University of Toronto Varsity Blues women’s volleyball coach Kristine Drakich was inducted into the Volleyball Canada Hall of Fame on Thursday night (June 9).
“I am very humbled by this recognition and extremely grateful for all of the experiences I have had in volleyball,” Drakich said. “I share this honour with the coaches who coached me and who continue to influence me, with the University of Toronto who took a chance on me and hired me to coach years ago, with my coaching colleagues who raise the bar every year and especially with the athletes and staff I’ve had the privilege of working with over the years.”
A Varsity Blues alumna, as well as a Toronto native, Drakich has been the head coach of the women’s volleyball program since 1989-90. Under her guidance, the Varsity Blues have won 12 OUA championships, and one national title, while Drakich has been named the OUA East coach of the year 12 times and the U SPORTS (formerly CIS) coach of the year in 2014-15.
No stranger to inductions, Drakich was a 2001 inductee into the University of Toronto’s Sports Hall of Fame and in the Ontario Volleyball Association Hall of Fame in 2018.
Drakich has coached internationally in both volleyball and beach volleyball, having coached Team Canada at 19U & 21U world beach volleyball championships and the Canadian junior national indoor team at the NORCECA championship. Drakich has also coached Team Ontario’s provincial volleyball and beach volleyball teams at the Canada Games.
She has volunteered at almost every level of the sport, internationally and nationally with the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), International University Sports Federation (FISU), Canadian University Sport (U SPORTS), Volleyball Canada, Ontario Volleyball Association and she was the Sport Organizing Chair for volleyball at the TO2015 Pan American Games.
“The opportunity to work with people, share in their sporting journeys and support their growth has been the most amazing part of my coaching journey,” she said. “Every one of the athletes and staff I’ve worked with have changed me, challenged me and contributed to my evolution as a coach in some way.”
Along with Drakich, Varsity Blues men’s volleyball head coach John Barrett was also on hand for the celebration in Ottawa.
Barrett, who was inducted virtually into the Volleyball Canada Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 class received the in-person recognition of his honour on Thursday night as well.