By Mia Hildebrandt
Sports at NAIT are different this year. There are no games, no fans, and no fun road trips with the teams.
As fans and athletes alike long for the days when we took sports for granted, we asked some NAIT athletes to spread some light and share their most memorable moments in sport.
Fourth-year outside hitter, Alyssa Clark on the women’s volleyball team said her favourite on-court moment was her first game ever starting as an Ook.
“I remembered I had really good practices the week before, and finally on Saturday night I was given my chance to start,” said Clark.
“I just remember being so nervous and getting pumped in the locker room before the game.”
Photo by Railene Hooper
Clark went on to have a total of 22 kills and rightfully earned player of the game. Clark recalls some of her favourite moments happen off the court.
“It’s tough because my favourite memories are on the bus, laughing with the girls!”
Men’s hockey forward, Dylan Stewart says his favourite memory was travelling to Western Michigan to play against their NCAA team.
“I’ve played in loud rinks before, but their student section was unlike anything I have ever experienced. It was one of the most fun games of my career,” says Stewart.
Photo by Railene Hooper
He also says the experiences he has had wouldn’t be the same if it weren’t for the quality teammates he’s had.
“Off the ice every year the guys have been amazing, and I have definitely made some lifelong friends with guys I never thought I’d get the chance to meet.”
Women’s basketball star, Carly McHarg says the opportunities her team has had to compete at provincials have always been special memories.
Photo by Railene Hooper
“Because [provincials] is what (we) are working towards the whole season so it’s always fun to go and compete against the other teams that have made it,” said McHarg.
McHarg also says their team trip to San Diego is one that she won’t soon forget. She laughs remembering a story about a teammate losing her passport the night before they left.
“A bunch of us went over to her house after practice and tore it apart looking for hours and just when we thought we weren’t going to find it, someone did. It took us till about 1 in the morning to find it and we had to be at the airport at 4:30 a.m. to catch our flight.”
As they remembered where sports have taken them and the memories it’s given, NAIT athletes continue to train in hopes of someday getting back to the normal world of sports we all love and miss.
While that normalcy is not slated to happen this year, the athletes stride on knowing that the next tip-off, puck-drop, or team road-trip will not be taken for granted, and will absolve them of their long off-season.
