Voth , Sanheim lead inductees into Manitoba Volleyball Hall
By Johnston Hall
Murray Grapentine and new Hall of Famer , Keith Sanheim
Lloyd Voth was not only an outstanding player , but also a great coach . Keith Sanheim might have been one of the greatest players ever produced in Manitoba . And Claire Lloyd was one of the first “ great ” female players in Manitoba volleyball history .
When you look at the athletes who were part of this year ’ s class being inducted into the Manitoba Volleyball Hall of Fame , you immediately ask youurself , “ What took so long ?”
The Volleyball Manitoba Annual Awards and Hall of Fame Banquet was held in early June at Canad Inns Destination Centre Polo Park .
This year ’ s Hall of Fame inductees include the following ( Bios courtesy of John Blacher at Volleyball Manitoba ):
Lloyd Voth ( Builder Category ) Lloyd ’ s volleyball involvement began in junior high in Morden , MB , when he got cut from the Grade 8 volleyball team ( he recalls that coach got fired the next year !). Fortunately , he continued to pursue the sport and played throughout high school for Morden Collegiate . His first provincial championship was in 1974 , in Rivers , where his team lost to Thompson in the finals . This all set the stage for the next 40 plus years of involvement in the sport with the U of M Bisons , with senior men ’ s champions and as one of Manitoba ’ s greatest volleyball coaches .
Steve Welch ( Athlete Category ) Steve began playing organized sports at an early age , including soccer and then hockey . When he ‘ outgrew his hockey equipment ’, his hockey career ended and he took up other sports at Laura Secord School . Steve entered Gordon Bell School in grade 7 and began to excel at Track & Field in junior high , before starting to
34 / sportslife play volleyball in Grade 9 , and continued to excel at both sports throughout high school . Steve dominated the provincial high jump from 1985-88 , matching the MHSAA record ( 2.04m ) in 1987 which held for 13 years , and set the provincial junior record in 1988 ( 2.09m ), which held for 25 years ( the same year he competed in the 1988 Olympic Trials ). As a volleyball player , he was a provincial team member , a university all-star , a member of Canada ’ s national team program and a professional player in Switzerland , Austria and Turkey .
Keith Sanheim ( Athlete Category ) Growing up in Oakbank , Keith was involved in many sports . He played soccer and baseball and had a group of friends that loved all sports and played them together all the time . His participation in sport continued as he entered Springfield Junior High and Springfield Collegiate , playing most of the sports the schools had to offer . Volleyball was one of those sports and Keith excelled . He wound up on the Provincial Team , the National Team and was a member of numerous juvenile and junior national championship teams . He played for the U of M Bisons and eventually the national team , where he would play from 1991-2003 . He played professionally in Germany , Japan , France , Italy , Greece and Switzerland .
Claire Lloyd ( Athlete Category ) In the late 1960s and early 70s volleyball in Manitoba was in its infancy , and Claire was part of a group that helped set the foundation for all the success that has come since that time . Claire played her high school volleyball at Churchill , winning a silver medal at Provincials in 1969 . Claire continued to experience success and excellence in the sport playing for the University of Manitoba and for Team Canada ( 1973-76 ). After her playing career ended in 1982 , she went on to coach 60 high school teams at Eric Hamber School in Vancouver from 1976 until her retirement in 2009 .
The 1976-1979 Selkirk Royals Girls Teams ( Team Category ) This group of players , who played together from 1976-1979 , won Lord Selkirk school ’ s first four Provincial Championships . The countless athletes and coaches that followed held that torch high , winning another eight titles . When the Royals won the Provincial Championship in 2014 it was Lord Selkirk High School ’ s 12th MHSAA title , the most won by any high school in the province . During this four-year period the teams established an overall record of 216 wins and 11 losses , including an unbeaten 58-0 season in 1978 . The teams , coached by Barry Miller and Mike Burchuk , included such athletes as Nan Calendar ( 76 , 77 , 78 ), Ida Clemons ( 76 , 77 , 78 ), Donna Posnick ( 76 ), Jill Goodbrandson ( 77 , 78 , 79 ) and Nikki Gusberti ( 78 , 79 ). •