It was almost like Steve Clements never left. After a two year absence from local volleyball courts Clements was back in fine form last weekend, helping to lead UBCO over a CIS school in exhibition play.

But it was a long and circuitous route that saw the former local standout arrive back with the UBCO Heat.

“I was a little nervous to come back because I had left the team,” admitted Clements, now 21. “I didn’t leave on bad terms. I just wanted to get away from home.”

A former high school volleyball star at Mt. Boucherie Clements was dominant for UBCO in his rookie year in 2006-07, winning the B.C. player and rookie of the year awards and being named an all Canadian.

After his rookie season at UBCO Clements went backpacking around Europe for seven weeks. Then he played his second collegiate year at Malaspina (now Vancouver Island University).

After that he left school and volleyball behind and worked for a year.

“I just wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with school,” he said.

Picking a career choice wasn’t part of the problem. Clements has wanted to be an RCMP member for as long as he can remember. Taking courses that will help him along that path was a stumbling block.

Once he decided to enroll in UBCO’s bachelor of sciences program this year his next step was getting back on the volleyball team. His first call was to Heat men’s coach Greg Poitras.

“Greg was really accepting when I asked to come back,” said Clements. “It’s been pretty easy so far. The only thing I haven’t been able to do is jump as high as I was before.”

The rest of Clements’ skill package seems unchanged. Last week in the win over Trinity Western, the 6-foot-4 power hitter had eight kills and one ace.

This week Clements was voted by the players as one of the captains of the UBCO Heat.

“None of his skills have been hurt by the time off,” said Poitras. “He’s a point scorer. He puts teams in trouble from the server’s line. Offensively he hits the ball hard and has great vision of the block. It was huge getting him back.”

In fact, Clements time away and life experiences have probably helped his overall court presence.

“I think you grow up a bit and being more mature you don’t get so rattled on the court if something goes wrong,” he said. “When we played Trinity if someone screwed up we laughed it off, but when the whistle blew we all had our game faces on.”

Clements and the rest of the UBCO Heat men are in the midst of an exhibition schedule that will see them play Thompson Rivers next weekend and Trinity Western again on Oct. 24 in advance of the regular season.

Clements says the team is looking good and he feels great.

“I don’t think I’ve played on a team that works together so well,” he said. “The teamwork is already there. With some teams you have to find that but when it’s there already that’s awesome. Personally I’m pretty confident and I’m feeling really good.”

kparnell@kelownacapnews.com