By DAVID WINER
Mississauga Sports
Published February 28, 2026
Competition is important, but training is key.
Without training, athletes often compound their errors, making the same mistakes over and over and over again.
The Pakmen Volleyball Club’s teams historically organized out-of-town visits to tournaments, often south of the border, as a reward; an opportunity to bond and help build camaraderie.
From the Chi-Town Boys Challenge to the Brew City Battle; from the Windy City Round-Up to the Snowball Slam. Pakmen teams have been there, done that.
Earlier this month, club head coach Jessy Satti organized a trip, attempting to meld the best of both worlds, combining top-notch training with elite competition.
The result was an instant hit that may become an annual or biennial occurrence.
The adage is simple enough, “Go West young man,” fulfilling opportunity and adventure.
For members of the U17 and U18 boys’ teams, the excursion comprised a four-day trip to British Columbia to meet up with highly renowned coaches and players from the Canada West Universities Athletic Association’s UBC Thunderbirds and University of Fraser Valley Cascades.
With the added perk of reuniting with Pakmen alumni Parker Ocampo and Daniel Lewis attending UBC and Yahia El Sayed and Easton Sarich getting an education at Fraser Valley.
The trip embodied a training session at the Olympic Oval in Richmond, a day of training at the UBC campus, scrimmages against four top clubs, culminating in an in-depth look at a U Sports match between the Thunderbirds and Cascades.
“We’re always choosing to provide meaningful training experiences for our players instead of always seeking U.S. tournaments,” explained Pakmen head coach Jessy Satti. “I took my team to (Volleyball Canada’s Men’s Volleyball Centre in) Gatineau two years ago where we trained for two days, which helped us win a National Championship. This year we chose to go somewhere where we could benefit from training and scrimmaging with other clubs, going 5-1.” One of the architects of the busy and compact itinerary was Satti, who is also the club’s U18 head coach.
“Over the years, I’ve found it challenging to identify meaningful U.S. tournaments that truly meet our most important criteria; timing, competition, and location. A lot of competitive tournaments don’t line up with our schedule — they’re often too early in the season or overlap with exams. On the flip side, some tournaments fit our timing perfectly, but the calibre of competition isn’t always at the level we’re looking for.”
“Because of that,” continued Satti, “I’ve tried to be more intentional about finding high-quality training opportunities and creating team trips that actually support our seasonal plan and help our teams peak at the right time.”
“Building strong relationships with the UBC and UFV coaches has allowed us to make this happen in a really meaningful way. This trip was a great example of that — it gave us the perfect balance of quality training and competitive match play, and the value for our athletes was huge.”
Enabling the opportunity to make such a trip feasible, only Pakmen players and coaches made the journey with two athletes per room making it more cost effective with Satti adding, “we didn’t have to worry about the U.S. exchange rate.”
“The athletes’ feedback was amazing,” continued Satti. “They really appreciated the balance between training and match play. From a coaching perspective, we loved how UBC helped plan such a dense, well-structured schedule that kept us engaged and productive throughout the trip.”
“As a coach, there’s always that small worry about whether a trip without a traditional tournament will have enough volleyball …”
Jessy Satti
“As a coach, there’s always that small worry about whether a trip without a traditional tournament will have enough volleyball, but this ended up being exactly the right amount and exactly what we needed at this point in the season.”
“We learned a lot from the coaches during the training sessions, and the content was perfectly aligned with where our teams are in the season. It was high-quality, intentional work that will directly carry over into our training and competition moving forward.”
The cherry on top, “the perfect bonus was to meet up and watch Pakmen alumni (in a U Sports setting). The boys really appreciated it. That’s a big part of the fraternity we have created in the club, always supporting our alumni.”
Saad Shaikh, the U17 coach, said the experience was enlightening, opening the eyes of both the players and coaches.
“The trip to B.C. was a great experience for our team, both, on and off the court.”
“We got to train with the best university program in the country,” said Shaikh of the nationally No. 1 ranked Thunderbirds. “Personally, as a coach, I got to learn a lot from (UBC head coach) Mike Hawkins. The competition out west is always solid and we were grateful to experience different playing styles and competition.”
“Training with the UBC team was a great experience for all of us allowing both our coaches and players to get better. It also exposed our athletes to what the next level looks like and what it takes to get there.”
“We got a chance to see the game through the lens of the best university team in Canada, making us a better team. Spending such time together brought us closer as a team.”
Planning the trip with Satti was UBC assistant Jay Tremonti, who is keenly aware of the Pakmen’s reputation for churning out stars, including former Pakmen who donned the Thunderbird jersey, outside hitters Easton Sarich from 2021 and Zach Albert, from 2015.
“I worked closely with Jessy on planning the trip. He was very clear about what he wanted — and just as clear about what he didn’t want.”
Jay Tremonti
“I worked closely with Jessy on planning the trip,” said Tremonti. “He was very clear about what he wanted — and just as clear about what he didn’t want. He didn’t want the trip to feel like another ‘away tournament’ in B.C. His focus was on high‑performance training, exposure to new concepts, and creating an experience that would leave his team feeling more connected and in a better place than when they arrived.”
“With that in mind — and knowing the hospitality and collaborative nature of our local volleyball community, including people like Andrew Robson and the Element Volleyball Club, as well as Nathan Bennett and the Jr. Cascades — it was easy to build an itinerary that blended high‑performance training with meaningful scrimmages and competition. The great weather certainly helped, giving the group time to explore Granville Island, enjoy the outdoors on campus at UBC, and get a true feel for Vancouver.”
“Volleyball was always the top priority, so we made sure training was front and center while still carving out space to enjoy the West Coast experience. I think we struck a really good balance, and Jessy was excellent to work with throughout the entire process.”
“Pakmen has long been one of the top youth development clubs in Canada, and through recruiting future T-Birds we’ve built a strong relationship with both the club and with Jessy over the past few years,” continued Tremonti. “We’ve been fortunate to welcome several Pakmen athletes to UBC, including Parker Ocampo, Dan Lewis, and future T-Bird Cooper Spehr. Naturally, we like to stay connected.”
“I think the trip was very successful,” continued Tremonti, a Dryden, On. native, who starred five seasons for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues. “We were able to blend high‑performance training and learning opportunities with meaningful matches against local clubs.”
“For me, it felt like a full‑circle moment. After years of working with Pakmen to recruit future T-Birds, seeing the Pakmen athletes inside (UBC’s) War Memorial (Gymnasium that seats 2,176 spectators) — and the look on Parker Ocampo’s and Dan Lewis’ faces when the Pakmen family walked in — was pretty special.”
“Trips like this, at the end of a player’s club career, can be incredibly impactful,” added Tremonti, who is in his second year at UBC, after coaching the CCAA Douglas College Royals for five seasons. “They highlight the strength of our volleyball community, give athletes experiences outside their usual routines, and offer a chance to see the sport from a different perspective.”
“We hope this visit leads to more in the future. Ideally, the connections made between Pakmen and our local B.C. clubs will open the door for some of our teams to head east and visit Pakmen as well.”
Pakmen alumni Ocampo and Lewis certainly hope there’s more visits in the future.
“For Parker and Dan, it was obviously special to see their Pakmen family in the gym. But I think it was just as valuable for the rest of our group. It gave our players a chance to act as hosts and ambassadors for our program — making sure the Pakmen athletes felt welcome.”
“Anytime you bring new faces into the gym — players, coaches, or entire clubs — our UBC guys naturally want to put their best foot forward. You could see it in the way they trained: A little more attention to detail, stronger communication, and an overall elevated focus. We ended up having some really productive sessions, with the Pakmen coaches observing a few practices and then all the teams joining us later.”
“The timing was great for us as well. We’re getting close to the end of the Canada West season, and building momentum heading into playoffs is a priority. These sessions helped us do exactly that. It was a great training opportunity and a really positive experience overall.”
And Ocampo and Lewis have played integral parts in leading the T-Birds to a first place 19-1 record.
“Parker and Dan have been incredible T-Birds …”
Jay Tremonti
“Parker and Dan have been incredible T-Birds,” said Tremonti. “We knew coming in that they were products of a championship‑caliber program with a strong developmental system at Pakmen, so we expected them to be ready — but I’d say they’ve exceeded expectations.”
“For Dan, stepping into a team where he’s playing behind one of the all‑time great U Sports setters in (fifth year and Volleyball Canada Senior National Team member) Mason Greves is no small task. He’s embraced the opportunity to learn from Mason, and when he’s been called upon, he’s stepped in with confidence. You really saw that this past weekend against (UBC’s Okanagan Campus), where he came in, and helped us secure the win versus a top-5 team in Canada.”
“Parker, too, has been a savvy competitor and a true professional in the training environment. His reception skills stood out immediately, and he’s shown he can compete at a high level right away. He’s also had big shoes to fill, working alongside and behind (brother and National Team U19 member) Logan Greves, and over the second semester we’ve really found a strong rhythm — with Parker taking on the receiving libero role and Logan focusing on the defensive side. That speaks volumes about the quality Parker brings to the court every day.”
“You’re going to be seeing a lot of both of them in the blue and gold moving forward. They’re going to do great things for this program and for this league.”
With such strong play, there’s little wonder Tremonti and head coach Hawkins have their eyes on Pakmen stars.
“Yes, we’re always interested in continuing to build our relationship with Pakmen Volleyball,” said Tremonti. “We’re really excited to come out to the OVA Provincials in Toronto later in April to watch the teams compete at one of their major events, and of course we’ll see everyone again at Nationals in May.”
“Looking ahead, we’d love to see some of our B.C. clubs make the trip east to visit Pakmen. After seeing how much fun the Pakmen players had out here — and how meaningful the training experience was — I think a return trip would be incredibly valuable for our local programs as well.”
“We’d also love to bring the UBC guys out to Ontario next season. Getting the chance to play some local OUA programs and visit Pakmen on their home turf would be a great experience for our group and a natural next step in strengthening the relationship. I won’t spoil any surprises just yet, but it’s definitely something we’re looking to build into next year’s Thunderbird schedule.”
“Of course the doors at UBC will always be open for Pakmen Volleyball for the next West Coast trip!”
Hawkins came away from the visit just as excited as Tremonti after seeing Pakmen players impress during workouts and going head-to-head against the T-Birds.
“We did our best to provide a great experience for the Pakmen guys, combining their own team training with getting a feel for what it’s like to train and compete at the university level,” said Hawkins. “Our coaches ran a training session in the morning, just for the Pakmen guys, going over some defensive systems that we run at UBC. They then had the opportunity to enter our training environment and compete with our guys, getting the chance to see those systems first hand but also try their best to implement them against our athletes. We have some athletes that are committed to UBC, and some that we are recruiting, so it’s a great opportunity for us to see how they stack up to our current athletes!”
“I thought it was awesome!,” Hawkins continued in delight with the outcome. “You could tell the Pakmen guys were a little nervous to start, but once we began competing, they did a great job of holding their own. Both teams have some serious physicality, so even though they’re younger than most of our athletes, they definitely posed some problems for our guys.”
“This is the first time we’ve done this sort of club integration …”
Mike Hawkins
“This is the first time we’ve done this sort of club integration,” added Hawkins. “We’ve done much smaller one-offs, but those are typically where we go to their training sessions or a team traveling in for our high school tournament who comes in to watch our practice – never have we done this type of collaboration before.”
“Without question, we’ll look to do this again in the future. It could be a two-year thing so every Pakmen athlete gets at least one trip to Vancouver during their U17 and U18 years. Pakmen does such a great job at developing high performance athletes, so for us, it’s a no-brainer to connect to a program that develops such great talent.”
The visit was especially exciting for Ocampo and Lewis, who never dreamed two entire Pakmen squads would make the flight across the country to visit their one-time teammates.
“The trip was definitely an exciting surprise,” said Ocampo. “I initially found out through Jessy as well as Cooper (Spehr), who is on the U18 team — also a 2026 UBC recruit. I later confirmed with Hawk, which hyped me up even more.”
“It was super fun, seeing all the boys and coaches pull up in cars and showing them around campus for the first time. It was nice seeing all the new guys on the 17 and 18 team, who I didn’t get the chance to meet while I was playing at Pakmen, as well as getting in the gym with the next generation of Pakmen. But it was especially nice to see all the coaches, specifically Jessy and Dave (McAllister), who coached me in my U18 season, as they’ve become a part of my family’s close circle.”
“It was also fun to see the Pakmen parents who also made the trip, which reminded me of the strong family culture Pakmen has always had, something that really meant a lot to me over my club years and still now.”
Ocampo wished he had the same opportunity as a starring Pakmen libero.
“Pakmen had the opportunity to train under UBC coaches at the Oval in some morning sessions and then they also had a joint practice with our UBC team, doing a variation of drills, and modified gameplay opportunities. A highlight, aside from playing directly against the young guys, was when our UBC team played against each other and I got to play in front of the pak guys for the first time in a while.”
“They also came out on our game weekend versus UFV, so they got to sit in on one of our video game-planning sessions to experience how university scouting looks.”
Well into his first season at UBC, Ocampo is thrilled with his choice of post-secondary options.
“My first year has been great,” said Ocampo. “Volleyball is everything I expected and more, and I couldn’t be happier with how the season has gone. And our team has high aspirations and expectations of how we want this season to end — with a national championship.”
“But outside of volleyball, what I’ve been happiest with is the exceptional team culture we’ve shared, on and off the court. When I committed, it was heavily due to what I perceived the culture was like here along with the high level of coaching, as well as being close friends with two of the other recruits in my year, Dan and (6-foot-7 middle from Delta) Simon (Tate). But from the first day I landed in B.C., I was able to understand instantly, how important brotherhood and family connection are to this group. This group is definitely going to leave a lasting impact on the program for many years to come, but right now we are focused on finishing this season with our brothers, to leave our mark on UBC men’s volleyball.”
Lewis, who has fit right in as a 6-foot-2 UBC setter out of Brampton. And like Ocampo, Lewis savored the time he spent with present-day Pakmen.
“It was great to catch up with teammates and coaches, who I’ve known for a long time, grabbing some food and seeing what’s new,” said Lewis. “I talked to some of the guys on the U17 and U18 teams and heard how everyone’s season is going. I think it was a super cool opportunity for the club to plan the trip. It was also a cool opportunity for me to stay involved with the club that I have been a part of since I was 12.”
“The visit brought back some memories. Jessy was my U12 coach, who helped me a lot in my setting. I worked with Jessy almost every summer throughout my time at Pakmen with the Rep team setting program provided. I’ve spent a lot of time with him on court and got to see him off court a bit more this trip. It was also cool to see players in the same position. I can see them making their path the same way I did.”
“When we went through video (analysis) for our gameplan, I was with a group of setters. Guys were quick to ask questions and listened well. One way I believe many guys may have learned is when they were watching our gameplay. In my opinion that is probably the best way to learn many skills. Watching others will rub off, giving them a better understanding of the sport as a whole.”
“Overall, I’d say the visit was awesome! It was great to play and hang out with Pakmen players and coaches. I hope there’s more trips in the future so the Pak x UBC relationship continues.”
And like Ocampo, Lewis couldn’t be happier with the way his first year has gone for the top ranked team in the country.
“My first year has been really good. The guys are all great at volleyball, but more importantly, they’re super great people …”
Daniel Lewis
“My first year has been really good. The guys are all great at volleyball, but more importantly, they’re super great people,” explained Lewis. “Practices are high level, super good quality all around. That is one of the reasons I chose B.C. compared to an Ontario university. The level of competition in Canada West volleyball has historically been super competitive. It was also important to get away and see a different part of the country. B.C. is a beautiful province that I have been able to explore. The biggest reason I chose to come is the team culture and the people involved in the UBC MVB program. The guys on the team are all sweet, the coaches — specifically Hawkins and Tremonti — are phenomenal, and the trainers and other staff are exceptional. UBC is also very good academically. They have a top Kinesiology program in North America.”
Unlike UBC, Fraser Valley coaches and players had far less time to share with the Pakmen.
“It was unfortunate, but Pakmen only came to UFV for a playday, and it was the same day we were preparing to play UBC that day, so it was a super busy day. I did not get the opportunity to chat with the teams,” said UFV head coach Nathan Bennett.
Much of their time spent at Fraser Valley was for Pakmen players taking on local clubs.
“On my side of things, I thought it was great, being able to give a platform for teams to play each other where they would normally not see each other than maybe Nationals.”
“Time at UFV was spent as a play day with Pakmen playing our Jr Cascades and FVVC, after, they got to watch UFV play UBC. I think they had a good visit. It was a good idea when I spoke to UBC to do this with us as we both have Pakmen grads on our teams and we were playing each other that weekend. So, I think it went well and I would have no issue at all hosting again in the future.”
“We haven’t done anything like this in the past, but it’s absolutely something we’d like to do in the future.”
Bennett, who has a wealth of worldly experience having played for the Alberta Golden Bears; coaching in B.C. and Saskatchewan and enjoying a professional playing career that saw him make stops in Finland, Switzerland, Slovenia, Cyprus, Belgium, Denmark and Germany.
“All of these experiences have contributed to not only my style as a coach, but also the person I am,” said Bennett. “I had an excellent career as a player, got to meet great people, great coaches, and experienced different cultures. Coaching is burglary, you are always stealing things from others that you want to adopt.”
Now learning from Bennett’s many experiences are former Pakmen Sarich, in his fourth year, and Elsayed in his freshman season.
“Both have adjusted well and Easton was one of our captains this past year,” said Bennett.
With the trip’s unanimous success across the board with both players and coaches, there’s little doubt further trips are in order for years to come.
