Gaels’ energetic sideline celebrations a product of great team culture

While the in-game action at Queen’s Men’s Volleyball games is always intense and thrilling, there’s another show that is oftentimes just as exciting to watch for fans happening just off the side of the court.

The Gaels have gained a reputation as fan favourites for their elaborate celebrations and encouragements of their teammates from the baseline box, and sometimes a little outside. From spontaneous big cheers to planned-out choreography, the Gaels on the sideline can always be counted on to bring the energy and keep things positive for both their teammates and the fans in the stands at the Athletics and Recreation Centre (ARC).

Queen’s Men’s Volleyball’s Oliver Prentice and Nik Mitrovic sat down with GoGaelsGo.com to share more about the sideline celebrations and how they’ve become a big part of the team’s gameplan.

“I think the guys on the floor, when times get tough, maybe we’re down a couple of points, I think having that energy and those celebrations on the bench kind of lets us play freer,” Mitrovic said. “

Sideline celebrations are nothing new in volleyball, but Prentice said the Gaels have taken it up a notch in the last couple of years. Some of the team’s younger players coming in have really bought into the celebrations, and helped make the antics a big part of Queen’s gameday experience.

“My first year, it was kind of building a little bit and there was a couple of guys that would get into that kind of stuff, but it wasn’t a huge thing,” Prentice said. “And I think in the last two years, it’s definitely developed and I feel like we’ve reached a peak too, with the engagement of guys on the bench and creating that environment for the guys on the floor.”

And while some celebrations are reactionary, huge cheers after a big block, kill, or dig by the Gaels, others involve a little pre-game planning, with everyone chipping in.

“At the beginning of every game, we have a bench huddle. We bring it in and talk and just get fired up. Sometimes we’re like planning certain celebrations and this and that, and at this point it’s pretty much a team effort,” said Prentice.

Prentice (London, Ont.) is a third year outside hitter. In 21 sets played in the regular season for Queen’s this season, Prentice recorded 12 kills, 13 serving aces, six digs, and three blocks, and has added another four kills in the postseason so far.

Mitrovic (Niagara Falls, Ont.), also an outside hitter, is a second-year player with the Gaels. Mitrovic finished the regular season with 33 kills, four serving aces, 13 digs, and five blocks in 22 sets played.

The two shared their favourite celebrations of the season, so far, heading into the U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Championship.

“I have a personal favorite that I do and then a personal team favorite. The one that I do sometimes and I don’t do it as much because last year I got a couple of warnings, like some close calls, but I penguin slide down the baseline. Just something goofy,” Mitrovic said with a chuckle.
 

Gallery: (3-12-2024) Queen’s Men’s Volleyball celebrations

“As a team, after a big block, we like to put Paul, he sits on the floor, and then all of us pretend to put a roof over his head. That’s a house block.”

“Those are both good ones,” Prentice agreed. “The house is probably the one we go to the most consistently, it’s probably one of our favorites. We’ve recently been doing the field goal as well, when someone blasts the ball out the back. That one’s pretty funny because all of the pieces are there. Someone’s snapping the ball, someone’s holding the ball, someone’s kicking the ball and someone’s the uprights.”

The sideline celebrations are indicative of the culture created within Queen’s Men’s Volleyball. It’s evident to anyone watching a Queen’s Men’s Volleyball game, the team is very tight and supportive of each other. To hear Mitrovic and Prentice explain it, the Gaels are simply having fun competing in a game they all love.

“That’s a key part of our team. We’re just a bunch of guys – we say this a lot – we love to play nine by nine, have fun on the nine by nine (volleyball court),” Mitrovic said. That’s how we carry that throughout a game.”

“Our team is unique in the relationships that we have on and off the court,” Prentice continued. “The closeness of everybody lends itself to us playing better when we’re enjoying each other’s company and having fun. It’s loose and not just strictly business.

“When we’re in that mode of having fun and cheering each other on, that’s when we play our best volleyball. The bench celebrations are just trying to kind of create that environment from the bench.”

The Gaels finished the 2023-24 regular season with a 15-5 record and the No. 2 seed for the OUA Playoffs. After big wins over the Toronto Varsity Blues (3-0) and Brock Badgers (3-1) in the quarterfinals and semifinals, Queen’s fell to the McMaster Marauders in a tight five-set match in the OUA Forsyth Cup.

Prentice and Mitrovic stressed how close the team is both on and off the court. They hang out together outside of volleyball, highlighted by some intense Spikeball competitions, and many players stay in Kingston over the summer to train as well.

The team is made up of good friends, which helps the in-game encouragement come naturally.

“Being able to trust each other on the court; obviously, with a team sport like volleyball, teams can sometimes doubt each other but I don’t find that that happens at all with us,” said Mitrovic. “We trust that we all want to get the job done, we’ve all put the work in, and we all just want the same outcome.

“Even when there are times where you don’t win that match, you miss a kill, or you miss a dig, you know that you can fall back on all those guys. Whether you have a great game or maybe not your best game, we’re still going to be great friends.”

“Everybody wants everyone else on the team to succeed and see everybody play well,” Prentice echoed. “It’s really important when you get into the social dynamic on the court, you know your teammates intentions behind motivating you.”

Prentice and Mitrovic also praised Head Coach Gabriel deGroot for putting in the work to instill a great culture on the team, and making sure it’s one that passes the test of time.

“It’s a lot of work that the coaches put in, and a lot of work that is put into both creating the culture for now and also creating that legacy to move on,” said Prentice. “Thinking about guys that aren’t on the team anymore that were huge role models for driving those values and driving what we want our team to be.”

Queen’s Men’s Volleyball will end their 2023-24 season hosting the U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Championship from March 14-17 at the ARC. The Gaels enter the national championship tournament as the No. 5 seed, and will take on the No. 4 seed Trinity Western Spartans in the quarterfinals.

After playing the OUA quarterfinals and semifinals in front of packed stands at the ARC, Prentice said the team knows the value of a sellout gym and a frenzied crowd.

“There’s nothing like it,” Mitrovic said. “You see that crowd and it makes you want to just do something crazy to get them fired up and keep that energy building.”

And as for the sideline celebrations, should the right situation strike, the two hinted the team might have a little something up their sleeves.

“Everyone on the bench will be in the mindset of bringing out our A-game in terms of that for this upcoming weekend for sure,” Prentice said.

I’ve got a couple cooking,” Mitrovic added. “I’ve been brainstorming.”