athletically. Being able to travel and play is challenging, but it’s rewarding and it’s nice to have a taste of being a high-level athlete.”