North Vancouver's Toop O Toor Volleyball Club: Fostering Champions and Community Spirit

In the picturesque North Shore of Vancouver, a volleyball club called Toop O Toor, Farsi for "ball and net," has been making waves. Founded by Iraj Mozaffari, a dominant figure in Iranian volleyball for over thirty years, the club quickly established itself as a premier training hub in British Columbia. Known to the locals as TOT, the club has garnered numerous medals at both provincial and national levels.

Majid Mahichi – Local Journalism Initiative

In an interview with Iraj Mozaffari, he initially discussed his athletic background in Iran before mentioning that he moved to Canada eleven years ago. He started with eleven students in his volleyball class and has since taught over two hundred students. Mozaffari noted that, unlike in Iran, he did not receive government subsidies for his classes in Canada; instead, his club in North Vancouver is supported by families. Mozaffari's management innovation involves providing financial ease to his students by allowing newcomers to Canada and those who live far from the club to pay only fifty percent of the registration fees. He cites his biggest challenge as a coach is finding a gym. Despite the increasing number of students, there is limited space for training, and he utilizes school sports facilities or rec centers for practice. Mozaffari mentioned that since ninety percent of his students are Iranian, he involves his wife and daughter in managing the club. He explains that this is because most of his students are girls who may feel more comfortable discussing their concerns with another female. He has created a space where, unlike other clubs, families are allowed to be present to watch their teenagers' training sessions.

Assisting Mozaffari is Ahmad Abouali, who started his volleyball career in his teens and later moved to Canada in 1995. Working initially in medical technology, Abouali shifted his focus to volleyball coordination at the West Vancouver Community Center, eventually meeting Mozaffari and co-founding the club in 2016.

Abouali recalls their early days, "It was tough getting a space to train, but the local school district and community commission eventually supported us, for which we are grateful." Their perseverance paid off as the club now trains around 130 players year-round, achieving remarkable success, including a gold medal in the B.C. club championships in 2019 with Niaz Mozaffari as the team captain.

Ahmad mentioned that before any practice, they collect all cell phones from the kids to ensure they focus solely on volleyball. "This strategy helps the kids disconnect from social media for an hour and engage with the real people around them and play," he said. This addition has proven effective in enhancing both focus and interpersonal interactions during training sessions.

Volunteer TV host:

Mohammad Ahmadi

Producer:

Majid Mahichi

Skyrise Media Society