Utländska spelare i Sollentuna: Nicolas är faktiskt svensk. Också.

Nicolas Beaver föddes 16 april 1984. 26 år senare spelar han i Sollentunas herrlag. Här får du veta mer om honom.

– Nic är en smart kille som alltid ställer upp. Han har ett stort fighterhjärta och vi är glada att han spelar med oss, säger Claes-Göran Eriksson, Sollentunas sportchef.

Läs intervjun med Nicolas:  

Where are you from? I grew up in a small farm town Called Waterdown, Ontario, Canada, about 1 hour outside of metropolitan Toronto.

Toronto/Waterdown in Ontario

Why are you playing volleyball abroad? Competitive Indoor volleyball essentially stops at the University level in Canada.  After graduating University and working for over a year I realized how large a part volleyball played in my life after losing it.  I had a competitive animal inside of me and it was not being satisfied by working in the finance industry. I knew I had to continue to play while my body was still young and able to handle the stresses of competitive sports. 

How come you are playing in Sweden? I am actually a Swedish Citizen.  My mother was born in Ludvika, and met my Canadian father on a business trip for ABB.  I was born and raised in Canada but my mother was smart enough to apply for her children’s Swedish Citizenship upon birth.  This meant I have held a Canadian and Swedish passport through my whole life.  As University was coming to an end I researched competitive volleyball leagues throughout the world and found that Sweden had a league I would be able to compete in.  Having so much family here, it made a lot of sense to come to Sweden not only to play volleyball, but to connect with family that has been so far away for most of my life as well as gain a new respect for my Swedish heritage.

Which season abroad is this for you? This is my first season as a “pro”.  Before this year, I have competed in many places in the world, not only across Canada.  I have also competed competitively while representing a Canadian team in Cuba, Korea, Poland, and the USA.  

What is fun/less fun with being a ”pro”? I enjoy the competitive nature of the league and having something bigger to compete for rather than simply the pride or name of a University. 

What do you think of the Swedish elitserie? I really did not know what to expect before coming to play in the elitserie.  So far I am satisfied with the level of competition and commitment of the players.    

If you compare the game in your team to at home, what can you tell us? The level of play is similar to the University level in Canada, however most players are at most 22 or 23 years old in the Canadian University league.  The Swedish league offers older, more experienced players to the mix.

You are now beginning the ”slutspel” (playoffs), what are your expectations? I expect Sollentuna will port forth a great effort in the coming weeks ahead.  We have competed well throughout the season and believe our goals should be set on winning the league.