As one of the most successful and respected coaches in Canada, Garth Pischke finished his 38th season in 2019-20 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 graduated 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 37 years as the Bison men’s volleyball head coach, the Bisons qualified for the U SPORTS National Championships 27 times, including a streak of 14 straight years winning a medal at the Championship as well as a streak of 19 straight seasons of qualifying for the National Championship. While Pischke was at the helm, the Manitoba Bisons collected nine U SPORTS gold medals, nine U SPORTS silver medals, five U SPORTS bronze medal, two fourth place finishes, and two fifth place finish in 27 appearances at the U SPORTS Nationals level.
Instituting a strong value system, Pischke aimed to graduate every player that studies at the University of Manitoba, win the Canada West conference title as well as the U SPORTS 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 was a GPAC (Great Plains Athletic Conference) Coach of the Year numerous times over his illustrious career and earned his first-ever Canada West Coach of the Year honour in 2016-17 (GPAC fully merged with Canada West in the 2002-03 season). In addition, he was selected as U SPORTS Coach of the Year a record six times (1981-82, 1983-84, 1987-88, 1989-90, 1994-95, 2016-17).
Pischke reached the milestone plateau of his 1,000th coaching victory with the Bisons on November 9, 2003 with a victory over the Trinity Western Spartans during the 2003-04 season. He captured 1,100 win when Manitoba defeated Laval 3-2 (23-25, 25-20, 25-22, 19-25, 15-7) on January 6, 2007 at Excalibur Volleyball Classic tournament title held at York University. Another milestone was achieved in the 2011-12 season as he captured his 1,200th victory when the Bisons defeated the No. 1 ranked Trinity Western Spartans by a 3-1 (25-21, 25-19, 25-17) score on January 27, 2012 at the Investors Group Athletic Centre.
The Winnipeg native reached a phenomenal milestone in the 2014-15 season. Pischke captured his 1,240th victory during league action win a 3-0 win (25-17, 25-17, 25-18) over the University of Regina on Oct. 18, 2014. At that point, he surpassed the old mark set by UCLA legendary coach Al Scates to establish the new North American all-time coaching match win record for men’s volleyball.
On January 14, 2017 at home against UBC, Pischke reached the milestone plateau with his 1,300 overall match win when the Bisons won 3-1 (25-23, 27-29, 25-16, 25-23).
At the completion of the 2018-19 U SPORTS Men's Volleyball season, Pischke held an overall coaching match record at 1,345-400 (77.08% winning percentage). This was also the most overall coaching wins by a USPORTS head coach in history.
Forty-two of Pischke's athletes went on to represent Canada in National Team programs. He was 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.
Pischke’s background with volleyball did not start with coaching. His 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 U SPORTS 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 was 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 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 and again in 2019 (team category), 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.
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 U SPORTS National Champion at the University of Saskatchewan and Junior National Team player. The couple, married for 34 years, currently resides in south Winnipeg. They have two children, Dane and Taylor. Dane holds a Business Degree from the I.H. Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba and has successfully completed his CPA designation. He currently works full-time with MNP in Winnipeg. Taylor competed her undergraduate degree at the University of Manitoba and is currently working on her Masters in Business Administration at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She is also on the Canadian Beach National Team and represents Canada on the FIVB World Beach Volleyball Tour.
GARTH PISCHKE'S OVERALL MEN’S VOLLEYBALL COACHING RECORD WITH THE MANITOBA BISONS
(AS OF COMPLETION OF 2018-19 U SPORTS MEN’S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP)
W L PCT
vs. CANADIAN UNIVERSITIES 1016 295 77.5%
vs. CANADIAN COLLEGES 23 0 100.00%
vs. AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES 161 86 65.18%
ALL UNIVERSITY/COLLEGES: 1200 381 75.9%
vs. CANADIAN CLUBS 128 13 90.78%
vs. AMERICAN CLUBS 17 6 73.91%
ALL CLUBS: 145 19 88.41%
vs. CANADIAN COMPETITION 1167 308 79.12%
vs. AMERICAN COMPETITION 178 92 65.93%
ALL COMPETITION: 1345 400 77.08%
