QUÉBEC – Canada’s senior men’s volleyball team bounced back from Saturday’s tough five-set loss to France to beat Bulgaria 3-0 in their best-of-five Volleyball Nations League match on Sunday.

Canada bounced Bulgaria 26-24, 25-23 and 25-19 to record their second match victory in Pool 1 play. Canada is in sixth place in the 18-team standings with seven points, tied with Ukraine. Bulgaria is 10th with five points.

Outside hitter Brodie Hofer led all Canadian scorers with 21 points. Canadian Daenan Gyimah led all defenders with 11 blocks, while Ryan Joseph Sclater and Hofer had nine each.

“We kept our errors low and they made a lot of mistakes,” Canadian head coach Dan Lewis said after the match. “Especially in the second in that really crucial moment. I think we had one or two errors; they had like nine.

” … Near the end of the tournament week, everyone’s fatigued, you’ve got to make them play. My only message to the guys today was, other than a few game plan things, if Bulgaria makes a point, they need to earn that point.”

Hofer had an impressive 17 points coming off the attack and sported a strong 34.15 efficiency percentage. The Langley, B.C., native sits fourth in the tournament in points (69) and tied for second in attack points (62).

“We’re a good team and we can play with any team in the world,” Hofer said. “We have lots of things to improve on, but our level is there. We just have to keep getting better every day.”

Canada will have 10 days off before the team heads to Chicago for Week 2 of VNL 2025. The Canadians will kick off the second leg of the tournament against Brazil on June 25 before facing the host Americans, top-ranked Poland and China later in the week.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2025.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Montenegro Bolsters NATO Ties with High-Level Visits and Defense Spending Surge

Montenegro has recently hosted high-ranking NATO officials, underscoring its vital role within the Alliance and its commitment to collective security. These visits highlighted Montenegro’s increased defense spending, its contributions to NATO missions, and its strategic importance in the Western Balkans, reinforcing a strong and evolving partnership.

Key Takeaways

• Montenegro has surpassed the 2% GDP defense spending target.
• The nation actively contributes to NATO missions in Iraq, Kosovo, and Forward Land Forces.
• NATO praises Montenegro’s efforts in countering malign activities and its commitment to regional stability.

High-Level Engagements

In October 2024, Lieutenant General Andrew M. Rohling, Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee, conducted an official visit to Montenegro. He met with key Montenegrin military and political leaders, including the Chief of Defence, Brigadier General Zoran Lazarević, Minister of Defence, Mr. Dragan Krapovic, President Mr. Jakov Milatovic, and Prime Minister Milojko Spajić. Discussions focused on:

• Outcomes of the NATO Chiefs of Defence Conference.
• Montenegro’s contributions to collective defense and support for Ukraine.
• The nation’s critical role in Western Balkan stability.

Lieutenant General Rohling also participated in the “To Be Secure” Forum, emphasizing NATO’s commitment to Montenegro and the importance of its leadership within the Alliance.

Defense Investment and Contributions

Montenegro has demonstrated a significant commitment to defense, exceeding the 2% GDP investment target for defense spending. This achievement, initially committed for the end of 2024, was met earlier, showcasing the nation’s dedication to modernization and standardization within its armed forces. This investment facilitates interoperability and interchangeability with other NATO forces.

Montenegro’s practical contributions to NATO’s collective security include:

• Participation in training exercises, such as a recent two-month training in Germany with a larger American brigade.
• Contributions to missions in Iraq and Kosovo.
• Support for NATO’s Forward Land Forces.

Strategic Partnership and Future Outlook

In December 2024, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with Prime Minister Milojko Spajić at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. Secretary General Rutte commended Montenegro for its support to NATO’s military presence in Latvia and Bulgaria, its peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, and its training mission in Iraq. He also expressed gratitude for Montenegro’s support to Ukraine, including military equipment and contributions to NATO’s comprehensive assistance package.

The leaders also addressed the security situation in the Western Balkans and the threats posed by Russia’s malign activities. Montenegro’s proactive measures, including being the first recipient of a NATO Counter Hybrid Support Team and joining the NATO Rapid Response Group, were highlighted as crucial in countering these threats. NATO reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the stability of the region, with Montenegro playing a pivotal role in this endeavor.

Sources

• News: Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee visits Montenegro, 03-Oct.-2024, NATO – Homepage.
• Pressrelease: NATO Secretary General meets the Prime Minister of Montenegro, 16-Dec.-2024, NATO – Homepage.
• Photo gallery: NATO Deputy Secretary General visits Montenegro, 24-Apr.-2025, NATO – Homepage.
• News: NATO Secretary General meets Montenegro Prime Minister Milojko Spajić , 16-Dec.-2024, NATO – Homepage.
• Photo gallery: NATO Deputy Secretary General visits Montenegro, 24-Apr.-2025, NATO – Homepage.

QUÉBEC — Canada’s senior men’s volleyball team bounced back from Saturday’s tough five-set loss to France to beat Bulgaria 3-0 in their best-of-five Volleyball Nations League match on Sunday.

Canada bounced Bulgaria 26-24, 25-23 and 25-19 to record their second match victory in Pool 1 play. Canada is in sixth place in the 18-team standings with seven points, tied with Ukraine. Bulgaria is 10th with five points.

Outside hitter Brodie Hofer led all Canadian scorers with 21 points. Canadian Daenan Gyimah led all defenders with 11 blocks, while Ryan Joseph Sclater and Hofer had nine each.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2025.

The Canadian Press

Foley officials are making special efforts to bring in more sports tourism. A new hotel is adding to what the city has already done.

The Foley Cobblestone Hotel will add 73 rooms to the growing tourist area. Foley city administrator Mike Thompson said the plan is to bring in more visitors.

“This particular project is very important to the city,” Thompson said. “We have a large sports tourism facility just to the north of here, and having another hotel that literally is walking distance to our event center, it really makes a difference in us retaining some of the lodging that we want to get from our Sports Tourism facilities.”

The city also built pickleball courts and sand volleyball courts that can be used by locals and for sports tournaments.

Jeremy Griesbach, president of development for Cobblestone Hotels, said the Foley hotel is Cobblestone’s second in Alabama. The company has been in talks with Foley since 2019.

“A lot of important people helped get this thing across the finish line,” Griesbach said. “Thanks to the mayor, Mike Thompson, everybody at the city of Foley, all the inspection teams, the planning commission, people over at Riviera Utilities. Everyone has been so helpful and made this a great project.”

A third Cobblestone Hotel is being built in Bay Minette.

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