U of T women's volleyball coach Drakich seeks more 'incredible moments' in 34th year

When the University of Toronto women's volleyball team travels to Kingston to take on Queen's on Saturday, it will kick off Kristine Drakich's 34th season as head coach of the Varsity Blues.

"Every season and every generation leaves a mark and influences me," Drakich told CBC Sports. "I can't remember everybody, but over my 30-plus years, I can pretty much recall every season and something wonderful, magical, horrible, sad, incredible or uplifting in every season.

"Every season, no matter how successful results-wise it was or not, there were always some incredible moments and learnings. And yet my memory in terms of games is not that strong."

It is easy to understand why Drakich's memory of game results may be lacking. Her resume is one that requires a significant trimming of accolades and accomplishments simply for the sake of brevity.

Since taking over the head coaching position, the Varsity Blues boast a 484-143 record, a 22-year streak of making the playoffs — as well as an active 10-season streak — and 11 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships, which matches her 11 OUA coach-of-the-year awards.

Under her leadership the U of T won its first national championship in program history in 2016, just a year after Drakich was named U Sports national coach of the year.

If one brings those accolades to Drakich's attention, she doesn't seem to give them much thought.

"Each season is about how we can maximize the abilities of our team," Drakich said. "How do we co-create along the way with the athletes? How do we move this from A to B?

"Maybe it's because I was an athlete for many years, but you don't look at the score, or think about the next play, or the next thing I have to do, or the next moment. You really have to be in the moment. And so I think it's about simply, truly being in the moment. And to do that every season."

The team's results are reflective of her mindset; only once in Drakich's career has her team not qualified for the playoffs.

But, like all campaigns, that 2010-11 year where the Varsity Blues finished 5-14 and missed the playoffs has its own story.

"There was a big group [of players who] continued on after that 2010 season," Drakich said. "With losses, we grow. It's how you take those challenging moments and turn them into opportunities.

"In that season it was Charlotte Sider and Sarah Chapin's first year, who stayed right through to the [very successful] 2014-15 years. We had some incredible people that year such as Malena Rapaport and Julia Bellehumeur, who invested a tremendous amount and were the curve of that team."

Sider became a four-time OUA all-star and two-time all-Canadian with the Varsity Blues, returning to the team in 2021 as part of the U Sports Female Apprenticeship Coaching Program before becoming head coach with the Lakehead Thunderwolves for this upcoming season.