Sitting Volleyball a Smashing Success at 2025 Invictus Games

This month Volleyball BC had the honour of helping with the delivery of the Sitting Volleyball competition at the 2025 Invictus Games. 

Hundreds of athletes representing twenty different countries took part in the competition, which was one of 11 sports being offered at this year’s Invictus Games for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women. Founded by the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, the Invictus Games is held every two years as a way to support recovery and rehabilitation through sport. 

As a sport partner, Volleyball BC supported the 2025 Invictus Games by training and providing referees, helping with event logistics, lending sport court flooring, and supporting the organization of the competition. We also showcased our sport by running “try it” sessions for school classes and for the public at the Invictus Village during the Games. As a legacy from the Games,  the dedicated sitting volleyball nets purchased for the Games have been donated to Volleyball BC, which gives us the ability to offer Sitting Volleyball programming and events for years to come. 

Most importantly, the Games also gave us a platform for the promotion and development of sitting volleyball in BC. With financial support from viaSport BC and the Province of BC, we have developed introductory coaching materials working with Nicole Ban, Head Coach of the Women’s National Sitting Volleyball Team. Over the next few months, these coaching materials will be piloted at various elementary schools in the Lower Mainland and will be made available for any community organization interested in delivering sitting volleyball programming.  

We would like to thank the Invictus Games Foundation for allowing us to be a part of this world-class event and for helping us further the growth of the sport of Sitting Volleyball in British Columbia!

“As the Program Coordinator of Volleyball BC and the leader of the Sitting Volleyball School Program, I’m thrilled to see how volunteering at the Invictus Games Try-It School Program has helped us increase our coaches’ capacity and witness their development firsthand. We are excited to continue working with schools and sharing our love for sitting volleyball, bringing this incredible sport to more students across the province.”

• Visar Alimehaj, Program Coordinator, Volleyball BC

“Volleyball BC was fortunate to have over 30 referees involved in the Invictus games this past week, refereeing the sport of sitting Volleyball. In conjunction with 2 International sitting referees on loan to us from Volleyball Alberta, Neal Konowalyk and Greg Hawthorne, these referees acted as referees, scorers and line judges for the 24 matches. The referees came from the Okanagan, Vancouver Island, Fraser Valley and Lower Mainland to volunteer for this special event. There were nothing but smiles and enthusiasm on the faces of all participants and the referees fit right in with the environment. We were all so happy and so proud to represent Volleyball BC in this spectacular event and thank the organizers of the games for being so organized and welcoming. This will be an event we will never forget!”

• Glenn Wheatley, Referee Development Manager, Volleyball BC 

“The Invictus Games provided us with a truly unique opportunity to promote and develop sitting volleyball in BC. Volleyball BC has never had any dedicated sitting volleyball resources, however, by working with the organizing committee over the past two years, we now have trained coaches and referees, dedicated equipment, and coaching resources that will benefit our community moving forward. We are excited to explore how we continue this momentum.”

• Emma Gibbons, CEO, Volleyball B