Natalie found community through volleyball, from school teams and Galaxy Volleyball to beach volleyball, coaching, drop-in games, family and friends.
Natalie first started playing volleyball in Grade 5.
She made the school team, fell in love with the sport, and kept going. Soon her parents enrolled her and her sister Sarah in a house league with Leaside Volleyball, where they could learn more skills and play with other kids who loved the game too.
“My favourite aspect of volleyball is working and communicating with your team,” Natalie says.
That team feeling is what stayed with her. Through school teams, high school, and two years with Galaxy Volleyball, Natalie met friends, players, and coaches who made the sport feel like a community. She remembers tournaments, early morning practices, and the joy of fooling around with teammates who were all excited to play the same sport.
The pandemic interrupted both her competitive and high school seasons. Suddenly, indoor volleyball stopped. Natalie went from practicing and playing games every week to not playing for months.
So she and Sarah kept the game alive wherever they could. They played in the backyard and on the street in front of their house for hours. Then their mom suggested beach volleyball, which gave them a safer way to play outside.
That suggestion opened a new chapter. Natalie started playing beach volleyball throughout the summer with friends and teammates. Eventually, she became a beach volleyball coach for Galaxy, helping younger kids learn the sport that had given her so much.
“Although it was such a tough time for many people around the world, it opened me up to beach volleyball and I’m very grateful for that,” she says.
Now in university, Natalie continues to play drop-in volleyball with people of all levels. She also stays active through the gym, mixing weight training, cardio, and stretching, and enjoys pickleball, frisbee, and football.
Her friends, family, and boyfriend keep inspiring her. The sport that started in Grade 5 continues to connect her to people far beyond the court.
Natalie moves for community.