Final chapter: Eibbitt leads Team Ontario one last time

Nearly four decades and countless matches later, Brock men's volleyball coach Ian Eibbitt is preparing to wear the Team Ontario crest one for the final time.

"It is a tremendous honour, and I'm grateful to be selected," Eibbitt said. "The Canada Games team is a train to win program and it's only every four years, so it means a lot to be selected to the staff in any capacity. To be then named the head coach of this program is something I take humbly and responsibly." 

Eibbitt, who competed with Team Ontario as an athlete in the 1987 Canada Games, will see his 38-journey culminate at the 2025 Canada Summer Games in St. John's, N.L.

The volleyball portion of Canada's largest mulit-sport event will run for six days, from Aug. 19 to 24.

Eibbitt etched himself in Team Ontario history as an assistant coach for the 2017 gold medal-winning squad, which included two current Olympians in Justin Lui and Xander Ketrzynski and former Brock student-athlete Logan House. This marked the first gold medal for Ontario in men's volleyball in 24 years. 

Since 2008-09, Eibbitt has been involved with the Ontario Volleyball Association (OVA) High Performance programs, and he was a Team Ontario coach every year leading up to 2017. Assignments with the youth national team in 2019 and the U21 program that attended the World Championships in 2020-2021, highlight some of the additional experience he has had on some of volleyball's biggest stages. 

Eibbitt acknowledges how much the provincial program has meant to him throughout his playing and coaching career. 

"I'm a big believer in giving back, and the OVA and Team Ontario hold a special place in my heart," he said. "Seeing these young men develop as people first then players second is important to me. We're just a part of their pathway and their journey, but it's incredible to be part of that experience." 

Over the course of his career, Eibbitt knows it takes a village to build a successful team. He has selected long-time Team Ontario coach Matthew Harris and current Windsor Lancers men's volleyball head coach James Gravelle to join his staff. 

"I'm thankful to be surrounded by two incredible coaches that are better people," Eibbitt said. "We get along very well, and we complement each other as we have different skill sets. I think that's important when you're building a staff; if you're all the same, you don't get it right." 

The selection process for the 2025 team began two years ago and culminated with a final camp held from July 16 to 25. A final preparation camp for the 12 rostered athletes and four alternates began Aug. 3 at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., and will run until Aug. 16.

In his current role with the Badgers, Eibbitt enjoys the special honour of having three of his newest recruits named as alternates on the provincial team. 

Mathieu Joli-Coeur, Jonah Ragaisis and Toby Snider join Team Ontario alumni and current Brock student-athletes Devin Cooney and Brady Patterson as Badgers who have been selected to a Canada Games team. 

When the final whistle blows on Aug. 24, Eibbitt's near four-decade journey with Team Ontario will come to a close. 

"There's a lot of emotion of the last two years coming to an end," Eibbitt said. "The OVA and Team Ontario has given me more than I ever given it. It's been a good run." 

After the event, Eibbitt is ready to shift his attention back on the Badgers as the men's volleyball team looks to make its way back to the postseason and beyond in 2025-26. 

"It's time to just focus my energy on building a program here at Brock that we can be proud of moving forward and creating a culture of excellence and a legacy of success here with the Badgers," he said.