Advertisement 1

Mayerthorpe grad gets starting setter spot as a rookie for Augustana Vikings

Article content

Calder Thompson’s determination and hard work in the volleyball field is finally paying off as he has gained the starting setter position as a 17-year-old rookie for University of Alberta’s Augustana Vikings.

Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content

Sangudo born, Thompson chose volleyball as his go-to sport when he got to high school. He played numerous sports until then, but something clicked when he started playing more competitive volleyball. He says his parents were always supportive in his athletic endeavours as they were also always playing sports.

“Sports have been a huge part of my life. My parents were always playing sports for as long as I can remember. I would travel with them a lot to sporting events whether it was hockey, baseball, or volleyball. All of this exposure to sports made me want to play,” said Thompson.

Article content

“Volleyball became my go-to sport when I got to high school and started playing club. I didn’t realize I was good enough to go anywhere with the sport until I was in grade eleven after a very successful club season with the Barrhead Knights. All the time spent in the back yard playing volleyball with my parents and younger sister really paid off,” he added.

Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content

Making the step to the big leagues into the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference [ACAC] has been a tough transition for the rookie being a 5’11 17-year-old playing against 6’5 22-year-old’s but he is determined to find his stride and showcase what got him there in the first place.

“College volleyball is almost a different sport than the high school level, it is a much faster game now with a lot more thought going into every set I make. We have four practices every week then we play Friday and Saturday and workout on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays. When I’m not physically training, I’m reviewing the game tape to see what I can improve on or how to beat the next team we play.”

It has been a rough start to the season so far with an 0-8 record, but Thompson said with so many rookies it will take a bit of time, but they will find their chemistry and stride to become a great squad.

“We only have one fifth year player, four third year players, four second year players, and seven rookies including myself. In a couple of years, we will have a strong team.”

Thompson is taking a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education with a focus on kinesiology and hopes to do something along the lines of physical therapy. He also hopes that the team builds chemistry over the next few years so they can become a team that competes at nationals.

jstricker@postmedia.com

Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Latest National Stories
    News Near Tillsonburg
      This Week in Flyers