Brandon University Athletics

After making his way around the globe, Dellezay is now making his way to back to Brandon to help the program as an assistant coach.

The 6-foot-4 setter came to Brandon University in 2006 as a recent high school grad from Saskatoon. In his five years at BU, the St. Joseph High School grad helped the Bobcats men's volleyball team reach national prominence. In 2009 he was a member of the squad that captured the program's first CIS national medal. In March of 2011 he played his final match, helping the Bobcats to the team's best showing, a CIS national championship silver medal.
 
"It was a good feeling to know that we had made it that far. I was expecting to win, and never thought we would lose, but I learned more about myself from playing in a game like that than almost anything else I've done," says Dellezay.
 
That's saying a lot, considering where his career has taken him since that final game. Since wrapping up his playing days, Dellezay has spanned the globe, primarily in Eastern Africa. The 25 year-old spent six months in Fort Portal, Uganda with his wife Samantha, volunteering in an HIV/AIDS outreach education program for youth and young adults.

The goal of the program was to educate local students, but Dellezay ended up learning as much as he taught.
 
"We spoke to over 3,000 students while we were there. We hoped to make a difference and change lives. We saw some really happy things, and there were days that were really sad as well," says Dellezay. "One young woman we worked with was tricked into a relationship and got HIV. She wouldn't accept the fact that she was positive, and ended up dying while we were there. Seeing the progression from a happy, healthy college student to her death-bed was eye-opening to say the least."
 
To say that Dellezay wants to make a difference locally and abroad is an understatement.

Now back in Brandon, Dellezay and his wife as well as some of their friends continue to support some students they met in Uganda financially and pay for their education. They also plan to adopt a child from the region.
 
"If we can make a difference in life of just one of the thousands of people we met then we can say we did our job," says Dellezay.
 
Dellezay now has the opportunity to give back to the program where it all started for him. When asked by Bobcats head coach Grant Wilson to join his coaching staff, his answer was a no-brainer.
 
"My biggest memories of BU are the life skills and leadership skills. The small things that sport gives you as a person are what I will take away," says Dellezay. "Now I want to give back to current athletes my knowledge on how to be good team-mates, good leaders, and most importantly good people."
 
"I love the sport. I love the team. I love the program. Grant and Russ [Paddock, former BU head coach and current Athletic Director] have been so good to me. When I was in need they gave to me. Now that I am in the position to give back it's just the right thing to do."