FREDERICTON, N.B. -- A Saskatchewan father has travelled nearly 4000 km to cheer on his son suiting up for the University of New Brunswick Reds volleyball team.

First-year setter Austin Regier knew he was moving a long way from home when he moved from Warman, Saskatchewan to Fredericton, New Brunswick for his first year of play with the UNB Reds.

But not even the COVID-19 pandemic could keep Austin’s devoted dad Chris from sitting courtside during his son’s first year of play.

He drove for two straight days and isolated for two weeks to watch Austin serve balls in person, as the lone spectator in UNB's Richard J. Currier Center.

“You know we had always set our kids up to be independent, and they always know we’re one phone call away,” says Chris Regier. “It doesn’t matter where we are in the world, we will be there for them. Ideally we would have been out here, but that’s just the difference, but we knew he would be fine.”

“It wasn’t too difficult,” says Austin of his move to Fredericton. “You get a couple drawers and a closet, so everything I had was put away in a few hours and I was good to go, and go around the city.”

Since Austin was done with his quarantine by the time Chris arrived, Chris has to check-in to a hotel to self-isolate for two weeks all alone. But he says it was worth it now that he’s been reunited with his son.

“We don’t need the big events to spend time with each other,” says Chris. “I cooked him a couple good home cooked meals, but we’re just hanging out and having quality time.”

Reds head coach Dan McMorran was impressed by the dedicated dad.

“I was a little bit shocked that he was going to come down then isolate, but we certainly were going to make that work to have Chris be able to watch while he’s here for the better part of October,” says McMorran.

Unfortunately Chris won’t be able to see league play just yet, as the RSEQ season remains sidelined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he says watching the team train is enough for him.

“Life’s too short, so when we had this opportunity, and the fact that I get to come, yes I’d love to see games, but at the end of the day, just watching the team as they work through things is a fun time.”

Chris plans to return to Saskatchewan later this month, but says he’d do the journey and self-isolation all over again to spend some quality time with his son.