Ed Drakich, the University of Toronto Varsity Blues men’s volleyball coach, is the latest Varsity Blue bound for Beijing this summer as one of beach volleyball’s international technical officials for the 2008 Olympic Games.

Drakich will be a member of the control committee, a small group of people that are responsible for managing the entire tournament.  This will be Drakich’s first Olympic Games in the capacity.  He last attended the games as an athlete in 1996 in Atlanta.

During his time as an athlete at U of T, Drakich won two OUAA titles and a CIAU bronze medal.  He was a four-time OUAA all-star and three-time CIAU first team all-Canadian, becoming the first Varsity Blues volleyball player, male or female, to earn a first team all-Canadian honour.  Drakich was awarded the 1984-85 George M. Biggs Trophy for the male student who contributed most to athletics, sportsmanship and leadership while at U of T.

Beyond his time as a Varsity Blue, Drakich was a member of the national indoor team from 1985-88 and competed in the 1985 FISU Games and 1987 Pan Am Games. He was a key component of the National beach squad from 1989-96 and represented Canada with fellow Varsity Blues alumni Marc Dunn at the 1996 Olympic Games.

Upon retiring from competition, Drakich has adopted many important roles off the court.  He has served as Ontario’s Beach Volleyball Director, a FIVB technical supervisor and Chair of Athletes CAN.  As a FIVB technical supervisor, he has been a part of 45 tournaments around the world, most recently visiting China for the China Shanghai Jinshan Open.