Sunday, October 28, 2007 - North Shore News - 43

Set tor
glory

GUIDE TO THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY

Cameroonian
looks to lead
Cap volleyball

Andy Prest

aprest®nsnews. com

VOLLEYBALL setters have
to be givers.

Power hitters get to experience the
joy and glamour of pounding the ball
at their opponents, middle blockers
get the thrill of stuffing opposing
hitters, and even defensive specialists
can show-off with acrobatic digs and
saves.
But the setter's role is to give
opportunities to his or her teammates
and put them in a position to
succeed.
This year the Capilano College
men's volleyball team seems to have
found a real giver to play setter and
he comes to the Blues from a very
unlikely place: the Cameroonian
national team.
His name is Emmanuel Denguessi
and his presence on campus this year
has helped give the Blues a new look
and new confidence as they prepare to
open their regular season with home
games this Friday and Saturday.
"Our offense runs like magic
when he's playing well," said head
coach James Sneddon before a recent
practice. "Emmanuel is a very good
leader. . . . He cares more about his
NEWS photo Paul McGrath
teammates than about himself and
it really helps the rest of the team NEWCapilano College setter Emmanuel Denguessi makes a play againsttheCanada Masters
understand the team concept."
in exhibition play earlier this month. Denguessi, a former star of the Cameroonian national
Denguessi, who was voted the team, is at the college to improve his English and help the Blues earn a championship.
top setter at an all-Africa Olympic
qualifying tournament in 2003, is 28 years old especially, to have the opportunities given to
"Emmanuel is a really unselfish person and
and was playing volleyball before most of his me," he said. "For me the most important he really cares about other people and wants
teammates were born.
thing in your life is give your knowledge to to help his native countrymen improve their
"When my big brother brought a volleyball other persons. To me it is really special and I lifestyle. He has this great opportunity here, I
into our home I started to touch it. I remember love these players ( at Capilano) because they think he's enjoying it and looking forward to
my first volleyball camp was when I was six understand very well and they are very open completing his education. It's been a pleasure
years old," Emmanuel said as his teammates to (learning). For me I think it's a blessing to to have him."
warmed up at the Capilano Sportsplex. He play with this team."
Sneddon first heard ofDenguessi when two
came to the North Vancouver school to take
On this day Denguessi is not dressed in former Capilano players met the Cameroonian
English as a second language courses - his volleyball gear like his teammates but rather on a beach volleyball court in Montreal in
primary language is French - and prepare for a stylish black leather jacket and Kangol hat. 2004 and passed his name on to their former
a transfer next year to a college or university An injured ankle is keeping him off the court coach. Denguessi at first resisted coming to
where he can earn take theology and pastoral for now but soon he will be back and focused Vancouver but this year, with his educational
studies. Volleyball, he says, has given him on giving his teammates something more than future more in focus, he made the trip to
opportunities that many people in his home knowledge before he moves on in a year or Canada's West Coast and was surprised to find
country don't have and he hopes to earn a two: "A national trophy," he said. "I want to a little of his homeland in North Vancouver.
degree so that he can help others experience win this year because I know I don't have a
"The forest looks like Africa," he said,
long time."
the same things he has.
laughing. "I love that. And the people are
"I want to create opportunities for the
Sneddon said Denguessi's giving attitude
people in developing countries, poor people is no act.
See Blues page 145