Gee-Gees women’s volleyball alumna Ellen Barwise was inducted into the Prince Edward Island Volleyball Hall of Fame on March 3. Her career on the court, which included time with the provincial team, all-star seasons with the Gee-Gees, and professional clubs, was celebrated at the induction ceremony.
Barwise herself was attending to her duties as Director of Development at the Commonwealth Games Federation, a role which she recently took on after ten years as Regional Development Manager.
Barwise’s career in sport management in combination with her excellence as a volleyball player make her an inspiring figure for current Gee-Gees players, says head coach Lionel Woods. “Ellen has become a great role model to many future Gee-Gees in terms of her professional story of exploring the world and taking risks to experience so many things while working with the Commonwealth Games.”
Hailing from Springfield West, P.E.I., Barwise notes that she was always encouraged to travel. “Growing up my parents had always encouraged us to explore opportunities beyond P.E.I. so from a young age I always had it in my head that I wanted to go to university outside of the Maritimes.” A number of stars aligned to bring Barwise to Ottawa, including a late shoulder surgery in high school, and her sister moving to Ottawa for work.
“She still stands out as a savvy, high volleyball-IQ setter,” remembers Woods, who along with then assistant coach Ling Lee recruited Barwise to Ottawa for the 2000-01 season. “She was a floor leader with second ball attack skills.”
Barwise’s first year in Ottawa was as a red-shirt and she notes how much that motivated her as well as how grateful it made her when her time to step onto the court came. “Because I started my first year as a red shirt I didn’t know when or if I would be playing, so when I was able to put that jersey on for the first time that was amazing and I never wanted to look back after that.”
Ottawa was also playing in the OUA Championship game in Barwise’s red-shirt rookie year, another motivator for the rest of her career. “That was a fantastic way to start my career, the excitement in the gym… that really set us up for always striving for the podium.”
Another highlight experience for Barwise came after that first year at uOttawa, when she represented P.E.I. at the 2001 Canada Games in beach volleyball.
Barwise’s volleyball career would continue to grow, including back-to-back OUA All-Star and Team MVP seasons in 2003-04 and 2004-05, but not before the Islander would be challenged again with serious injury. In the winter of 2002, she was in hospital with a broken back.
“The first day Ling and Lionel came to see me, from out of nowhere, I said to them, ‘I want to come back from this and make National Team next year.’ Neither Lionel or Ling even questioned what I said they just put everything in place for me to be able to achieve that,” says Barwise.
“They got me access to a specialist who designed me a custom brace, they got me access to the pool so I could do water running… my teammates supported me with the classwork so I didn’t miss a semester and they spent hours with me sitting on a balance ball in the squash court setting walls so I didn’t lose my touch,” she continues.
“I was so far away from home but never felt so at home and supported – they went above and beyond what most teams would.”
In addition to returning to the court for her impressive final two seasons, Barwise was also starting to understand her career path. She remembers the fulfillment of running volleyball camps with her teammates as a catalyst.
“After working at the camps during the summers, it just seemed like a natural path as I enjoyed it so much,” Barwise explains. “Sport has really always been a part of my life and a passion so when I realised that I could make it my career it just felt like the route I should take.”
Following her undergraduate degree in Human Kinetics, Barwise completed her Master’s in Sports Administration at uOttawa and also spent two years as a professional volleyball player in Germany before working with Diving Canada, Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada, and the Barbados Olympic Association before joining Commonwealth Sport.
“It’s truly remarkable to now be able to collaborate with organisations, administrators, athletes, and coaches from all around the world as I truly do believe that sport is a force for good. My career in sport is a daily reminder that sport can inspire people, can have a positive impact on our communities and more than anything sport is an amazing celebration of people and culture.”
And to have her home province celebrate her career?
“Being from P.E.I. has instilled in me the values that have helped me work all over the world and go into any situation with an open mind,” says Barwise. “When you are from P.E.I. you are always an ‘Islander’ and it’s a real source of pride to me.”
Ellen Barwise Gee-Gees Awards and Accolades:
Team member from 2000-01 to 2004-05
OUA East Award of Merit, 2004-05
OUA East First Team All-Star (2003-04, 2004-05)
uOttawa Team MVP (2003-04, 2004-05)
Four-time Academic All-Canadian
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