Allianz Team Blog My volleyball career and the future

In Canada the volleyball system is set up so that you play volleyball for a university while completing your degree. I studied at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver (I would recommend everyone to visit Vancouver, it is a beautiful city). During the summer months I played for the Canadian national team, and that is when I realized I wanted to play professionally after graduating. I played five years of university volleyball before going to Europe to play.

I decided to play my first season in Almería (Spain), where I landed in an unfamiliar place with a language I do not speak. I thought it would be a great place to build my skills and my confidence, with an older team full of experienced players I could learn a lot from. The quality of life on the south coast of Spain was very nice; waking up every morning and seeing the sea from my bedroom helped keep my spirits up. The season had its ups and downs, but my favorite moment was the quarterfinal of the Copa del Rey, when I scored 40 points and we won in extra points of the fifth set. In that moment I thought I could keep up with anyone, and that gave me a lot of confidence in my abilities. We finished the regular season in second place but lost in the play-off semifinal. Overall it was a successful first season and I have no regrets.

I aspire to play in the best leagues in the world, so next I wanted to play in a more competitive league with younger players to test my abilities as a leader and a key player. The Bundesliga was a natural next step toward reaching my goals. Many Canadians have played in the German league, so the decision was easy for me.

I personally know a few Canadians who have played for Düren; Blair Bann and Jordan Deshane were especially helpful when I was weighing my options and deciding to sign with this club. I am happy with my decision to play here; on some teams you play for, opposing personalities clash, but I appreciate how well we get along. It helps to create a constructive rather than a selfish atmosphere. I also appreciate how loyal our fans are – some of them travel for hours to away matches and cheer us on, whether we win or lose. My favorite moment of the season so far was the cup semifinal win against Giesen in four sets after losing the first set. Despite some setbacks this season, it feels as if the pieces are coming together. We still have a lot of volleyball to play, and I am excited to experience it all with the people around me.

My dream is to compete at the Olympic Games with Canada, and I believe I have come one step closer to that goal in Düren. I still have a long way to go, but I know I can reach this goal.