Graduate Students' Union Volleyball League

The league is still in operation - for current information on the league, see the Graduate Students' Union web site and/or contact Ruth Perkins, 416-946-8699.

Historical Information

Organized volleyball at the Graduate Students' Union (16 Bancroft Avenue, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) got its start in an Orientation Week one-night tournament in either 1976 or 1977. At least one team (Chemistry) was put together in the GSU Bar after playing softball most of the afternoon, and they were well-refreshed between matches (they didn't win the tournament, but were finalists if memory serves). That supplied the impetus for weekly pick-up games for Chemistry, and probably a couple other departments as well.

The GSU Volleyball League began in 1978, apparently organized by a Physical Education student as a course project. Mike Peterson, a graduate student in Chemistry, took over for the 1979-1980 season and ran the league through the 2007-2008 season. The league grew from 4 teams in one division playing one night a week to about 50 teams playing 4 nights a week from 6 PM until the building closed at a wide range of skill levels.

There were 5 divisions: Competitive W, Competitive T, Intermediate A, Intermediate B, and Recreation.

• Competitive meant hard spiking, blocking required, setters running plays, very strict rules. There were 2 divisions, W and T, which played on Wednesday and Thursday respectively. The top teams in these divisions matched up well with the best teams in other city leagues.
• Intermediate meant trying to play by the rules, but not necessarily strictly called. There were 2 divisions, A and B, with the teams at the bottom of A being swapped with the top teams in division B for next season. The intention was that division A games should be called more strictly than division B games, and the level of play should be higher; high level players should *** NOT *** be playing Intermediate B, where blocks were not solid and "softer" spiking would be the norm. In the past, Intermediate A played mainly on Monday, with a few time slots on Wednesday or Thursday; Intermediate B played mainly on Tuesday, with a few time slots on Wednesday and Thursday. New teams normally started in the B division.
• Recreation meant anything goes (playing just for "fun"). There were no playoffs in the Recreation division.

All divisions were mixed: maximum 4 male players on the court at a time, at least 1 female player (preferably 2, or more).

Games were played in 1 or 1 1/2 hour time slots at the GSU, starting at 6:00 PM until 11:00 PM, Mondays through Thursdays, from October to mid-April.

There were no referees for the GSU Volleyball League games. Matches were played in the spirit of competitiveness and fair play. Sportsmanship and having fun are the key goals. All players were expected to call their own faults, and call the lines properly. If the players wouldn't make the call, the team captain must step in and take action; it should never be required that the opposing team got involved in discussions about the play of your team. If this was happening in the Competitive or Intermediate A divisions, where all players were expected to know the rules of volleyball, the player / team should think about whether they should really be playing in this league. The enjoyment of the game and the quality of the league (especially at the Competitive / Intermediate A levels) depended on every player. If everyone did their part, all would have a great season of volleyball.

Volleyball Links

• FIVB Volleyball Rules 2013 (PDF).
• Volleyball news for Southern Ontario.
• Ontario Volleyball Association.
• West Toronto Sport & Social Club (indoor and beach volleyball, many other sports)
• Toronto Central Sport & Social Club (indoor and beach volleyball, many other sports)
• Not So Pro Sports (indoor and beach volleyball, many other sports) (formerly Toronto East Sport & Social Club)
• Toronto Volleyball
• Intramural Canada
• GTA Volleyball (indoor and beach volleyball locations)

League Champions

1984-1985
Competitive Division: Chemistry Chemikazes
Recreation Division: Geology

1985-1986
Competitive Division: Geology Rock-Bashers
Recreation Division: Dentistry Tooth Busters

1986-1987
Competitive Division: Geology Rock-Bashers
Recreation Division: Geography Prollies

1987-1988
Competitive Division: Chemistry Chemikazes
Recreation Division: Massey Fergusons

1988-1989
Competitive Division: Geography Globetrotters
Recreation A Division: Krew of Comus
Recreation B Division: The Beast There Is

1989-1990
Competitive Division: Amandla
Recreation A Division: Anatomy
Recreation B Division: Biohazard

1990-1991
Competitive Division: Amandla
Recreation A Division: Civil AA's
Recreation B Division: Xenos

1991-1992
Competitive Division: Chemikazes
Recreation A Division: Psykicks
Recreation B Division: Civil AA's

1992-1993
Competitive Division: Chemikazes
Intermediate Division: Festering Wounds
Recreation Division: Gaspers

1993-1994
Competitive Division: Power Merger II
Intermediate Division: The Mental-lurgists
Recreation Division: Cosmic Anomalies

1994-1995
Competitive Division: The Good Bunch
Intermediate Division: Latecomers
Recreation Division: Fuming Hoods

1995-1996
Competitive Division: Amandla
Intermediate Division: Romulans
Recreation Division: IHPST

1996-1997
Competitive Division: Amandla
Intermediate Division: Graphic Violets
Recreation Division: Cosmic Anomalies

1997-1998
Competitive Division: Yipes
Intermediate A Division: Bump Buddies
Intermediate B Division: Dragon Slayers
Recreation Division: (no playoffs)

1998-1999
Competitive Division: Amandla
Intermediate A Division: Graphic Violets
Intermediate B Division: The Way Outs
Recreation Division: Pharm Team

1999-2000
Competitive Division: Chaotic Mayhem
Intermediate A Division: Graphic Violets
Intermediate B Division: Lances
Recreation Division: Pam's Team

2000-2001
Competitive Division: Chaotic Mayhem
Intermediate A Division: Watts Up
Intermediate B Division: Val's Team RSA
Recreation Division: Rotman Killers

2001-2002
Competitive Division: One Ugly Skin Head
Intermediate A Division: Watts Up
Intermediate B Division: Quantum Leap
Recreation Division: (no playoffs)

2002-2003
Competitive Division: Chaotic Mayhem
Intermediate A Division: Economics
Intermediate B Division: Deadly Infection
Recreation Division: (no playoffs)

2003-2004
Competitive Division: One Ugly Skin Head
Intermediate A Division: Tandem X
Intermediate B Division: Speed Bumps
Recreation Division: (no playoffs)

2004-2005
Competitive Division: Chaotic Mayhem
Intermediate A Division: Tandem X
Intermediate B Division: Speed Bumps
Recreation Division: (no playoffs)

2005-2006
Competitive Division: The Strangers
Intermediate A Division: Missing Links
Intermediate B Division: Speed Bumps
Recreation Division: (no playoffs)

2006-2007
Competitive Division: Slackers
Intermediate A Division: Mad Hopps
Intermediate B Division: The Cat's Pajamas
Recreation Division: (no playoffs)

2007-2008
Competitive Division: Slackers
Intermediate A Division: Missing Links
Intermediate B Division: Smoking Kills
Recreation Division: (no playoffs)