George Kenins
Vice - President
George discovered EVA/TW in the summer of 1978, playing with John Long, Paul Clancy and others on an OVA summer league team, at the invitation of Janice McNamara who would coach the men's A team the following season. John Long's journal of that time describes George as: “lefty ... keen ... leaper ", characteristics which led him to playing many years of A/AA, finishing, (still a keen and leaping lefty), as captain and setter on the AA team that sent the likes of Stelio de Rocco and Alex Ketryzynski to the Canadian National Team. He remains proudest of 5-1 setting a rag-tag team of old-timers to the Ontario Open bronze in 1989.
From the beginning, Val and
John encouraged George to be more involved with the Club beyond the on court
duties. Helping with coaching: most memorable are the Ontario Champion Midgets
(16U Boys)of 1979, and Juvenile (18U) and Junior (20U)
Boys teams to National Championships in
George came to volleyball, (belatedly, despite his Latvian roots), from Track and Field, where he competed in sprints and hurdles, earning four Ontario relay championships in Open competition He continues to enjoy those events as a masters athlete: (North American past champion at 100m, Canadian record holder in sprint hurdles, indoors and out and relay, and medallist at the world masters games in 100m, 200m, 110m hurdles and decathlon).
In the real world, George is a musician - cellist, conductor
and arranger. George has just recently retired from teaching as head of music;
but always coaching track and volleyball. George has many exciting plans for
his new-found freedom; continued volleyball coaching being one of them. George
lives in Etobicoke with his wife Mara, also a
teacher. They are the proud parents of three: Aleks,
a soon to be famous chef, Amanda, presently studying Gerontology at