UNB Saint John Athletics
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Sarah Norman, of Nanaimo, BC, has officially signed with the Seawolves Volleyball program for the 2021-22 season. Notably, one of her biggest athletic achievements so far is winning a silver medal with her Mariners Club team in 2019 at Nationals, she took great pride in being able to represent Nanaimo with such a strong place finish. She most enjoyed competing against different provinces and meeting athletes from around the country during her time at Nationals. Sarah has a multitude of volleyball experience which include several other title championships in 2017 and 2018, an All-star award and an excellence in volleyball award, to name a few.

Sarah will be graduating from Dover Bay Secondary School where she played on the volleyball team and previous to that she played on the team at Randerson Ridge Elementary. In addition to her school teams, she played with the Mariners club team (high performance), Oceanside Beach Volleyball, High School Beach Open and the VIU Intramurals 2019 indoor team. Sarah will undoubtedly bring an abundance of skill and knowledge to the Seawolves team for the upcoming season. As a child Sarah played a variety of sports that her father introduced her to and because of that she believes being exposed to sports at a young age helped her develop a strong passion. She has participated in swimming, dance, basketball, and volleyball however volleyball has become more than just a sport to her.

“I have made lifelong friends from playing on multiple teams and grown close to past coaches who helped develop my skill as a player. Volleyball is a great outlet for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, both mentally and physically. It’s a place where you can zone in and focus on your goals and the game. There is nothing like the feeling of energy rushing through your body after a great kill, dig or win with the team”.

Needless to say, Sarah is excited to start competing at a higher level with the Seawolves. Volleyball is something that motivates her, she is ready to take on the next chapter in her athletic career and she is prepared to put in the work. Sarah has some goals lined up for the season which include working on her mental toughness, becoming an influential leader on and off the court, to become a key contributor to the team’s success and has big plans to improve her blocking skills. Sarah likes to go the extra mile when it comes to her individual goals as an athlete, she sets goals before each game and reflects on how she played after the game. She knows the power of reflection is a useful tool to get the most out of her personal development.  

Sarah will be taking the Bachelor of Arts/Education program in the fall and her plan is to work hard and maintain a high GPA in her classes.  Her career aspiration is to become a kindergarten teacher, she feels that her calling is to educate and shape young minds very much like her mother who is a teacher. She loves working with children and wants to have a positive impact on students in addition to becoming a school/club volleyball coach. As with many athletes, Sarah’s role models are her parents who are her strongest support system and will continue to provide sound guidance as she embarks on her new journey on the east coast.

While Sarah’s role models include her parents, there is one person who had a major impact on her life. Michelle Reilly was a past teammate who Sarah describes as kindhearted and an exceptional volleyball player. Michelle unfortunately passed away from cancer in 2020 and Sarah continues to play with Michelle in her heart, to honor her, to celebrate her and to make her proud.

“I want to embody the qualities she had, such as perseverance and strength in times of hardship. Michelle was a big role model to me in my junior season, and I always wanted to be just like her as a player”.

Sarah is wildly thankful for all the love and support she has received from family, coaches, and friends and she is looking forward to meeting more inspirational people once she arrives at UNB Saint John.

Head coach, Colin Chambers received an incoming recruit application in December 2020 from Sarah. It was evident in her letter that she has a strong passion for volleyball and the opportunity to participate as a student athlete specifically at UNB Saint John. Naturally, Coach Chambers felt compelled to reach out to Sarah to see if she would be a good fit for the Seawolves team.  After many email conversations, a virtual interview, video game highlights and a glowing review from her coach, he determined that Sarah has the combination of attitude, skills, and leadership that he wants in his program.

“Sarah is a motivated athlete and volunteer and I expect her outgoing personality will have a positive influence on our campus and community from the start. She appears to have a high level of energy and an overwhelmingly positive attitude, which has the potential to help unite our team. Her size and positional flexibility in the front row will also help fill a major void left by our departing athletes”.

Welcome to the Seawolves Family Sarah!