From Rennie’s Gym to Olympic Games: Scott Dziewirz

Scott Dziewirz’s Journey from Rennie’s Gym to the Olympic Games

by Dan Mullins

Scott Dziewirz’s journey from the gyms of John Rennie High School to the grand stages of international volleyball is a tale of passion, perseverance, and community pride. Now a father of two, Scott is preparing to referee at the Paris Olympics, and his story is a testament to where dedication can lead.

Scott’s love for volleyball began at John Rennie High School in the early 1980s. “It came down to it being the first sport we had in our phys. ed. class,” Scott recalls. Linda Gendron, his phys. ed. teacher, recognized his potential early on. “She pulled me aside and said, ‘I want to talk to you after class,’ so I thought I was in trouble.” Instead, she insisted that he appear at volleyball tryouts the following week. Needless to say, he made the team.

From 1980 to 1985, Scott honed his skills at John Rennie before continuing his volleyball playing career at John Abbott College until 1988, and then coached at the college for 5 years. In 1989, Scott took his first steps into refereeing, starting with local leagues like GMAA and Lac St. Louis. “I think that the experience I had gained from playing and coaching gave me a very good perspective as a referee,” he explained. By 1995, he was officiating at age group Provincial Championships, and in 1999, he earned his National Badge, marking his entry into the top tier of Canadian volleyball referees.

Reflecting on his training, Scott says, “In 2004, I attended the official 10-day clinic in Atlanta, GA, along with nine other candidates from around the globe. After passing that and receiving my International Badge, the next stage in my career began.”

His international career began with junior competitions in the NORCECA zone, taking him to Mexico, the United States, and Canada. In 2013, he was nominated for his first Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) event in Brno, Czech Republic. By 2018, Scott was officiating in the World Championships of the prestigious World League. “Now called the Volleyball Nations League (VNL), it pits the top 16 senior national teams against each other in week-long competitions each summer for world rankings,” Scott explains. He was getting closer to the Olympics in terms of pressure and caliber.

“I was not selected for the Tokyo games and was initially very disappointed,” Scott described. “But I stuck to the philosophy that I had from day one: my goal was to become an international official and travel the world, and that even though my dream was to work at an Olympic Games, that was something that was not in my control and I would not look back on my career and be disappointed if I never received the call.”

Scott adapted to changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, refereeing in the VNL’s bubble format competition in Rimini, Italy, in 2021. “It was a very long and difficult competition, but the experience I gained there, working with the world’s best referees, was incredible,” Scott reflects.

Then, February 2024 brought a thrilling call: Scott had been invited to referee at the Paris Olympics. After sharing the news with his excited family, Scott called his two former JRHS coaches, Nicole Fournier and Linda Gendron. “They’ve been very, very close friends,” he explained. “It was an emotional conversation with them.”

Scott’s journey from John Rennie High School and Thorndale Elementary to the Paris Olympics is a source of immense pride for the Lester B. Pearson School Board community. His story demonstrates the heights one can reach with dedication and perseverance. Back in Montreal’s West Island this summer, many of us will be cheering for the ref.