Youth volleyball players in Ottawa Valley have seen a growth in their area among all levels and disciplines of volleyball in the past few years, large in part to efforts from past and current club members of the Ottawa Valley Vikings.

This past secondary school indoor volleyball season, teams from the region brought home Eastern Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association (EOSSAA) gold in both junior and senior boys’ as well as silver in junior and senior girls’ divisions.

The growing popularity and success on the court has translated to the beach, with competitive and recreational leagues every night of the week in the Pembroke area. With leagues based at Douglas Beach Volleyball Courts and the Alice and Fraser Recreation Centre, the level of play in the area has been constantly growing in the years since COVID shutdowns. With 6’s and 4’s leagues and an upcoming 2’s league there is a growing ability for local players to stay local for their games.

Former Vikings President Dave Dobson has been instrumental in heading up development programs in the area that have been extremely popular. Their Spikes camp has just wrapped up to great success having been run at both sites with registration filling up within a week of opening. Led by former and current players and coaches from the area, these programs are helping teach the next generation skills to improve their games. This summer the Spikes program, for athletes aged 9 to 13 years old, was led by Bob Drouillard, Tyler Fitzpatrick, Avery Drouillard, Easton Egan and Will Egan over a 5-week period, with both locations at max capacity. Next summer they are hoping to expand the program to allow for more participants as their registration numbers have shown it is needed.

In speaking with current Vikings Club Executive President Tim Gilchrist, the team has rebounded from the shutdown years with 7 teams last indoor season and are expecting at least 9 teams this season, which would bring them to, and possibly surpass, their pre-pandemic numbers. This burgeoning hotbed of volleyball has outstripped hockey and soccer registration numbers in many of the girls’ divisions. Gilchrist is encouraged by the growth and thinks it bodes well for the future of the game in the area. 

If you or someone you know is interested in volleyball in Ottawa Valley, head over to the Ottawa Valley Vikings website for more information.

If your club is looking for help bringing youth development clinics such as Spikes or Smashball to your area, please reach out to the OVA's Community Outreach and Grassroots Programs.