With graduation on the horizon, student-athletes are experiencing their last semester on a university team.
This is a very daunting change, as not only do students have to prepare for the next stage of their lives, but coaches must prepare for a sports team without their vetted players.
“I would describe it as bittersweet,” said Timothy Juvonen, a setter for the men’s volleyball team. “This team has been one of the most enjoyable times that I’ve spent on a volleyball team and I don’t think I will be able to find better guys to be around.”
Juvonen was previously captain of the CMU Blazers in Manitoba prior to his transfer to the Tommies. His two-year career at St. Thomas Univeristy began after speaking with men’s volleyball Head Coach Henri Mallet.
Juvonen made the drive from Manitoba to New Brunswick, which is certainly a change of environment, but with a degree in environmental studies under his belt, this was nothing new.
A teammate of Juvonen’s, Benson Garchinski, is also graduating this coming May, but his career with the Tommies goes back to 2018.
Garchinski signed with STU during Mallet’s first year coaching for the Tommies. The two have worked together over the years through the COVID-19 pandemic, national championships and concussions, but now Garchinski’s journey as a Tommie is coming to a close.
“I remember talking with my dad and him being like, ‘You know, this is a pretty big deal to move far away from home and not have a support system,’” said the six-year veteran Tommie.
“But there’s never been a bond with the people around me like it has been here. It really is a family in the sense that if anybody’s got issues, you help each other out”
Originally from Saskatchewan, the outside hitter has spent six years in the Maritimes. The soon-to-be graduate will obtain his Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology but still plans to contribute to the volleyball community as a coach.
The STU women’s volleyball team also has some graduating athletes, one of whom is Megan MacDonald.
SRM Photography)
Her story is a tad different from others, as her coming to STU was not prompted by volleyball. “I wasn’t recruited to play volleyball here, I was just coming here for school, just to get the degree and get out.”
However, the P.E.I. volleyball player was convinced to go to tryouts by some new friends in residence in 2021, after they found out that MacDonald played for Team P.E.I. in the Canada Games.
The decision to become a Tommie changed MacDonald’s life.
“On the court, I’ve gotten so much better, but off the court I’ve learned so many things to take away from being a student-athlete,” she said.
MacDonald is sad to leave the team but is excited to put her Bachelor of Arts in criminology to use in a career with the RCMP.
“It’s kind of a hit, but it hasn’t [hit] yet. I think it will kick in in the fall when I realize I’m not coming back.”
Kim Colpitts, head coach of STU’s women’s volleyball, has only been coaching MacDonald for a year but has watched her play over her career, so the two developed a relationship very quickly.
“She’s a great teammate. Her contributions are both on and off the court. She leads by example,” said Colpitts.
Colpitts is going to miss MacDonald’s character and humor, but also her tenacity.
“Megan’s been playing injured for the last half of the season. Her ability to push forward for the team, that’s what’s going to stick with me,” she said.
Juvonen, Garchinski and MacDonald all had the same core memory of their favourite moments as student-athletes: travelling with the team.
“I think the team trips are the highlight, you know, being around the boys just enjoying a good time, listening to some fun Russian music, that’s the way it is,” said Juvonen.
“It doesn’t even have to do with volleyball, but I remember just enjoying travelling with the team, goofing around with the boys. My first year we went all the way to Montreal, like my third weekend ever and me being from Saskatchewan, I hadn’t travelled much,” said Garchinski.
“Our weekend trips, whenever we go away, sometimes we’re crammed in or going for a long distance at a time. I think that time on the bus is a nice break from school and volleyball,” said MacDonald. “We get to build a deeper connection with each other on the bus rides.”
Although the university careers of these three athletes are almost over, they said the memories and friendships formed will remain.
