Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics

EDMONTON – One day, long after she completes a business management degree at MacEwan, Madison Hoppus would like to own her own volleyball training facility.

It would have plenty of space for elite and community athletes to train, would include a court for Canada's national sitting volleyball team and would even possibly have the only indoor beach court north of Calgary.

"I haven't filled in all the gaps of how I'm going to get there, but long-term I want to own my own volleyball facility that could be a combo with basketball or pickleball or something," said the Griffins women's volleyball outside hitter. "I want to give back to the sport in the way I needed the sport to give back to me."

That would include a one-stop shop with a nutritionist, personal training and a culture of family and support for young athletes.

Hoppus dreams big, like she always has.

When she was 13, she attended NAVC (Northern Alberta Volleyball Club) day at one of the MacEwan volleyball games and instantly knew what she wanted to do in five years.

"We had a goal-setting workshop in the next couple weeks, and it was still fresh in my brain," said Hoppus after watching the Griffins play in 2015. "I said 'I want to make Alberta Winter Games, get athlete of the year (at her school), make Team Alberta and then the ultimate goal was MacEwan.' Those were my steppingstones. I got all of them."

Now in her second season with the Griffins, Hoppus will lead them into home action this weekend against Thompson Rivers University on Friday and Saturday (both 6 p.m., David Atkinson Gym, Canada West TV).

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It wasn't easy for Hoppus to reach any of her goals; in fact, she was cut twice from Team Alberta before finally making it. 

"I got cut as a double underage player and then as an underage player," said Hoppus. "Then, I finally made it in U16. It was hard to go through that challenge and not feel good enough and feel like I was missing out on everything but being on the bottom and having to work really hard for it made it so much more rewarding that that's how I knew I wanted to keep pursuing MacEwan.

"I was told I wasn't good enough to go U SPORTS, that I didn't jump high enough and that didn't discourage me at all. You watch me. I will go to MacEwan one day."

Madison Hoppus didn't listen to the naysayers and achieved her goal of playing U SPORTS volleyball (Robert Antoniuk photo).

It's the type of attitude that has endeared her to the coaching staff on the Griffins.

"Madison has the characteristics that coaches talk about wanting their athletes to exhibit and strive for," said Griffins interim head coach Dusty Freimark. "She has the courage to put (something) out in the universe and see if it comes true. 

"One of the things that we've been really working on this year is our identity and having a presence on the court and holding each other accountable. Madison is the one who is really able to do that. She's got the courage to say some of the tough conversations out loud and yet she holds herself to an incredibly high standard."

Hoppus is playing a tough position this season for the Griffins, usually coming in as a serving sub off the bench in high-pressure moments.

"Defensively, she's got a really aggressive serve, so she's being called in during those times when it's really tough," said Freimark. "That's a position that you really mentally have to prepare for and be able to take risks … and realize it doesn't (always) go well because it's a tough position to be put in."

Madison Hoppus celebrates a point with her teammates during a match earlier this season (Robert Antoniuk photo).

Hoppus has always jumped in with both feet. She grew up training in competitive gymnastics in Sherwood Park before a growth spurt in Grade 6 led her to pursue volleyball as an underage player with NOOKS. By junior high, she was playing underage volleyball for NAVC, while trying every sport available, including track, basketball, and handball – the latter leading to her first elite sports opportunity.

Team Handball Alberta invited her to try out as an underage player.

"I went to tryouts and there were 100 people," said Hoppus of the Grade 8 experience. "It was terrifying. I didn't know much about competitive sports at this point. I was just playing for fun. 

"I made the team. We trained in Penhold, Alberta, stayed in a school, brought little sleeping foamy mats and trained for the weekend. It was a lot at a young age, but it definitely helped shape me into the athlete I am and taught me responsibility."

Opportunities in handball weren't on par with volleyball, though, so Hoppus re-aligned with her goals – one day playing U SPORTS volleyball at MacEwan. 

"I think the biggest thing I learned is if I want it, I can get it, I can work for it," she said. "Do I think that's unrealistic at times? Absolutely. 

"There are going to be things you never accomplish, but I think that's part of the learning and if you never set that goal, you won't know if you can or not. I really learned to set the goal high and dream big. The people that support you will support you."

So, that volleyball facility? 

Don't ever chalk that up to a pipe dream. Chances are Hoppus will one day find a way.