The WinMan Wild 15U boys are heading back to Manitoba as national champions.
On May 11, WinMan earned the title by defeating Ontario’s Pakmen Gold in straight sets (25-18, 25-21) in the Tier 1 championship match at the Volleyball Canada 2025 Youth Nationals, held at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
The playoff round wasn’t always easy for WinMan, who were pushed to three sets in both their quarterfinal and semifinal matches. But in the final, they rode the momentum of a packed crowd—including fellow Manitoba teams in the stands—to victory.
“Just the fans and everybody supporting us. It helped a lot,” said WinMan left side and defensive specialist Jaxon Henry. “We just brought the energy, and suddenly I had a feeling we were going to win that game as soon as the warm-up started because of the energy on the court and how loud it was. We just adapted to it and got the job done.”
Henry, of Selkirk, was one of two Interlake players on the championship roster, alongside setter Connor Evans.
The pair also helped WinMan capture the 2025 Volleyball Manitoba provincial championship just a few weeks earlier.
This season, WinMan was put to the test physically, training six hours a week on court along with strength sessions at Overtime Fitness. The team also competed in 16U and 17U tournaments throughout the year.
For Evans, this was his first season with WinMan—and only his second year playing volleyball.
He said studying footage of professional volleyball helped him improve, and he often puts in extra practice time at home. After graduating high school, he hopes to play at the college level and possibly go pro in Europe.
Now, just two years into his career, he’s already achieved what most players only dream of.
“It means a lot for me and my team because it’s my second year playing volleyball,” said Evans. “It’s hard to explain. It just feels awesome.”
