The Volleyball Manitoba Annual Awards & Hall of Fame Banquet was held last night, Sunday June 10 at Canad Inns Destination Centre Polo Park. In addition to celebrating our annual awards, the evening also included this year’s Volleyball Manitoba Hall of Fame inductions.
Congratulations to this year’s Hall of Fame inductees (click below to expand):
Growing up in Winnipeg, Andy’s early sport years were occupied by hockey & soccer. It was at John Henderson Junior High where he was encouraged to play volleyball by teacher Bob Ramsey, and from there the sport eventually became his main focus. While attending River East Collegiate he also competed on the Volleyball Manitoba Provincial teams along the way, including competing for Team Manitoba at the 1993 Canada Games in Kamloops. Andy was ultimately recruited for volleyball by the University of Manitoba where he earned national championships and individual awards. This was followed by participation with Team Canada and playing professionally overseas.
Highlights of Andy’s involvement in volleyball include the following:
- 1992 MHSAA Provincial tournament All-Star & Winnipeg Sun #1 Rank for High-School Volleyball Player
- 1992 Volleyball Manitoba Juvenile (18U) Tier 1, Player of the Year
- 1994 Volleyball Manitoba Junior (20U) Player of the Year, Mark Tennant Award
- Member of the University of Manitoba Bison’s 1992 – 1997:
- 92-93, GPAC Champions, 4th place CIAU Championships
- 93-94, GPAC Champions, Silver medal CIAU Championships
- 94-95, GPAC Champions, CIAU National Champions
- GPAC All-Star, CIAU All-Canadian Honourable Mention
- 95-96, GPAC Champions, CIAU National Champions, Tournament All-Star
- GPAC All-Star, CIAU 1st Team All Canadian
- 96-97, GPAC MVP, CIAU 1st Team All Canadian
- Member of Team Canada 1997-2002
- 1995, 8th place FISU Games (Fukuoka, Japan)
- 1997, 3rd place NORCECA Championship (Puerto Rico)
- 1997, FISU Games Sicily (Italy)
- 1998, World Championships (Japan)
- 1999, 3rd place NORCECA Championship (Monterrey, Mexico)
- 1999, Bronze Medal Pan-Am Games (Winnipeg)
- 1999, World Cup (Japan), FIVB World League
- 2000, 2nd Place Olympic Qualifier (Winnipeg)
- 2001, Americas Cup (Argentina)
- 2001, 1st place, World Championship Qualifier (Winnipeg)
- 2001, 3rd place, NORCECA Championship (Barbados)
- Played professionally overseas Alcom Capelle, Holland (97-99), Unicaja Almeria Spain (99-2000: League Champions, Cup Champions), Avignon France (2000-01) & Aris, Greece (2001-02)
Andy continues to live in Winnipeg and has been a police officer with the City of Winnipeg for the past 15 years.
With no gym at the school while growing up in Souris, Manitoba, Fred’s sporting pursuits included those of the outdoor type – football and baseball, along with curling. Soon after graduating from university in 1969, Fred was fortunate to land a job at Morris School, where he taught Physical Education until his retirement in 2005.
As a young teacher starting out in the early years, Fred began coaching many sports including both the boys and girls volleyball teams. Through his coaching experiences, and by attending clinics, he continued to develop his volleyball and coaching knowledge over the years, and ultimately he would become one of those coaches presenting at clinics and workshops. As a coach, Fred was a role model for all, treating everyone (his players, opponent coaches, and the referees) with respect.
Some highlights and successes from Fred’s career include the following:
- MHSAA Zone 4 Athletic Council 1969-2005, Zone 4 President for 28 years
- Twelve MHSAA Zone 4 Varsity Girls Volleyball Champions (1976, 91-92 through 97-98, 99-00, 02-03, 04-05, 05-06)
- Twenty Four MHSAA AA Provincial Varsity Girls Volleyball Championship appearances
- Four MHSAA AA Provincial Varsity Girls Volleyball Championships (93-94, 96-97, 97-98, 99-00)
- Three Zone 4 Junior Varsity Girls Volleyball Championships (08-09, 13-14, 16-17)
- Volleyball Manitoba Midget (16U) Tier 2 Provincial Champions (2000), Juvenile (18U) Provincial Champions (2006 & 2007).
- Volleyball Manitoba Mary Jean England Developmental Coach of the Year Award 1997-98
- Hosted numerous MHSAA and Volleyball Manitoba Midget and Juvenile Tier 2 Provincial Championships
- Past Volleyball Manitoba Technical Committee member
- Supported the Team Canada Volleyball Centre Event Organizing Committee for many years, recruiting volunteers for international matches including the 1999 Pan American Games
- Volleyball Manitoba Volunteer of the Year in 2000
- Sport Manitoba Volunteer of the Year in 2000
- Coaching Manitoba Excellence Award in 2001
- MHSAA Hall of Fame Inductee (Builder) in 2014
For decades, Fred has been synonymous with volleyball in the Morris region. He has been supported over the years by his wife and three daughters, and continues to live in Morris and coach – in recent years with the schools JV Girls teams.
Taras began his volleyball involvement as most do when they are young, playing volleyball in school while attending Maples Collegiate as well as playing club volleyball. After graduating from high school, Taras continued to play the game in the Winnipeg Men’s League for many years, as well as one year with the University of Winnipeg in 1989. But it was through refereeing that Taras ended up excelling and contributing to the game for many years.
Attending his first certification clinic (Local) in 1988 a couple years out of high school, Taras then advanced rapidly as a referee earning his Provincial Level 2 certification in 1989, his Regional Level 3 certification in 1991, and his National Level 4 certification in 1994. After putting his time over the next several years officiating matches at the school, club, adult leagues, and university levels, Taras attended an International Referee Course in 2002 in Bulgaria, achieving his FIVB certification in 2004.
Highlights of Taras’ referee activity over the years, including his time as an FIVB International Referee from 2004-2016, include the following:
- MHSAA Championships (1988 – present), including numerous Gold Medal matches
- Volleyball Canada National Championships (1990 – present), including numerous Gold medal matches
- Gold Medal matches at the 1997 & 2017 Canada Games
- CIS / USPORTS Championships (1999 – present), including numerous Gold medal matches
- Has officiated more than 150 matches at 36 International Events including
- 5 FIVB World Championships (2011, 2013 (2), 2014, 2015)
- 5 World Championship Qualifications (2005, 2009)
- 2 Olympic Qualifications (2012, 2016)
- FIVB World Cup (2015)
- FIVB World League (2012-2015)
- FIVB World Grand Prix (2009, 2010)
- 4 Pan American Games (1999, 2003, 2007, 2015)
- 5 NORCECA Championships (2002, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2011)
- 4 Pan American Cups (2006, 2007, 2008, 2010)
- 2nd Referee in the Men’s Gold Medal Match in 2007 Pan American Games in Brazil and at the 2013 FIVB U21 Men’s World Championships in Turkey
- Received the Wezer Bridle Golden Whistle Award in 1994, the Volleyball Canada Referee of the Year in 2003 and the Sport Manitoba Official of the Year in 2014
Taras continues to work as Referee Supervisor/Evaluator for Manitoba and Canada.
‘At the end of the day it’s a great activity and you get some exercise and you get to build some friendships. But it’s still just a game. If you don’t win it’s not the end of the world.’ This was a quote by Head Coach John Schmidt in an October 2000 news article about his River East Kodiaks Girls volleyball team. But win they did. They had won three AAAA MHSAA Provincial Championships in a row, starting with the first one in 1997, where they defeated Westgate 3-1 in the Championship final.
It also wasn’t easy along the way as the team battled serious injuries to players and deficits that threatened their dynasty. But as coach Schmidt said in 1999, ‘these girls just have a way, a will to win’.
In 1998, the team went a perfect 47-0 for the season, but was pushed to the limit in the final 3-2 win against MBCI. In the 1999 Championships they overcame a 2-0 deficit in the semi-final and a 2-1 plus match point deficit in the final vs Virden, to claim their 3rd title in a row. Their fourth championship in 2000 came against Brandon’s Vincent Massey Vikings, with a 3-0 victory.
‘It all starts with great athletes, and the willingness to be the best’ said John Schmidt following the fourth championship season.
The members and coaching staff during this period were the following:
Leah Armstrong (97) Lindsay Bergen (97, 98)
Carolyn Boyko (97, 98) Lisa Buikema (97)
Laura Grubert (97, 98) Liz Montgomery (97)
Trish Pateman (97, 98) Larissa Puttaert (97, 98)
Jackie Schmidt (97) April Syko (97, 98)
Carla Zaroda (97) Megan Bradshaw (98, 99)
Cindy Fotti (98, 99) Alisha Mushumanski (98, 99)
Lee Wedlake (98, 99) Christy Buikema (99, 00)
Roxanna Koe (99, 00) Lauren McKenzie (99, 00)
Amy Matthews (99, 00) Leanne Muldrew (99, 00)
Lindsay Poggemiller (99, 00) Jennie Ryman (99, 00)
Jayne Toogood (99) Meghan Beattie (00)
Cherise Chambers (00) Nikki Enns (00)
Kalene Mushumanski (00) Leanne Regehr (00)
John Schmidt (Head Coach 97-00) Julie Halls (Asst. Coach 97, 98)
Sam York (Manager 99, 00) Leah Woods (Manager 99)
Carolyn Boyko (Asst. Coach 00)
(L to R) Andrew Zurawsky, Fed Kelesnik & Taras Ilkiw
1997-2000 River East Kodiaks Varsity Girls