Volleyball is a sport in which two teams of six work together to make sure that the ball does not touch the ground on their side, with certain other caveats. It is a very popular sport and can be played in many different settings, whether it be competitively or for fun. The rules are easy to learn and remember, and the skills required to play can be quickly developed, making volleyball a well-liked pastime for many students. In the autumn of 2021, the Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute gym department ran a semi-formal volleyball intramural tournament at lunch-time during school days.
In October, sign-ups for volleyball intramurals were posted by the MGCI gym department. Over 50 people signed up and went to the first meeting, where they divided themselves into teams of six. Exhibition matches ran for several weeks, where the teams would play against each other, practice, and have fun playing volleyball.
“Due to COVID, it has been very hard to play the sport that I love. Having this program during lunch was a great way to rediscover that passion,” said Nishtha Patel, who is part of the mixed-grade girls team. Most of these matches occurred indoors in the gym, but many were also conducted outside on the back field when weather permitted it. Students moving around during lunch-time could spectate these matches, some of which included teachers as players.
Overall volleyball intramural champions. Photo by Wasay Amir.
At the end of October, playoffs began. Six teams participated in this tournament. The Grade 11 boys team won 2-0 in the finals match against the Grade 12 team, making them the overall champions. The girls team won the third place playoff, which made the final rankings as follows: first place went to the Grade 11 boys team, second place went to the Grade 12 boys team, and third place went to the mixed-grade girls team. “It was very fun playing against other teams from our school, mainly KG Maffia [one of the teams] and especially the teachers and it feels good to go undefeated for the games that mattered,” said Ulfat Ali, one of the players on the Grade 11 boys team.
The volleyball intramural season is over, but the dodgeball intramural season has now started. Games began on 23 November 2021. A special shout-out to Wasay Aamir, the Athletics Convener on SAC (Student Activities Council), and Mr. Hillman, for organizing and running these activities.
