“The Ultimate Team Guy”

Every team’s got one or two. They’re basically a necessity on any successful volleyball team.

The Ultimate Team Player doesn’t necessarily get all of the credit they deserve; in fact, their biggest contributions often come in the locker room and off the court. This certainly isn’t always the case but when it is, their contributions do not go unnoticed by their team.

Their attitude is positive and they lead by example. One of the hardest workers on the team, and the they don’t need the spotlight to do their thing. In summation, they’re just getting things done.

The Man

I was lucky enough to play university ball at Brock University with one of the best team guys there ever was. Colton Borkowski was a roommate and teammate of mine for the Badgers, and any member of those teams would mention his name early if asked about their favourite teammates.

Colton, a 6’5” lefty opposite hitter, was a big presence at the net and had a wicked float serve down the line in his back pocket. But his biggest value came from what he did for the team in practice, during team lifts, and away from the game entirely. Balancing full-time studies, part-time work, and a hectic volleyball schedule, his work ethic was top tier.

Hard Work Wins Out

Colton likes to think that his strong work ethic started early on and developed throughout the years.

“I think I was always blessed with a decent work ethic and over time I got to develop and improve it.”

Of course, living at home with his parents throughout elementary and high school, Colton’s parents taught him how to work hard and he knows how integral they were in the development of his work ethic. He feels he owes it to his parents to give 100 percent to everything he does.

“Once I got to university and I was on my own I knew I owed it to my parents and myself to work as hard as I could every day…I would like to think looking back at my post-secondary career I can say I did that.”

Colton’s volleyball journey started in high school, where he says he only made his rep team because they didn’t have enough players. After playing for a few different teams and experiencing various teammates, some of whom he didn’t get along great with, Colton knew how important it was to be the best teammate you can be. He’s always done whatever he thinks leads to success, telling me “Once I started playing on more teams and meeting new players, I decided that I wanted to be someone who wanted the best for the team and the best for his teammates as well.”

“Sometimes that meant getting an extra workout with them, going to grab a coffee to get our minds off the sport. I was a second year I tried to go on a what I called a rookie lunch with my new teammates. We’d go grab a bite and I could find out more about who they were as a person. That would help me understand what they were looking to get out of the sport and how I could help them. At the end of the day everyone as the chance to make an impact on a team. I was never the best player on any team I’ve played for, but I would like to think that some of the best players on the team got to where they are because of the help I offered…every role is extremely important, you just have to figure out what you hold most important and for me it was seeing my teammates achieve their goals.”

Always Steady

I asked Colton what he thought about keeping an even keel, and never getting too high or too low. Unsurprisingly, he gave me a humble response, crediting his support group of friends and teammates. But it’s clear he knows what it takes to be a leader, being named a Captain of the Niagara College Knights OCAA team while completing his postgraduate degree.

“At university I was a little more fortunate because of my support group I had. We were all going through it together, so we knew how much work we put it into everything and we were able to help each other throughout the year. This past year I got to play for Niagara College, and I was blessed to be one of the team’s Captains. That was a role I’d never held before, but I was determined to do my absolute best for the young team we had.”

The Knights’ season ended with a five-set loss in the Round of 16, but Colton was still happy with his team’s season. He understands that it’s not always sunshine and rainbows, but it’s important to keep a level head, look at the bigger picture, and remember what’s important.

“I think it’s impossible to say you are always the happy guy or nothing ever gets you done because that’s not how it is, but I think a lot of people believe they don’t have anyone to talk with but…that’s what your (teammates) are there for.”

So What Actually is “The Ultimate Team Guy”?

This piece is focusing on Colton Borkowski, but there’s a Colton on every successful team – and that extends to all team sports. They know that playing their sport at a high level is a privilege that you have to work hard to keep. And they know that being part of a team like that is something that requires everybody to chip in, and they lead by example in that way.

“It means commitment and sacrifice. Sometimes in a week you could have two midterms, an assignment, two away games, and a few work shifts. If you want it bad enough, you’ll make it work. Sometimes you must sacrifice going out with your friends or going home on the weekend to see your family to make it work…the commitment is to yourself, your teammates, and coaches. At the end of the day I chose to be part of these teams, so when I showed up, I’ve always wanted to try my best and do whatever I could to make the team better. There were countless times where I was exhausted or had a terrible day, but my teammates and coaches aren’t to blame for that so you dig deep and work hard for those two hours.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

There you have it – a prime example of the player every team needs. You can never have enough teammates like Colton – they’re not going out of style any time soon.