Volleyball hall call for local six

It’s been five decades, but the memories remain vivid for a trio of Manitobans that helped the country make volleyball history at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.

“I remember the incredible feeling of walking into Olympic Stadium and just the roar (of the crowd),” said Connie Lebrun, now 71 and living in Edmonton, recalling the opening ceremonies.

“That was just like the most incredible feeling, and I still always get chills on my spine when I hear the Canadian anthem.”

Lebrun, Mary Dempster and Claire Lloyd all wore the Maple Leaf at those Games when Canada made its debut in the sport.

Manitoba also had its fingerprints on the men’s side with Garth Pischke, Ed Alexiuk and Donald Michalski on the roster.

“You’re on the Canadian team, it’s so exciting, you want to be the best in the world,” said Dempster, who’s 71 and still living in Winnipeg.

“But you’re still a Manitoban, right? I always felt that was a strength that I came from a rich support system — and not just my family, but also the support of the volleyball family here.”

Some of the stories that immediately come to mind from the experience are ones that happened away from competition.

“Wilt Chamberlain had come to Vancouver (where the Canadian national team was based out of) and was playing volleyball,” said Dempster, a starting attacker who went on to be a star at the University of North Dakota.

“It was him and three other guys, and they were playing men’s teams. So he’d actually show up at our practices, and he came to the Olympics and saw us and gave us a head nod, which was quite cool.”

There’s been a lot of reminiscing this week after it was announced on Monday that both the women’s and men’s teams from the ’76 Games are being inducted into the Volleyball Canada Hall of Fame. It’s a fitting time for induction considering this is the 50-year anniversary.

The recent recognition has led to many of the players reconnecting.

“After the Olympics, our team sort of dissolved because a lot of us went to different provinces and we didn’t see much of each other,” said Lloyd, 73. After making Team Canada, she’s lived in Vancouver ever since.

“It was funny because you’re so intimately connected through all those years of training and travelling — the ups and the downs — but it was like no time had passed at all when I spoke with Mary earlier this week.

“I spoke with her one other time three or four years ago when we ran into each other at my brother’s cottage in the Lake of the Woods. We were kind of shocked to see each other.”

Canada automatically qualified as hosts, but a lot of hard work went into preparing for the Games.

“Athletes now don’t train the way we trained,” said Lloyd, who played at the University of Manitoba from 1970-73.

“Once you join the national team, your world is volleyball. That is it. We trained seven-and-a-half hours a day, five days a week, and three or four hours on Saturday. Our life was volleyball leading up to the Olympics.”

Unfortunately, they didn’t get the results on the big stage they were hoping for. They were placed in a tough pool with Japan, Hungary and Peru and went winless. The Canadian men didn’t fare any better, also failing to obtain a win.

Though no medals were won, lessons were learned and many of those who played went on to give back to their local volleyball communities in coaching capacities for many years.

“There was a lot of pressure before the Olympics that Canada would do well in volleyball. I think before the Olympics, we were 10th or 11th in the world standings. When we started training, we were probably 26th in the world. So we had come a long way,” said Lloyd.

“It was kind of heartbreaking that we couldn’t perform the way that Canada thought we should, but that was a standout moment for us because that’s part of competition. You work hard, you hope for success, but sometimes you don’t have success.

“That was a big life lesson for me that you’re going to have failures along the way, but those failures lead to you becoming a stronger person.”

It ended up being the first of eight Olympics for Lebrun. The former Manitoba Bisonette (1972-74) went on to help Canada at both summer and winter Games as a medical officer before being bumped up to chief physician.

Despite the experiences that followed, she still can’t believe it’s been 50 years since her first trip to the Olympiad.

“It’s such a long time ago. For a while, people would say ‘Oh, yeah, Connie played at the Olympics in volleyball,’” said Lebrun.

“And then I would joke to whatever group it was and say ‘That was before all you guys were born.’ But now, it’s really before a lot of them were born.”

While most of the Canadian team won’t be able to attend the induction in Ottawa on June 12, there’s already been some talks about everyone getting together again soon.

“This could be a catalyst that allows for a reunion,” said Dempster.

winnipegfreepress.com/taylorallen