Humber Hawks women’s volleyball head coach Chris Wilkins first aspired to coach in high school when he realized he couldn’t jump that high.
He realized that playing longer was unrealistic and moved his focus to coaching.
“I realized that I was short and I couldn’t really jump very high,” Wilkins said. “So if I wanted to stay in the sport, I better coach instead of play.”
Wilkins did play college volleyball at Humber for two seasons. The highest medal he reached as a player was the Ontario Collegiate Athletic Association (OCAA) bronze.
But since taking over the head coaching position in 2003, Wilkins has brought a culture of winning to the team. And a whole lot of medals.
He has won 16 OCAA championships, including this season.
And Wilkins hasn’t just won Ontario championships.
He has also won two Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) bronze medals and they have a chance for a third CCAA bronze this season.
Sydney Ferguson, a fourth-year co-captain, said she has learned much from Wilkins, as she has developed during her four years as a player.
“I just take all of the feedback and input he gives me and put it to use and really remind myself of those things when I’m in practice and in games,” she said.
In addition to his impact on the court, Ferguson said Wilkins has also taught the players important life lessons.
“Even going forward in life, he’s taught me a lot of valuable lessons and taught me a lot of skills,” she said.
But the impact goes the other way too. Wilkins said players became a big part of his life.
“We talk about being a family, and we’re a family,” he said. “And, they’re going to be greatly missed for sure.”
Wilkins’ impact is also felt by the other coaches on his staff, some of whom are former players.
Taylor Robertson, in her sixth year as an assistant, said she has been constantly developing in her coaching under him.
“He’s a great friend, he’s a mentor,” she said. “Always learning so much from him and providing lots of laughs along the way.”
Having coached for so long, Wilkins has seen lots of teams come through.
And for him, every iteration is different than the last.
“I think every year it feels different, it’s one of those things where each team is different,” Wilkins said. “Every year there’s different personalities that come in and different people that become a part of it.”
Even though he has been doing this for over two decades, Wilkins said that an end isn’t imminent.
But he does know when he will end his coaching career.
“I always make the joke that I’ll be done when I stop enjoying it,” Wilkins said. “And every year I get new people in here that make me enjoy the program.”
The Hawks lost in the bronze medal match, finishing in fourth place in the CCAA tournament.