A decades-old sporting tradition is once again underway in the Pontiac. 

On Nov. 20, senior boys’ and girls’ volleyball teams from all three Pontiac high schools as well as Maniwaki and Gracefield spent Thursday facing off against each other in the first games of this year’s Pontiac Cup. 

Each year, two day-long friendly tournaments are held to get the players warmed up for the official face-off before the winter break, where one team will be crowned Pontiac Cup champ. 

Thursday was the first of these warm-up tournaments, hosted at Pontiac High School. 

“The kids really love it. They grew up knowing that Pontiac Cup happens for volleyball, so we’re trying to expand it to other sports. Volleyball’s always been consistent. It’s easy to do, and teams always come, so it’s more of a tradition,” explained Chad Davis, PHS phys ed teacher and organizer of the tournament. 

The final competitive tournament is set to be hosted Dec. 10 at École secondaire Sieur de Coulonge. 

Another Pontiac Cup will take place for junior athletes in the winter semester.