City crown on the line

For College Heights head coach Jay Guillet, reaching this stage is the result of years of work throughout the program.

“It’s been building for a few years,” said Guillet. “After Covid, I went and stepped back and coached Grade 8s.”

Guillet spent five years working with younger athletes to help establish a foundation for long-term success.

“We built some volleyball. We had a little lull there at College Heights and coached Grade 8s for five years. We hosted provincials last year, we hosted a junior championship in 2023, and this is the momentum we have from those previous years. It’s carrying on. So the kids are doing really well this year and we’re having a lot of fun.”

The recent success has helped College Heights earn recognition across the province, but Guillet says high rankings are the product of a much larger effort.

“It is a journey. It doesn’t happen overnight. You need a lot of people in place and the players come, they put the effort in.”

Guillet credits not only his athletes and coaching staff but also the broader volleyball community in Prince George.

“When the kids put the effort into it and trust the process, the results happen. It’s not only the support of myself and my assistant coaches, but it’s also the community and the club program. They’ve had huge success over the years in Prince George.”

If the most recent matchup between the rivals is any indication, fans can expect another tightly contested battle Wednesday night.

“We just played Duchess Park this past weekend and the scores were 25-23 for two sets. We went to a third set, 18-16,” said Guillet. “Duchess Park came out on top, and they have a great tradition at that school. We’re planning to continue and push Duchess, and they’re going to plan to push us. It’s going to be a great match.”

As the excitement builds, Guillet’s message to his players remains focused on the basics.

“Control what you can control. Trust the process and the work you put into it. Let it go and have fun and enjoy the experience.”

For many athletes, Wednesday’s final represents more than just a chance at a championship.

“These are great memories for the kids, and down the road they’ll be going, ‘Wow, that was a lot of fun. That was very special.'”

by Stephen Lewyta

City crown on the line

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