A fifth-year athlete is excited for this upcoming season to shock the competition with a fresh, young team as she begins her last year as a Kodiak.
This year’s team is joined by seven first year players, making the line-up one of the youngest in the league.
Harper Elwood, a Kodiak student-athlete that has played for the Kodiak’s volleyball team for the past four seasons.
Elwood moved from Sparwood, B.C. to pursue her love for volleyball and was pleased to find a program that upheld the same values and expectations as she did. This all began with great coaching and a great team.
Head coach, Anna Schwark thinks this year’s team will give the Kodiaks the opportunity to prove themselves in the league and show they can hold their place in the competition.
Schwark became head coach four years ago and when stepping into the role, she knew she wanted to make changes to the program. This included taking the recruitment process more seriously to find athletes that better suited the team.
Schwark said every year Elwood has been on the team, her season looked drastically different. However, she never lost her passion and has shown continuous resiliency.
“I think the thing about her is her resiliency because she’s still here. Being a fifth-year athlete is incredibly difficult because you have to be physically strong and you have to be mentally strong. She continues to show her passion and dedication,” Schwark said.
Elwood played as a left side until this season, when she had to take a step back and become a libero due to injuries.
She says she is enjoying her new position because she is able to back up her teammates in any way she can.
She added that she thinks no team will be able to succeed if they cannot be there for each other during the highs and lows.
Elwood dealt with a challenge must larger than most teams have to face when her teammate, Emmalee Cherweniuk died in a car accident in March 2017.
The team was forced to remain resilient on and off the court, despite their loss.
“Before we step on the court and after O Canada, I always give a look to her [number] 15 poster up there and try to make her proud for every single game that I get to play for her,” Elwood said.
She also says she tries to keep Cherweniuk’s legacy alive for future Kodiaks.
The fifth-year player said she is excited to be able to see how the team will do against high ranked teams since this year’s Kodiak women’s volleyball team has so many new faces.
Elwood said she is excited for her future after graduation and hopes volleyball can remain in her life after retiring as a Kodiak.