Chris Pollitt helped lead the York women's volleyball program to five straight OWIAA championship games and four CIAU championship appearances from 1986-91. In that stretch, she won four OWIAA gold medals (1987-88, 1990-91) and two CIAU bronze medals (1990 and 1991). She was named a CIAU all-Canadian and an OWIAA all-star in each of the five years she played with York and was a member of the OWIAA tournament all-star team in 1988 and 1990. Pollitt capped off her career at York by being named the female athlete of the year in 1991.
The lessons learned through sport are vast and often transcend the competitive arena. For Chris Pollitt, her time with the York women’s volleyball team gave her not only numerous athletic accolades but also a number of life lessons she uses to this day to be successful in her chosen career.
Pollitt, who took up the sport in grade six after receiving a volleyball as a Christmas gift from her parents, was a star on a dominant women’s volleyball team and is now the director of information technology for a customs brokerage. The two share little in common, but one thing she has been able to pull from sport is the ability to work with others to realize a common goal.
“I learned so much about teamwork [while at York]. Really and truly, it is about recognizing people’s strengths and weaknesses and putting them together in the right way to achieve a goal. Being on the volleyball team taught me that everyone is different and that you can’t always use the same motivation techniques for everyone. The goal has to be achievable for everyone, and then it is important to push everyone to succeed in the areas they are the strongest.
“This lesson has helped me in my career, particularly with the roles I’ve had in management. I recognize that everyone is different and the thrill is putting everyone together and utilizing their strengths to achieve goals.”
York became the top volleyball program in the province in the ‘80s and ‘90s thanks to a large group of women who set out together to win championships. From 1982 to 1997 the Yeowomen won 13 of 16 OWIAA titles, and Pollitt came to York because of its reputation as a volleyball powerhouse after turning down multiple offers from American universities.
Her decision greatly benefitted the York program as the Yeowomen won four OWIAA titles and back-to-back bronze medals at the national championships in 1990 and 1991. Along the way, Pollitt, who was York’s female athlete of the year in 1991, became one of only a handful of women to be named to the CIAU all-Canadian team and the OWIAA all-star team in all five years of interuniversity sport.
“I wouldn’t call it surreal but I’ve always felt lucky to be part of such a great program and I’m proud of what we were able to accomplish in my five years with the team,” she says of the long list of achievements. “All the practice and the games were such a positive experience for me. We battled so hard in Ontario for so many years and it was a highlight to finally break out at the nationals and win two bronze medals.”
Pollitt continued the sport at a high level for one more year after graduating from York, travelling overseas to spend one season playing in Switzerland. After that she returned home and turned her focus to growing in her career.
While volleyball is just a small part of her life now – she still plays competitively in the winter and has taken up football in the summer – Pollitt’s recent successes can be traced back to a stellar five years at York.
