STANDING TALL ON VOLLEYBALL COURT

You won't find it too difficult locating Ben MacLean.

Just look for the tall guy.

MacLean stands near the seven foot mark, which makes him just the kind of towering guy you might want to take along to pick some apples at this time of the year.

And on Halloween, when he plays his first volleyball game for Toronto's George Brown College, there will likely be more tricking than treating from this Scarborough native.

But the 19-year old, who tips the scales at about 290 pounds, has more in mind these days.

He is determined to expand on the volleyball knowledge that he gained a few years ago as a student at Sir Oliver Mowat Collegiate.

And George Brown might be just the place.

Volleyball Canada picked the College as Toronto's only post-secondary school to house a Centre for Excellence. The master plan for the National Sport Organization is to post various centres across the country and try to fix Canada's slumbering status against world competition.

In other words, build the country's future international stars.

Not so sure MacLean wants to be part of that initiative just yet - but it is tempting and he has lots of work ahead of him.

Not so sure he's accustomed to the volleyball jargon and his interpretation of the term "crepe" might be different from what is it: when a player digs the ball by extending his leg with the foot flat on the floor, letting the ball bounce off the top of the foot.

Even some slang volleyball terms could prompt a strange glance from MacLean.

Not advisable calling out "Stuff Turkey" and looking at him.

The term is used to describe a stuff block. That's when the volley ball hits the floor of the opposing team before the blocker does. When that happens, a player is said to have had his turkey stuffed.

MacLean has tried basketball and while he may have the height, he does admit his lack of speed running down the court is an issue. He also took a pass on baseball and hockey, sports he played as a youngster.

But when his career interests leaned towards a different kind of energy, and working with systems that would benefit the environment, MacLean decided on a two-year diploma program studying Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning at the College's Castle Loma campus.

Aware of his physical prominence and the need to try get in some daily exercise, MacLean signed on for a chance to play with the Huskies volleyball team that competes in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association.

Looking for statistics, MacLean is not concerned right now about his quota of digs, kills or aces.

"I'm still learning the game - but I also won't be this tall guy standing around and watching," he said. "When it gets down to playing sports, I know you have to think about doing what's best for your team. Every day I am learn something new and opposing teams will know when I am playing."

While he may still lack certain fundamentals of the sport, MacLean has plenty of determination and is out to elevate his game.

"Just learned the sport a few years ago - in high school," he said. "I think my size could be a huge advantage and there's also less running around."

MacLean is an inquisitive kind of person, eager for knowledge and finding a career. He's tried baking pastries on a high school co-op and also found servicing gas fireplaces to be intriguing.

When others get a glimpse of the towering MacLean on the competitive court, they tend to look twice and then contemplate how to find a way to beat him. When he combines his giant size with power and hitting the volleyball, look out.

George Brown coach Josh Nichol might need some time to decipher if MacLean's combination of touch and instinctive improvisation will pay off in the months to come. Then again, it's hard to imagine not gaining in some way with a huge guy needing only to lift his hands.

MacLean also knows George Brown missed out on a spot in the OCAA playoffs last year and while his being in the lineup is no assurance of a league championship - he sees it as more than a few hours of fun.

"I am beginning to enjoy (volleyball) a great deal and my height helps - especially once I get my hands high in the air to block a shot," he added. "There are some strengths being tall, but I am also aware that improvements are needed in other areas."

Source: George Brown College

Photo Credit: Michael Stefancic