Charlene Robitaille is renowned for her volleyball prowess. Martlet fans are familiar with her skill on the court as well as her history of awards from the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ), which includes best middle blocker two years in a row and most valuable player. But despite her volleyball success, Robitaille’s athletic career did not begin on the court. It began on the soccer field when she was just five years old.
Robitaille tried volleyball in her first year of high school after a friend on the team suggested she switch sports. Her career took off after a coach saw her potential in secondary four. This led her to change schools so that she could be trained by an experienced coach on a competitive team. From there, she committed to CEGEP Édouard-Montpetit where she led her team to a fifth place finish in the Canadian championship and carried them to victory at the 2014 Jeux du Québec.
The transition to university volleyball went hand in hand with a welcome shift in coaching style. While just a rookie at McGill, she felt extremely lucky that the graduation of two middle blockers allowed her to secure a place on the court. Robitaille felt supported by a coach who trusted her and was confident in her team’s ability to succeed.
Amid MVP awards and All-Star team nominations, Robitaille found an unexpected takeaway in her personal growth.
“You’re not always going to agree with your teammates, and you have to deal with that,” Robitaille explained to The Tribune. “It’s relationships that you have to deal with to continue even if you’re exhausted. You need to go to practice and do your best.”
Robitaille feels the lessons she’s learned in volleyball are preparing her for the rest of her life.
“I think that [volleyball makes you think] outside of yourself. What are your openings, what are your options? Everything like leadership, self-growth, not panicking in rough moments—it’s organization.”
Robitaille says developing her game day mindset has taken a lot of work. Her anxiety began as a rookie before the pandemic and continued to manifest after.
“I’m the kind of perfectionist that doesn’t want to make any mistakes,” Robitaille said. “Volleyball is a sport of mistake[s]. If there’s no mistakes from any person, there’s no points. I hate making mistakes in general. I had to learn to accept them, because they will happen for sure,” she explained.
One of her biggest challenges presented itself the year after the COVID-19 restrictions loosened in 2021-22. Robitaille described moments where mental health struggles took over, causing her to question whether she wanted to continue playing.
“Sometimes I was literally like, can I just quit? Why do I stress like that? Why put that stress on myself? It’s not fun,” Robitaille reflected. “On a game day, I couldn’t do anything else. I was not able to concentrate on work, on anything [….] I was so disconnected.”
She began journaling, meditating, and listening to podcasts to alleviate the pressure she put on herself. Robitaille also credits her coach, Rachèle Béliveau, as a major part of her support system.
Robitaille recalled a moment two weeks ago where she was unfocused during an important match.
“If [this had happened] two years ago, I would have told myself, ‘Okay, that’s not my day and that’s it,’” Robitaille explained. “But I was able to refocus and play my best. I was really, really proud of myself.”
As she heads into the final three games of the Martlets’ season before playoffs, Robitaille focuses on her appreciation of the game.
“I really want to enjoy it. I know I have the skills, I know I can bump, I know I can hit, so now it’s just about having fun.”
Regarding achieving her goal of enjoying herself, she believes it is a process, as every game demands different things. When points flow easily, Robitaille thoroughly enjoys herself, but when a tough game occurs it requires a reminder for her to be kinder to herself.
The Martlets will play next on Feb. 9 against the UQTR Rouge et Or (2–15).
