Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – There is the prestige of making Team Alberta.
Then there's the extra prestige of making the Alberta team that will go to the 2022 Canada Summer Games.
Three members of the Griffins' 2021-22 recruiting class are still in the evaluation pool for that roster – Arden Butler, Payton Shimoda and previously announced recruit Andi Krawec – showing the strength of the first-year student-athletes head coach Ken Briggs is bringing in.
"It's especially impressive given the calibre of athlete in Alberta – we have so many girls playing now – and at that age, they come from a pool of hundreds (in contention)," said Briggs.
"Just to have anybody in that group … I've been fortunate to coach at three Canada Games and all those players have gone on to play at the U SPORTS level. I'm pretty sure that's going to continue. It's a very high calibre."
And it's a very unique situation. Normally, the opportunity is for Grade 12 student-athletes, but because of COVID, the team will be comprised of university first-years.
Both Butler and Shimoda come to the Griffins out of high school powerhouse Harry Ainlay.
Butler is a 6-foot outside hitter, who played club with the Pandas.
"She's been a provincial team player since she started playing club, but now she's a potential Canada Games athlete, which won't be determined until next spring," said Briggs.
"It's nice to have another local athlete, a Harry Ainlay product. The schools in Edmonton have really developed a lot of great athletes."
And Butler is certainly one of them, possessing the ability to become an elite level attacker and blocker. Her understated demeanor disappears when she plays at the net.
Setter Payton Shimoda will battle for playing time with 2020-21 recruiting class members Macie Chapman and Amelia Anderson.
Shimoda is ready to do battle for minutes at the setter position with two other top recruits from the 2020-21 class – Macie Chapman and Amelia Anderson – who also still hold first-year eligibility.
"We have two young setters and I spelled it out to her, I wanted to be honest with her: 'Is this the time you want to come into this program when you're only one year younger than Macie and Amelia, and they haven't used any eligibility and she goes, 'I like the challenge – I want the challenge.'
"Honestly, we think she's going to challenge."
Briggs noted that both he and assistant coach Larissa Hauca, who oversees the setters, see great potential.
"Larissa and I are very happy to have Payton join us," he said. "We both see something in her. When I look at all the setters her age, she's always in that top group, but not always given the opportunity to shine. We like her, she's going to shine."
