Immortalizing a storied career

Winnipeg Free Press

02-05-2025

If Wanda Guenette had it her way, she would've played basketball.
When she looks back at it now, that probably wouldn't have been the right decision.
'My temperament really wasn't made for the sport,' said a chuckling Guenette, who possessed exceptional hops and dominated the post as a teenager.
RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS
Wanda Guenette represented Canada at four Pan American Games, including the bronze-medal winning team in 1995, two World Cups, five NORCECA Championships and at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
It also happens that the lifelong Winnipegger was pretty good at volleyball, a sport that she made waves in as a high school player.
'My mom actually told me I should probably stick to volleyball, because I was always getting fouled out because I could jump higher than most, and the refs kind of predetermined that I was gonna foul someone even though I didn't touch them,' Guenette added.
'She said, 'I think volleyball is probably your better bet,' and she was quite correct.'
Mom always knows best.
Indeed, Guenette, the daughter of Blue Bomber great and CFL Hall of Famer Ernie Pitts, was as fierce as she was athletically gifted, which served her well when she spiked her hoops dreams in Grade 11 to chase a promising future in volleyball.
A 25-year pro career landed Guenette in the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 2014 and, later this year, her four decades in the sport will be immortalized when she's inducted into the Volleyball Canada Hall of Fame. She will be inducted alongside Dave Carey (builder), Randy Gingera (athlete), Neil Johnson (athlete) and Debbie Jackson (referee) in Ottawa on June 5.
'It was a career of opportunities,' Guenette said, 'and when they arose, I jumped at the chance.'
Mike Burchuk first noticed Guenette at the 1978 high school AAAA provincial championship when he was coaching Lord Selkirk, and she played for Miles Macdonell. Though Burchuk's Royals triumphed in that match, it was the Grade 11 standout who was named Most Valuable Player, a rare feat for someone on the losing squad.
Two years later, Burchuk was hired as head coach of the Winnipeg Wesmen women's volleyball team. One of the top targets in his inaugural recruiting class? An undersized middle with exceptional athleticism from Miles Macdonell.
'Wanda was an amazing athlete who possessed an incredible vertical jump,' said Burchuk. 'She was a very skilled player who excelled at hitting and blocking. Although undersized for a middle player at 5-9, she compensated for her lack of size with her quickness and her repertoire of spiking shots.'
Guenette was named an All-Canadian in 1983 while helping the Wesmen win their first of six consecutive national championships.
RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS
Wanda Guenette represented Canada at four Pan American Games, including the bronze-medal winning team in 1995, two World Cups, five NORCECA Championships and at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
'The main thing that stands out about Wanda's volleyball career is her incredible athletic ability. Two, her drive to succeed, and three, her longevity,' Burchuk added.
'I enjoyed coaching Wanda very much, and it was especially gratifying watching her evolve from a raw athlete to a polished and skilled Olympic athlete.'
After graduating, Guenette jetted to Montreal and left volleyball behind in Winnipeg. In 1988, she received an unexpected call from a longtime friend who was playing professionally in Germany.
'She said, 'We need a middle, do you want to play?' I'm like, 'I haven't played in like five years,' and she said, 'You can do it,'' Guenette recalled.
She quit her job and jumped on a plane to begin a pro career that included stops in France, Italy, Spain and Belgium over the next 12 years.
Around Christmas in 1990, in between seasons amid her stint in France, Guenette was at a Wesmen game when Manitoba Bisons women's volleyball head coach Ken Bentley approached her to gauge her interest in trying out for the senior women's national team. Burchuk, who coached the national team at the time, had kept tabs on his former player when she went overseas and was interested in a reunion.
Guenette accepted and made the team when she returned for the tryout in 1991. She went on to represent Canada internationally for the next nine years at three Pan American Games, including the bronze-medal winning team in 1995, two World Cups, five NORCECA Championships and at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
'Definitely winning the bronze at Pan Am is a highlight. Obviously, the Olympics were a highlight, but qualifying at home, in front of our home fans, all the support that we had through volunteers, staff, family, friends, that was a huge highlight,' she said.
Though Guenette could've called it a career in 2000, she felt like there was still more out there. Really, it was the beginning of an entirely different career.
In 2001, she transitioned to beach volleyball to play on the world tour and — just like she had been on the hardcourt — Guenette was a force in the sand.
Along with playing partner Laura Inward, she won gold at three straight World Masters Games from 2009-2013. Guenette also played her fourth Pan Am Games in 2003 in beach volleyball.
WAYNE GLOWACKI / FREE PRESS FILES
Wanda Guenette was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 2014 after a 25-year pro career.
Her final victory at the World Masters was particularly meaningful, as Guenette was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2012 and told her chances of playing again were slim. Perhaps it was that old temperament that pushed her through a rigorous rehab process and to another gold.
'(Volleyball) means everything to me,' Guenette said. 'I've made amazing friendships through it, I've travelled the world, I've learned different cultures. I've been super blessed because of the world of volleyball and beach volleyball.'
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Guenette currently volunteers for the Blazers Volleyball Club as a team consultant and runs the club's beach program in the summer.
Turns out, she made the right decision after all.
'It's a bit overwhelming, but it's a great honour, and I'm hoping that it shows that I'm a role model to young athletes so that they can achieve their dream, even if they think they're on a different path,' she said.
'Just to jump at the opportunities when you can, and don't be afraid of them.'
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Joshua Frey-SamReporter
Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh.
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