Mitchell French was a dominant force on the volleyball court with a number of individual awards to show for a pile of wins strung together over the year.
The six-foot-four Corner Brook native has blossomed into one of the finest male volleyball players in the province because of his strong work ethic and impressive skillset, but he hasn’t forgotten how valuable his teammates and coach Kerry Pittman have been during his final year as a key cog for the Corner Brook Intermediate Storm.
French’s exploits on the volleyball court earned him the nod as the Newfoundland and Labrador Volleyball Association’s Junior Male Player of the Year when provincial award winners were announced in St. John’s over the weekend.
His impressive resume included a season where the Storm won gold at every tournament they entered during the past year. Other major highlights include gold at the 2017 Atlantic U16 male volleyball championships and gold at the 2018 Newfoundland and Labrador Winter Games in Deer Lake, the victory at the Games capping off a season that saw French earn MVP honours at the Games as well as the provincial U17 Tier 2 male volleyball championships.
French was happy to be recognized for his achievements, but he was quick to heap praise on his teammates who he became close with during the season and coach Kerry Pittman for putting in a lot of time with the team
“I wouldn’t have learned the stuff I have without both of them,” French said of the great supporting cast he had surrounding him this season. They are a very talented group of guys but they just bring a fun aspect to the game and that’s why we got so close and were able to win everything,” he said.
The province boasts some dandy volleyball players, male and female, in various pockets of the province. French was pumped about winning the award because he knows there were several players who he felt were worthy candidates for it.
“I feel great. It’s really a big accomplishment to win the award out of all the talented guys we played against this year,” French said.
He will be keeping his fingertips on the ball over the summer as he prepares to help Team Newfoundland and Labrador go for gold at the 2018 Atlantic Volleyball Championships in Halifax in July.
His junior career is behind him so now he’s eager to write the next chapter. He’s hoping to crack the roster of the Corner Brook High Titans 4A male volleyball team in his first year of high school.
He isn’t worried about finding his way with the older guys in his first year. He played with most of them in the past and they all told him they can’t wait for him to join them.
He’s confident he can earn his way. He’s going to embrace the challenge by working his butt off over the next few months to make it come to fruition.
Mitchell French
Junior Male Player of the Year
2017-2018 Accomplishments
Gold — in all 15U volleyball tournaments with Corner Brook Intermediate Storm
Gold — 2018 15U male Newfoundland and Labrador Winter Games
Gold — Team NL 16U male at Atlantic Championships
2017-2018 Awards
MVP 17U Tier 2 provincials
MVP 2018 Newfoundland and Labrador Winter Games
