Daniel Fiddick, Bermuda’s flag bearer at the upcoming NatWest Island Games, is “very excited” to have been given the honour for Gotland and reckons his men’s volleyball team have a decent chance at a medal at the Games, which start a week tomorrow.

Bermuda will be looking to go at least one better than their fourth-place finish in Jersey two years ago and the 22-year-old Fiddick, who will be competing in his fourth Games, will be leading out the entire local squad at the Opening Ceremony on the Swedish island.

“I’m very excited,” he said. “I’ve had some great experiences at the Games before and it will be nice to represent Bermuda again.

“I was told last weekend that I was selected by the Bermuda Island Games Committee. I don’t really know all that much about it, just that I’ll be able to carry the flag and represent Bermuda in the ceremony.” Fiddick started playing at Warwick Academy and is back on island after graduating from university in Canada.

“I started playing in high school first and then went over to the junior national team and started training with them,” he said. “I competed with the junior team for a couple of years and moved up to the men’s team. I’ve been playing at the University of Waterloo in Canada the past couple of years.

“Now I can be more involved with the team here. I can be involved all year to train and play some beach too. You can’t really do that in Canada! But mainly to get some year-round training with the national programme here.”

Fiddick is keen to stress that his team have the potential to medal.

“I think we have a good chance,” he said. “We have a ton of potential. We haven’t really had much competition together as a team, so it’s hard to tell how all the pieces are going to come together. We definitely have the talent and potential to compete with the top teams there. And if it all comes together we should be able to do well.”

And Fiddick intends to be a smash hit.

“I play on the left side, and right side occasionally, so passing and hitting [are my strengths],” he said. “We rotate around, but I spend a lot of time hitting, so even in the back row I’ll hit. Finishing is probably my strength. I’ve got the height, which helps.”

Fiddick stressed that beach volleyball is growing here and around the world. Even if there are more natural advantages for beach volleyball players in Bermuda, even Sweden is getting in on the act.

“They actually have a beach volleyball tour in Sweden, so it’s growing in popularity everywhere,” Fiddick explained. “It’s definitely getting bigger here too. Down at Horseshoe they have the nets set up all the time and the leagues too.”

Fiddick also says there are plenty of avenues for any potential players who want to get involved.

“There’s lot of leagues going on here,” he said. “Once you learn the fundamentals, you pick it up quickly and it becomes so much more fun. So get out and play!

“There are tons of people here who know the game and they’re anxious to teach people, particularly young people. There are couple of people on the team who play in college too, so those opportunities are available.”

The Island Games begin on June 24, while the Bermuda Volleyball Association plays host to the Bermuda Men’s Open this Sunday at Warwick Academy, from 10am till about 2pm.