History of Volleyball in Canada

September 17, 2016

Volleyball is considered to be one of the most popular sports in Canada. As you can see, a great number of people choose to play the game of volleyball in Canada these days. It’s worth noting that volleyball sport is popular both among women and men. Moreover, volleyball is the favorite sport of so many young people. The number of Canadian volleyball fans is constantly growing as well. Canada is well-known due to its strong volleyball school. Both Canada men’s and women’s volleyball teams successfully represent the country at international volleyball tournaments. Obviously, the sport of volleyball is on rise now. Today, we are going to tell you about the history of volleyball in Canada.

The Beginning of Volleyball History in Canada

The history of volleyball in Canada began in 1900. So, the sport has come a long way before to gain the popularity in the country. Initially, the Young Men’s Christian Association (also known as YMCA) in Ottawa included the sport of volleyball in its schedule. It was definitely a great idea. A lot of men liked to play the volleyball game and that’s why YMCAs branches in Toronto and Montreal decided to include the sport of volleyball in their schedule later.

The sport of volleyball quickly developed and gained popularity. The next stage of volleyball development in Canada began in 1953 when the Canadian Volleyball Association was established. Actually, the 1953 was a key year in the history of Canadian volleyball. It’s important to know that this organization has more than 80,000 members.

Canada’s volleyball teams started participating in international volleyball competitions in 1959. That year Canadian volleyball players participated at the Pan-American Games which took place in Chicago. Afterwards, Canada’s mens and womens team participated in the O lympic Games, World Championships and other international volleyball tournaments.

Talking about the best results achieved by Canada national teams in the history of volleyball it is crucial to pay a close attention to the 1984 O lympic Games that took place in Los Angeles. It’s important to note that both Canada’s mens and womens volleyball teams demonstrated excellent results at that Olympic volleyball tournament. Canada men’s volleyball team took the 4-th place and Canada women’s volleyball team took the 8-th place.

The national men’s standing disabled volleyball team also made the history of volleyball in Canada by representing the country at international volleyball competit ions. It’s worth noting that the team won two gold medals in World Championships (2002 and 2004).

The History of Canada Men’s National Indoor Volleyball Team

Pan American Games. Canada men’s national volleyball team participated at Pan American Games at Pan American Games 15 times (1959, 1963, 1967, 1971, 1975, 1979, 1983, 1987,
1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015). The team won bronze at Pan American Games 3
times in 1979, 1999 and 2015.

Olympic Games. Canada men’s national volleyball team qualified for O lympic Games 4 times during the history of indoor volleyball. The team took the 9-th, 4-th, 10-th and 5-th place in 1976, 1984, 1992 and 2016 respectively.

World Championships. Canada men’s national volleyball team participated at world indoor volleyball championships 11 times (1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014). The team demonstrated the best results at world championship that took place in Poland, 2014 (the 7-th place).

World Cup. Canada men’s national volleyball team participated at World Cup 5 times (1997, 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2015). The team demonstrated the best results at world cup men’s indoor volleyball tournaments which took place in Japan in 2003 and 2015 (the 7-th place).

World League. Canada men’s national volleyball team participated at World League 10 times (1991, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016). The team demonstrated the best results at world league in Genoa in 1992 (the 7-th place).

2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. This 2016 year was particularly important in the history of volleyball in Canada. The reality is Canada men’s national volleyball team successfully represented the country at 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.

This year’s O lympic competition has brought together 12 teams and 144 athletes from different part of the world. Canada men’s national volleyball team played in Pool A together with such strong teams as Italy, the United States, Brazil, France and Mexico. Canada men’s national volleyball team has played 5 games and took the 2-nd place with 3 won and 2 lost games. As a result, the team advanced to O lympic volleyball quarter-final. Canada played against Russia in the quarter-final and lost the game 0 – 3.

After 2016 Rio de Janeiro O lympic Games Canada men’s national volleyball team came in at number five on the list of the world’s best indoor volleyball teams. It’s interesting to know that Canada hasn’t participated at O lympic men’s volleyball tournament for a long time (since 1992). Obviously, the team has impressed its fans and demonstrated good results and, most importantly, confirms that fact that volleyball in Canada is on rise now.

It goes without saying that the new era in the history of volleyball in Canada has begun. Volleyball fans of in Canada believe that their favorite team will continue making progress and improve its results at the next Olympic tournament.

The History of Canada Women’s National Indoor Volleyball Team

Olympic Games. Canada women’s national volleyball team qualified for O lympic Games 3 times. The team took the 8-th, 8-th and 9-th place in 1976, 1984 and 1996 respectively.

World Championships. Canada women’s national volleyball team participated at world indoor volleyball championships 8 times (1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 2002, 2010 and 2014).

World Cup. Canada women’s national volleyball team participated at world cup 4 times (1973, 1989, 1991 and 1995).

Pan Ame rican Games. Canada women’s national volleyball team participated at Pan American Games 11 times (1967, 1971, 1975, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2011 and 2015).

The History of Canada Men’s and Women’s Beach Volleyball Teams

Despite the fact beach volleyball is a quite a new sport it quickly gained the popularity in Canada. It’s important to note that Canadian mens and womens beach volleyball pairs successfully represented the country at international tournaments – O lympic Games, World Championships and others. Below, we are going to highlight the most important moments in the history of beach volleyball in Canada and, of course, we’ll tell you about the best achievements of Canadian men’s and women’s beach volleyball pairs.

Men’s Olympic Beach Volleyball Tournaments

John Child and Mark Heese is the legendary men’s pair in the history of beach volleyball in Canada. The pair won bronze at 1996 Olympic Games that took place in Atlanta by winning the match for the 3-th place 2 – 0 against a strong beach volleyball team from Portugal.

Two Canadian beach volleyball men’s teams John Child & Mark Heese and Jody Holden & Conrad Leinemann participated at the 2000 Summer O lympics Games. They took the 6-th and 15-th place respectively.

Guylaine Dumont and Annie Martin represented Canada at the 2004 Summer O lympics. The team took the 8-th place.

Josh Binstock – Martin Reader represented Canada at the 2012 Summer O lympics. The pair took 19-th place.

Two Canadian beach volleyball men’s teams Saxton – Schalk and Binstock – Schachter represented Canada at the 2016 Summer O lympics. They took the 14-th and 24-th places respectively.

Women’s Olympic Beach Volleyball Tournaments

Barb Broen O uellette and Margo Malowney is a Canadian women’s team that participated at the 1996 Summer Olympics Games and took 18-th place.

Guylaine Dumont and Annie Martin represented Canada at the 2004 Summer O lympics and took the 8-th place.

Marie-Andrée Lessard – Annie Martin represented Canada at the 2012 Summer O lympics. The pair took the 21-th place.

Canada was represented by Bansley – Pavan and Broder – Valjas at the 2016 Summer O lympics Games. Bansley – Pavan took the 5-th place and Broder – Valjas took the 16-the place.