It’s been a meteoric rise to excellence on the volleyball court for Prince Albert’s Abby Wasutyk.
Wasutyk is currently in Richmond, BC training with the Volleyball Canada Women’s National Excellence Program (NEP) at the Richmond Olympic Oval.. The NEP runs from September to December and sees some of the top female volleyball players from across Canada train with top coaches and support staff from across the country. Typically, 16-20 athletes are selected for the program and Wasutyk is one of three from Saskatchewan.
Wasutyk first picked up the sport of volleyball as a Grade 9 student at Ecole St. Mary. Wasutyk says she gives major credit to her time as a Marauder in helping her become the volleyball player she is today.
“I would not be close to where I am today without St. Mary, because I wasn’t even really a volleyball player. I mostly played softball. I went to a volleyball tryout just to go for fun with my friends. Shaun Hunko took me as a grade nine, which is very rare.”
Wasutyk, who plays middle blocker, was a key contributor for St. Mary last year when they captured the SHSAA 5A Girls Volleyball title on home court. She says winning a provincial title is one of her best memories with the sport of volleyball.
“Developing with those girls (and playing at) a higher level definitely helped me get to where I am today. Winning the provincial championship just showed me my love for volleyball. Seeing we could do something that good with a great group of girls just satisfied me. I know this is my sport.”
It was a busy summer on the court for Wasutyk as well. She was named to the U19 National Team that represented Canada at the Norceca U19 Girls Continental Championships in Tegucigalpa, Honduras from July 12-20.
Wasutyk was one of two players on the team from Saskatchewan along with outside hitter Emerson Matthews. Canada finished with a silver medal at the event, falling short in the final against the United States. She says it was a very special experience to represent her country on an international level.
“It was really cool because we had a tryout and they only took 12 girls to Honduras. It was stressful, but I made it thankfully. It was a really cool experience to go to another country that I wouldn’t normally go to. Seeing volleyball take me there was really special. Placing second, coming short to winning gold, was really awesome. I think we made our country proud and it was really fun meeting all the girls.”
After getting the chance to represent Canada, Wasutyk says she has been recognized by younger girls in the city and she enjoys being able to connect with them.
“It was really cool, even coming back to school, like a bunch of younger girls from Prince Albert would always know who I am and come up to me. This one girl walked by me and she’s like ‘oh my god, it’s my idol.’ Just seeing that I’m representing my city for being a smaller city in Saskatchewan was really cool and seeing all my supporters and being a role model for them was just really incredible.”
Wasutyk, who is currently in Grade 12, will have plenty of interest to play volleyball on both sides of the border at the post-secondary level after her strong summer and time with the NEP. She says she wants to stay in Canada to show other young girls that the sport of volleyball is strong in Canada.
“I’m definitely trying to play USPORTS. I just want to stay in Canada. I could definitely go NCAA, but I’ve always wanted to represent my country and show young girls that somebody on the national team could also stay in Canada.”
Wasutyk will return to Prince Albert in January.
sports@paherald.sk.ca
