Although it doesn’t often get the widespread recognition of other sports, volleyball prowess on the Island has been of a high calibre.
That is exemplified by the Island players who have played in the Olympics, from Tom Graham, Greg Russell and Ann Ireland to Martin Reader, Fred Winters and Jamie Broder. And also the multiple national championships won by Camosun College Chargers and Vancouver Island University Mariners teams.
Much like lacrosse on the Island, the following isn’t as widespread as sports such as basketball, soccer or hockey, but it runs deep among volleyball adherents. It is those volleyball fans who will fill PISE Gymnasium this week for the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association men’s championship tournament, as the host Camosun College Chargers go for the national championship three-peat.
“Volleyball is under the radar sometimes, but we have a passionate following,” said Scot Cuachon, national tournament chair and Camosun manager of athletics and student life.
It doesn’t hurt to have the two-time defending national champion Chargers to cheer for.
“We don’t want to put too much pressure on the players but the three-peat theme is hanging in the air and it is something special to aim for,” said Cuachon.
This, however, has been a rebuilding season for the Chargers after graduating six players from last year’s national-champion squad, including five of six starters.
“We’ve had our ups and downs on the season but are confident we are going to put on a good show at home in nationals,” said Chargers head coach Kelvin Ma.
Crucial to that will be returning fifth-year captain and setter Ben Linsley and returning libero Kris La Guardia, who were key components of the back-to-back national championship teams in 2022 and 2023. Otherwise, this is a very young freshman- and sophomore-laden Chargers team.
“We have great confidence in our young group of guys who are stepping up and coming up behind Ben and Kris,” said Ma.
The lift provided by home-floor advantage can’t be discounted at PISE.
“We have a great volleyball community here, and those players on the local school and club teams are always out to games to support us,” said Ma, also assistant coach of the Canadian women’s national team, which is in the midst of its qualifying process for the 2024 Olympics.
The national tournament quarter-finals are today at PISE with the PacWest-champion VIU Mariners, led by PacWest tournament MVP Luca Torres and expecting a contingent of fans driving down-Island from Nanaimo, playing the Atlantic-champion St. Thomas Tommies from Fredericton, N.B. at noon.
The Quebec-champion Limoilou Titans play the Ontario-runner-up and wildcard Fanshawe Falcons of London at 2:30 p.m. The Manitoba-champion Providence Pilots of Niverville play the Alberta-champion NAIT Ooks from Edmonton at 5:30 p.m. The host Chargers take on the Ontario-champion Humber Hawks of Toronto in the feature game at 8 p.m.
The national semifinals are Friday evening at 5:30 and 8p.m. The bronze-medal game is Sunday at 2 p.m. followed by the championship game at 5 p.m.
The consolation round games run Friday morning and all day Saturday.
SERVICE ACES: The PacWest-champion VIU Mariners women’s team, which had its run of four consecutive national titles interrupted last year, is playing in the CCAA national championship tournament taking place in Red Deer, Alta.
