In the world of high school sports, there’s an old saying that goes, “It’s not how you start, but how you finish.” For the Vanier Vikings boys volleyball team, this saying proved true in spectacular fashion at the 2024 Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association (SHSAA) 4A boys volleyball provincial championship. The Vikings, coming off a season of ups and downs, found their rhythm at the perfect time, posting an impressive 6-1 record that culminated in a bronze medal finish at Sask Polytech in Moose Jaw. Their achievement marks a significant milestone for the team and a testament to their growth over the course of the season.
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A Season of Growth
The road to provincial success was not always clear for the Vikings. Throughout the regular season, the team faced its fair share of challenges, consistently posting .500 records in their tournaments. However, as any seasoned coach knows, the regular season is about much more than wins and losses. It’s about development, preparation, and building the team’s resilience for the bigger challenges ahead. For long-time head coach Levi Broda, watching his team peak at just the right moment was a truly rewarding experience.
“We went 6-1 at provincials and that’s just mind-blowing for our crew,” said Broda, reflecting on the team’s surprising success. “Almost every tournament we went to this year, we had .500 records, so it just shows that we peaked at the right time. There are very few teams you can put together that can peak when it really matters against the best competition, so I’m really proud of our effort.”
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A Strong Start to Provincials
The Vanier Vikings made their intentions clear from the first day of the provincial championship. In their opening match against Melfort, they secured a 25-20, 25-22 victory, setting the tone for the rest of the tournament. They followed that up with a hard-fought win over Melville, 25-18, 21-25, 16-14, and an impressive 15-25, 25-22, 15-10 win over Meadow Lake. By the end of the first day’s round robin, the Vikings had topped their pool, setting themselves up for a strong push into the playoffs.
Vanier’s momentum continued into Saturday morning, where they delivered a dominant performance against Kindersley, winning 25-11, 25-11. With this victory, the Vikings had secured their spot in the playoffs as one of the top seeds in the tournament.
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Playoff Push
The Vikings carried their strong form into the playoffs, defeating Yorkton Sacred Heart 25-20, 25-17 in the quarterfinals. This set up a highly anticipated semifinal matchup with the reigning Moose Jaw city champions, the Central Cyclones. The Cyclones had already defeated the Vikings a week earlier in a gold medal match, so Vanier was out for redemption.
In the opening set of the semifinal, the Vikings got off to a blistering start, taking a 25-17 win and putting the Cyclones on notice. However, the Cyclones proved too tough to handle, bouncing back with a 25-12 victory in the second set, followed by a 15-7 win in the third set, thus sending the Vikings to the bronze medal match.
Despite the disappointment of narrowly missing out on a gold medal berth, the Vikings did not let up. They came back strong in the bronze medal game against North Battleford John Paul II, taking a 25-21, 14-25, 15-7 victory. This win secured their third-place finish and capped off an unforgettable tournament run.
Key to Success: Trust and Aggression
When asked about the team’s secret to success, Coach Broda was quick to point to the players’ trust in their preparation and their willingness to take risks. “They were aggressive and did things we worked on all season, being not afraid to make mistakes,” he explained. “If there’s an error, our systems in place are going to be okay, and we’ll win the next point. That’s really what happened, and it resulted in us winning some tough games.”
The Vikings’ ability to trust their systems and play freely was evident throughout the tournament. They were not afraid to make mistakes, and when things went wrong, they were quick to shake them off and focus on the next point. This mindset played a crucial role in their ability to bounce back after setbacks and ultimately finish with the bronze medal.
The Moose Jaw Advantage
An added layer of excitement and pride for the Vanier Vikings was the fact that they were not alone in reaching the medal podium. Their semifinal opponents, the Central Cyclones, were also from Moose Jaw, and the fact that two Moose Jaw teams finished in the top three was a source of pride for the city.
“Just to have the first-place winner and the bronze winner come from Moose Jaw is pretty special,” Broda said. “It just shows that both of our teams pushed each other throughout the year, and you never know where you stand provincially until the end. So to see us both there was pretty cool.”
This camaraderie between the two Moose Jaw teams reflects the fierce competition and mutual respect that has been fostered in the city’s volleyball scene. Both teams pushed each other to improve, knowing that they would ultimately be competing against the best in the province. This friendly rivalry contributed to the Vikings’ motivation and helped propel them to their historic finish.
A Season of Learning and Leadership
The Vikings’ success was not just about their on-court performance; it was also about the growth and development of the players. Over the course of the season, the team had to learn how to play together as a unit, adjusting to new systems and strategies. Coach Broda noted the importance of the players putting the team first and learning to work together for the collective good, rather than focusing solely on individual achievements.
“It’s been a really fun run, and this was a team where the boys had to put in the work and learn,” Broda said. “There’s definitely been some turnover the last couple years, and we still have some elite players on the team, but they had to learn how to play volleyball, especially in our team systems and stuff like that. It just comes down to having good kids, kids who are willing to put the team first instead of what they need.”
This sense of teamwork and selflessness was key to the Vikings’ success. It wasn’t just about the individual talents of the players but about how they came together to form a cohesive unit. Their willingness to put the team first and trust each other paid off in spades as they secured the bronze medal.
Looking to the Future
While the Vikings are certainly savoring their hard-earned bronze medal, their eyes are already on the future. With a core group of talented athletes, there is optimism that this team can continue to grow and contend for even more success in the coming years.
“We have some elite players, and we still have a lot of potential,” Coach Broda said. “The key is continuing to develop, continuing to learn, and continuing to put the team first. If we do that, I have no doubt that we can compete for more hardware in the future.”
The Vanier Vikings’ journey to provincial bronze is a testament to the power of teamwork, preparation, and resilience. They proved that with the right mindset, anything is possible – and they’re just getting started.
