It’s no small feat to earn “legendary” status, but that’s exactly what Alwyn Piche did in his time with the Keyano College Huskies.
Playing from 2006-09 and again in 2012-13, Piche was a two-time Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Player of the Year and All-Canadian (2009, 2013), a CCAA National Tournament All-Star (2009), was named to the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) All-Conference Team in every season, was a two-time ACAC Men’s Volleyball Player of the Year (2009, 2013), and helped the school to the program to a bronze medal in 2013. This, on top of re-writing the school’s and ACAC’s record book.
He also played one season with the University of Saskatchewan in 2009-10, and participated with Team Canada at the 2005 FIVB Boys’ U19 World Championship in Algeria.
From the Clearwater River Dene Nation and Northern Saskatchewan village of LaLoche, Alwyn has been honoured into the ACAC Hall of Fame and the Wood Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame (pictured above).
As his university playing days came to an end, Alwyn had a choice to make – to play professionally overseas or finishing his degree and becoming a teacher. As a father, he chose to stay and finish his education, becoming a physical education teacher. However, he still stays connected to the sport through coaching and clinics.
Volleyball Canada recently had a chance to chat with Alwyn to discuss his connection to the sport, the challenges he faced, and what steps can be taken to make volleyball more inclusive moving forward.
Volleyball Canada: How were you introduced to volleyball?
Alwyn Piche: I was introduced to volleyball by attending my dad’s club team in LaLoche when I was in Grade 1 or 2. I would be included in some of the drills if they needed another body.
VC: What helped you stay connected to the sport and do you think it will be a life-long connection?
AP: I do quite a bit of coaching in school, coaching peewees, juniors, and seniors. I also facilitate volleyball clinics all over northern communities. I would say that my passion for volleyball will always be life-long.
VC: What is your favourite Indigenous volleyball experience?
AP: Unfortunately, I never had a chance to compete in Indigenous volleyball because playing with the provincial team always was the same time as the North American Indigenous Games or Saskatchewan Winter Games, but I had a chance to coach U18 boys in Lloydminster in 2016 which was an awesome experience not to mention that we won that year. Great experience!
VC: What is one thing that you would like to share with non-Indigenous people about being an Indigenous volleyball player?
AP: My personal experience was challenging, especially living in the north. Getting to and from practices, tryouts, and tournaments is tough and costly to drive at least 12 hours a weekend. But given the chance, we will thrive.
VC: Did you have a favourite Indigenous athlete when you were growing up?
AP: My favourite Indigenous athlete would be Jim Thorpe.
VC: What is one piece of advice for young Indigenous athletes who want to play volleyball beyond high school?
AP: My advice to young athletes would be; keep pushing, keep fighting and earn your spot.
VC: Who were your biggest supporters while you were growing up?
AP: My biggest supporters were (and still are) my parents, family and my community of LaLoche and Clearwater River Dene Nation.
VC: What does volleyball community mean to you?
AP: The volleyball community means a lot to me because volleyball plays a huge part of who I am today. It gave me the opportunity to explore the world and I also made some close friends because of volleyball.
VC: Do you think there is a place for conversations or reconciliation in the sport of volleyball?
AP: Absolutely! I believe reconciliation has a place in volleyball because volleyball brings people together. This leads to life-long friendships.
VC: Volleyball Canada is making moves to contribute to Reconciliation; do you have any advice for athletes and coaches who are new to learning about Truth and Reconciliation?
AP: My advice to people is behind every Indigenous person or athlete is a story, and sport can help tell that story.
VC: What can national/provincial sport organizations, clubs, or teams do to support positive experiences in volleyball for Indigenous peoples?
AP: Personally for me and my experience, I would say funding because being from the north it was very costly in regards to tryouts, practices and tournaments. Without the support that I had, I would not have gotten to enjoy my love of volleyball. Unfortunately, not many people in the north have that opportunity.
Out of respect to the interviewees and their experiences, Volleyball Canada reached out to Holly Rae Yuzicapi from the Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation in Southern Saskatchewan to conduct these interviews. Holly herself has a deep connection with volleyball and is an instructor of cultural arts, traditional food, and traditional games, facilitating workshops for all ages throughout Canada and the United States.
