The Simon Fraser University women's volleyball program has signed middle blocker Maddy Power.
The 6-1 middle is a student at Clayton Heights Secondary School and after graduation will come to SFU to pursue a bachelor of science in kinesiology,
"Maddy comes to us from a winning club program," said Clan head coach Gina Schmidt. "She is a great student and a great teammate."
This year, Power was part of the Fraser Valley Volleyball Club Blitz under-18 team that won the provincial championship and finished with a bronze medal at nationals.
"It allows me to stay close to home and play university volleyball," said Power. "The academic reputation of SFU made it a perfect choice to continue my education and the idea of playing in the NCAA versus the CIS for the experience and travel opportunities made it a perfect fit for me."
At the u-17 level, Power was part of the B.C. Summer Games beach team and represented the province with Team B.C. at the u-16 level. She has also competed in the B.C. Summer Games indoor competition at the u-15 level.
"My coaches describe me as a hard-working and consistent on the court. I always put the team first. I feel that my ability to play both the middle and the right side makes me a versatile player. I try to stay energetic and supportive of the team whether I'm on the court or off of it," said Power.
In high school volleyball, Power has played on the senior team since 2010 when she was in Grade 10 and helped the team to a third-place finish and a bronze medal, the first medal in the history of Clayton Heights volleyball.
Power and her teammates followed that up with another bronze medal at provincials in 2011. In 2012, she became the team captain.
Academically, Power boasts a 4.0 grade point average and won the Junior Night Rider Award presented to the student for overall excellence in academics, athletics and service.
She has also been awarded the Gordon M. Shrum entrance scholarship at SFU.
In 2012, Power spent her spring break in Paraguay with Athletes in Action, where she spent two weeks working in nutrition centres, spending time helping children and training with the local volleyball program.
"This summer I'll be playing competitive beach volleyball from May to August, which I hope will help me prepare for my first collegiate season. I'll also be working on my strength training program," said Power.
