The secret of the Cégep de l’Outaouais Griffons in volleyball

The Gauls had the magic potion. The Cégep de l’Outaouais Griffons have a secret ingredient that explains their success in men’s volleyball. The team is having a fantastic season, ranking among the top 10 in the country.

If Obélix fell into the magic potion when he was little, it’s quite the opposite for Josias Sadia and Vince Lome, two players on the team who knew almost nothing about this sport just two years ago.

The Griffons coach first found Sadia during… basketball practice in a high school.

I saw him and told him he would be a great volleyball talent. He didn’t believe me. But I asked him to come to the selections and he was very athletic! He is a player with an incredible physiquestory Daniel Alejandro Cuzmar Grimalt.

During the trials, the 6 feet 4 inches (over 1.95 m) young man reached a height of 3.54 m on the vault. He let himself be tempted by the offer from the Griffons, even if his beginnings were sometimes difficult.

I wasn’t that good at first. Little by little, I tried to catch up with my teammates. It pushed me to improve quicklyspecifies Sadia.

His coach, who saw him quickly becoming a central player in his training, wasted no time working on his technical weaknesses.

At the beginning, it’s really about starting from the basics, for example how to make a cuff and the block. But his athletic potential already made him very competitivenotes Daniel who wanted to see him on the field as soon as possible.

I think if I give my all to something, I’m able to achieve it, to do anything.

I worked on the attack steps, the block and the serve. These are the three technical movements that we taught him and then he started to climb on his own and followed the levelsrejoices the coach who recalls that Sadia broke through the Team Quebec lineup and became one of the best center players in the province.

You do points and everything in basketball, but never hits as hard or blocks like we do. That’s what gave me a taste for volleyball.details Sadia, who discovered a new passion.

A teammate, a similar story

Lome started from even further away. He had never even played a competitive sport before joining the Griffons. His coach found him in a scenario similar to Sadia’s, while playing sports during lunch hour in high school.

We’re very athletically gifted people, but we weren’t necessarily in the right place. Dan really managed to make us shine in the right environment. I think it’s a very beautiful thingexclaims the giant player of 6 feet 5 inches (nearly two meters).

When asked how he would have reacted if someone had predicted to him that he would one day be a top volleyball player a few years ago, he laughs.

I wouldn’t have believed it! I would have said it was rubbish. But, now that I’m here, it’s a dream come true, it’s truly extraordinaryhe rejoices.

The Griffons pilot is pleased with his extraordinary catches and is not surprised by their rapid development.

I had the confidence that they were going to get to that level. I think it’s the desire of Josias and Vince, the desire to learn, that makes the difference.

Griffons on fire

Cégep de l’Outaouais is having an excellent season. He has only suffered two losses in 12 games and is fighting for first place in the league with Limoilou whom he will face twice this week.

[Avec des joueurs comme Josias et Vince] we become a more physical team. We are capable of playing with the best teams in Quebec and Canadasaid the coach with confidence.

This confidence spreads within the group which seems to have found a team spirit which will be able to carry them until the end of the season.

We truly are the strongest we could be. I’m really proud to be part of this team because it really pushes me to improve. Our guys on the bench are stronger than many players from other teams. The players in front of me are really strongexplains Sadia, who would like to salute the work of her teammates.

All these successes make the two young players realize that anything is possible in the future.

I never imagined I would be where I am today. Going to play at the university level, then professionally, is the dream. I’m willing to do what it takes to get there, and I know it’s possible with the training and discipline I put in every daysupports Lome, who shares the dream with his teammate.

My short term goal is to go to university, but I would definitely like to play professionally.adds Sadia.

Now that he knows that gems are hidden everywhere in the region’s gymnasiums and that he sees what he has created in less than two years, Cuzmar Grimalt intends to strengthen his ties with the coaches of different high school sports and wander even more in the field to find other rare gems.

But, above all, the goal this year is to win the provincials, then go to the nationals, hoping to finish with a big banquet, like the Gauls would do.