(EDMONTON, ALBERTA, December 22, 2021) Dodgeball Canada reveals today that Victor Gravili has announced that he will step back from the National Program to focus on personal goals and prioritize ambitions both related and unrelated to dodgeball. He will step down from his role as head coach of Canada’s men’s and women’s teams and Dodgeball Canada will lead a hiring process in the New Year to find his successors for the 2022 World Championship being held in Edmonton, Alberta.
“To say that Victor has been the driving force in building a national dodgeball program in Canada is an understatement to say the least. He has made an indelible mark on the sport in this country and is a big reason for our historical success on the international stage,” said Dodgeball Canada President Duane Wysynski. “While he and his contributions will be missed, we support his decision to refocus at this time and the door remains open for his return to the program at a future date.”
“I want to thank Duane, Dodgeball Canada, our provincial partners, players and staff for their tremendous support over the years. It’s been a privilege to have the opportunity to do what I love most across Canada and internationally. This was a tough decision to make and I appreciate everyone’s respect and support throughout the process. As I’m sure many can relate, this pandemic has challenged us to think critically about life and our priorities. While it’s been an honour leading Team Canada over the years, I’ve recognized the need to slow down in order to prioritize myself, my family, friends and other goals. I’m still passionate about dodgeball and coaching and I’m excited to continue my work with the Mavericks dodgeball club and Lakeshore Hawks (Humber College). As I’ve shared with Duane, this isn’t a retirement by any means. I will be on standby to support and cheer on Team Canada next year and will keep the door open to coaching internationally again when the time is right.” — Victor Gravili
Gravili — also known as “Coach Vic” — is one the longest tenured coaches and successful program architects in dodgeball history. He began coaching Canada Women’s in 2015 (Las Vegas) and added Canada Men’s to his list of responsibilities in 2016 (Melbourne), where he guided both teams to the finals and led the men to a gold medal. During his five-year tenure with Team Canada, he’s credited with revamping the National Program by introducing a new culture, standards and processes to bolster onboarding, improve selections, and maximize potential through player development planning, team training and inclusion. His vision and leadership has led Canada to five medals (1-gold, 1-silver, 3-bronze). He pauses his international coaching career as the all-time leader in wins and matches coached at the WDBF World Championships.
For more information, please contact duane@dodgeballcanda.org
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