Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Confidence can be everything in sports.
Emma Brooks fairly describes herself as a deer in the headlights when she saw her very first Canada West action last season.
"I literally couldn't breathe," said the middle blocker on the Griffins women's volleyball team. "My team noticed, and it was 'OK, just breathe, you know what you're doing.'
"My very first play was I let the setter dump right over me, so I did not do my job because I was nervous, and I just wasn't focused."
Fast forward to the 2022-23 season and Brooks is now going toe-to-toe against the best middles in Canada West. And she's holding her own.
"I think the difference between Emma and the top middles in the conference is experience," said Griffins interim head coach Dusty Freimark. "Her confidence has come a long way, so I think it started quite low. But every month that passes, I see it growing and growing.
"It will just be that experience piece, playing against the speed of the other teams and trusting in her abilities."
Brooks will lead MacEwan into home action against UFV on Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (5:45 p.m., David Atkinson Gym, both Canada West TV).
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Currently fifth on the Griffins in kills with 29 in 24 sets of action so far this season (and third in blocks with 17), Brooks has settled into the Canada West level and keeps on progressing every week. She wouldn't even recognize last year's nervous version of herself now.
"Now, I literally feel pride," said the Drayton Valley, Alta. product. "I see my family and friends in the stands and they're all cheering. This is why I play. This is why I go through all the time and the effort and the body aches, is for this moment.
"To see the starting lineup, see my name on the card and I step out on the court, hear the announcer say my name and I give a wave. That's why I play. You feel proud to represent your school and you feel proud to be on the court with those other girls."
Emma Brooks is gaining confidence in her second season with the Griffins (Robert Antoniuk photo).
Brooks is one of three middles (along with veterans Sarah McGee and Dana Dunbar) vying for the lion's share of playing time with the Griffins this season and they've been pushing each other.
"For us three middles, if I don't step up right now someone is waiting to take my spot on the court," said Brooks. "It does keep you on your toes all the time, but it is also very exhausting to constantly have to compete for it. But I think it builds character. It makes you stronger, it makes you mentally tougher. I think it's a hidden gem. It's helpful, but it's hard."
Freimark sees Brooks' potential and it's sky high.
"Emma just needed some time fully become aware of what a power force she could be," she said of the 6-footer's progression so far. "She's humble, she's kind, but she's incredibly strong and incredibly athletic. The day that she truly realizes her potential, it will be a game-changer for this team."
In just her second year, she has time to get there, and so does the rest of the Griffins. While results are just gravy for them at the moment, compared to growing from each bump on the road right now, the 2-12 team went into reflection mode after dropping two straight-sets matches at Manitoba last weekend.
"I think there's been a lot of talk about why," noted Freimark. "Why do we come to the gym when it's really hard to do so? It's because what we learn from the losses is how strong we are and what can be.
"You're chasing that goal. It's an elusive goal. Yeah, we had a rough weekend, but that doesn't mean we quit or stop. It's now how do we move forward, how do we game plan against UFV? What are we going to learn about ourselves, what are we going to learn from them that's just going to make us better down the road.
"If it's not necessarily getting the wins in this moment, it's a long-term goal to be a threat in this conference that I truly believe we can be."
