Sentinel’s second Snowball Classic for mental health gains momentum

By Olivia Bradbury / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Carbonear Collegiate’s second annual Sentinel Snowball Classic Boys Volleyball Tournament in support of men’s mental health was another success this spring and even bigger than last year’s incarnation. 

The tournament was hosted at three different schools this time around: Carbonear Collegiate, St. Francis School, and Persalvic School Complex.

The tournament was started last year by teacher Matthew Sheppard and marked a return to volleyball participation by Carbonear Collegiate after an absence of some 20 years. Sheppard said he wanted the Snowball Classic to help boost the mental health of students.

“Last year we were brand new and as we would go to tournaments and compete, we would often come last, win nothing, and I would watch the boys leave very discouraged and full of negative self-talk,” Sheppard explained in the tournament’s flyer. “At times while we were waiting to play we would even hear players on other teams (as teenagers do – I’m a teacher, I get it) make comments like ‘Oh, we’re playing Carbonear next, we’ll beat them for sure, they’re garbage,’ which would often totally discourage the boys before we even started warming up. I often would see the boys work so hard and have so much fun at practice, only to go to tournaments and watch them get so down and feel worthless. This really bummed me out.”

Sheppard said he tried to assure his players their hard work would pay off and that winning was not everything. He also reminded them they were competing against teams with much more volleyball experience. Sheppard said he grew very close to the players, sharing his own mental health struggles with them. Eventually, he came up with the idea of a volleyball tournament in support of men’s mental health. 

“I want us to all come and be competitive, but I also want us to have fun, and I really, more than anything else, want every individual team to feel celebrated and to see their collective and individual hard work both at this tournament and throughout the season celebrated,” wrote Sheppard. “The idea does not stem from the notion that we are now living in a society where everyone needs a medal, because I don’t believe that to be true; but rather from the idea that everyone has very different access to sport and opportunity in sport, and while competition is important and many of these boys do look like big burly men, they are still kids who are trying their best and I want to keep the fun in that and I want them to recognize their own progress and self-worth, regardless of placements and medals.”

Twelve teams competed in the senior high division of the tournament this year, with six teams in the junior division. In Tier 1 of the senior high division, Tricentia Academy won bronze, Pasadena Phoenix won silver, and Southwest Arm Academy won gold. In Tier 2, Gonzaga High School B won bronze, Carbonear Collegiate won silver, and Jane Collins Academy won gold. Carbonear Collegiate also won the most spirited team banner, which was voted on by other teams. 

“We all ordered fun green shorts and tie-dyed jerseys for the weekend, we had custom socks made, and the boys found green face paint and green temporary hair dye,” said Sheppard. “It was so awesome to see other teams do much of the same.” 

The junior division saw Metro Elite 15U win bronze, Metro Elite 14U silver, and Clarenville Middle School win gold. Carbonear Collegiate’s junior high boys team also won the most spirited team banner, with the award once again voted on by the competing teams.

Tthere were further accolades presented to players on each team including the Heart of the Team Award; the Perseverance Award; the Most Improved Player Award; the Most Dedicated Player Award; and the Most Spirited Player Award. In the medal round there was also a Most Valuable Player and Most Sportsmanlike Player Award.

Sheppard and the Sentinels decorated the gyms of all three schools with statistics and information about men’s mental health. They also handed out a flyer with contact information for mental health resources, and sold ribbons as a fundraiser for the Splash Centre, the tournament’s charity partner. In addition to all the ribbon sales, 50 percent of the proceeds from the cost of admissions was donated to the Splash Centre.

The funds from last year’s Snowball Sentinel Classic allowed 20 male athletes at Carbonear Collegiate to get certified in Mental First Aid. Funds from this year’s tournament will allow 30 more to get certified in SafeTALK, a half-day alertness training program to prepare participants to become suicide alert helpers. 

“I am very proud of my boys,” said Sheppard. “Last year in this very tournament we placed dead last, and now this year we took silver in Tier 2. That’s a lot of progress in one short year. Many of the boys on the senior high team are heading off to Volleyball Canada Youth Nationals in Edmonton at the end of May and we can’t wait.”