As one of the most successful and respected coaches in Canada, Garth Pischke enters into his 32nd season in 2012-13 as Head Coach of the University of Manitoba Men's Volleyball program. In the middle of that stint, Pischke was Head Coach of the Canadian National Men's Volleyball Team from 1996-2000 and guided them from 21st in world rankings to 10th. Pischke is a graduate of Silver Heights Collegiate and completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Manitoba prior to studying in the master’s program at the University of North Dakota. As a veteran coach, Pischke has proven his abilities by also cultivating championship Bison age class club teams including both men’s and women’s teams.


During Pischke’s 31 years as the Bison men’s volleyball head coach, the Bisons have qualified for the CIS National Championships 26 times. Under Pischke, Manitoba Bisons have collected nine CIS gold medals, nine CIS silver medals, five CIS bronze medal, two fourth place finishes, and their lowest showing being a fifth place finish in 26 appearances at the CIS National Championship level. His latest medal occurred in the 2011-12 season when the Bisons won a bronze medal.  


Instituting a strong value system, Pischke aims to graduate every player that studies at the University of Manitoba, win the Canada West conference title as well as the CIS National Championship title and develop players for the Canadian National Team. He welcomes the challenges of athlete performance and finds coaching at the university level very fulfilling and gratifying.


Pischke reached the milestone plateau of his 1000th coaching victory with the Bisons on November 9, 2003 with a victory over the Trinity Western Spartans during the 2003-04 season. Thirty-six of Pischke's athletes have gone on to represent Canada in National Team programs. He has also been involved in coaching various developmental and experienced club teams to three Under-18 National Championships, four Under-20 National Championships, and four Volleyball Canada Open Championships.


The Winnipeg native reached two more phenomenal milestones during the 2006-07 and 2011-12 seasons. He captured his 1100th victory at the annual York University Excalibur Classic from January 5-7, 2007 and on January 27, 2012, he captured his 1200th victory at home against the Trinity Western Spartans.  During the 2010-11 season, Pischke guided the squad to a 11-7 conference record finishing fourth in the Canada West Conference and a national fifth place ranking. In the 2011-12 season, the Bisons improved to a 18-2 conference record finishing second in the Canada West Conference and the year as CIS National Championship bronze medalists. The squad will return most of its players in 2012-13.

Pischke's background with volleyball did not start with coaching. Pischke’s volleyball career began as an elite middle blocker where he has won many National Championships as a player. These include three Canadian Under-20 Championships, three CIS Championships, five Volleyball Canada Open Championships, and three USVBA Open Championships. Pischke was a member of the Canadian Olympic Team at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He also played professional volleyball in the United States (El Paso and Denver) in the International Volleyball Association (IVA), where he was named League Rookie in 1978 and League MVP in 1979.

Individually, he has been named to 12 All-Star Teams at Canadian National Championships where he received six MVP awards. Pischke was named All-American at eight USVBA Championships and awarded an MVP award. He has won 30 National Championships including the 1991 Canadian Beach Doubles Championship. 


Pischke was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1989, the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1999, the Canadian Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2000, the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2009; honored with the Royal Canadian Legion Sports Foundation C.A.P. award, and his greatest accomplishment was being named MANITOBA’S AMATEUR ATHLETE OF THE 20th CENTURY in the fall of 2000. In 2000, True North Volleyball Magazine named Pischke as “Canada’s Best Male Volleyball Player” of all time.  In November 2012 the 1978 and 1980 Bison Men's Volleyball Teams, in which Pischke was a player and coach, will be inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame for winning the CIAU (now CIS) National Championships.


He joins the company of Canadian athletes and builders who have, over the course of their career, distinguished themselves in Olympic and Pan American competition or contributed to the growth and development of the Olympic movement.


Pischke is married to the former Cindy Shepherd, a three time CIS National Champion at the University of Saskatchewan and Junior National Team player. The couple, married for 27 years, currently reside in south Winnipeg with their two children, Dane and Taylor. Dane and Taylor are both members of the University of Manitoba Bison volleyball teams as well as Team Canada and are proud to represent their country in its indoor (Dane and Taylor) and beach (Taylor) volleyball programs. 


AS OF FEBRUARY 10/2012