LANGLEY, B.C. – Seven Trinity Western men’s volleyball players, including five student-athletes on the current team and two incoming student-athletes, will be partnering with TeamUp – alongside four players from the Brandon Bobcats men’s volleyball team – for a 10-day trip to Paraguay, which will see them both serve in local communities and play in the TeamUp Cup.
The Canadian contingent, which will be coached by former TWU men’s volleyball head coach Ron Pike, will leave for Paraguay Sunday and compete in the TeamUp Cup May 3-5. Live streaming links to watch the tournament will be shared across TeamUp’s and the TeamUp Cup’s social channels.
The TeamUp Cup, a highly anticipated tournament in Loma Plata, Paraguay, features seven other teams from across South America, (Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil). Beyond the on-court competition, the tournament will provide an opportunity for teams, athletes, sponsors and community partners to help bring a changing mindset to the transformative power of sports and its collective impact on the lives of kids and underserved communities.
Last year, in a similar capacity, Trinity Western’s women’s volleyball team travelled on behalf of TeamUp and was able to serve in many communities, leaving a lasting impact for generations to come. They built infrastructure that served the needs of the community and were instrumental in helping inspire local organizations and community leaders to start sports programs to impact the lives of hundreds of youth in Paraguay.
The tournament is emblematic of TeamUp’s commitment to harnessing the power of sports to drive positive social change and alleviate poverty. By combining competition with community service, the athletes are not only enriching their own experiences but also leaving a lasting impact on the communities they serve.
The Spartans have partnered with TeamUp in a variety of ways over the years, with several TWU teams travelling to Paraguay and Peru as well as serving locally in Canada an effort to “help bring hope through the power of sport.”
TeamUp Cup Canadian Roster
Current TWU Spartans
Ben Pike
Henry Rempel
Kyden Dmitruk
Tayler Roxburgh
Tyson Hofer
Future TWU Spartans
Ben Brandsma
Zach Hofer
Brandon Bobcats
J.J. Love
Liam Pauls
Paycen Warkentin
Philipp Leauter
Head Coach
Ron Pike
About TeamUp
TeamUp partners and comes alongside local organizations to empower and engage local leaders to team up for change. TeamUp assists in the growth of sport and community development programs to foster life changing opportunities. TeamUp helps underserved communities find hope, belonging, purpose & opportunity through sport programs, community support and training leaders. Working with local partners, both domestically and internationally, TeamUp assists community development programs using sport in order to build the way to a brighter future. Currently, TeamUp is partnering with local organizations in Paraguay, Peru, Malawi, Uganda and Canada.
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women’s and men’s soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country and track & field, as well as women’s rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men’s rugby and women’s and men’s disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 14 U SPORTS team championships and 34 Canada West team championships.
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