OLDS — New Olds College women’s volleyball head coach Sammy Fraser is coming home – nearly.
She grew up in Red Deer and attended Red Deer College, now known as Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP).
Fraser, who will also serve as the Olds College Broncos camps coordinator, replaces Rhonda Schmuland, who coached the team during the 2019-20 and 2021-22 seasons.
She was hired in late June.
“I know everyone always says this but my family truly are my number 1 fans,” Fraser said.
“They have followed my coaching career all over the country so I know they are so grateful that I am slowly making my way closer to home.”
As a member of the Queens, Fraser won two Alberta Colleges Athletic Association (ACAC) championships and a Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) bronze medal in 2010.
In 2012, Fraser won a CCAA silver medal as a member of the Mount Royal College (now Mount Royal University) University Cougars.
She most recently served as an assistant coach of that team as it moved into Usports competition.
Between her stints with Red Deer and Mount Royal, Fraser also spent time with the University of Calgary Dinos women’s volleyball program.
She will coach Team Alberta’s 19U side during the Canada Summer Games, which will be held Aug. 6-21 in in Ontario’s Niagara region.
Fraser’s commitment to youth volleyball development in Alberta began while she was still playing.
She teamed up with her friends, including two-time Olympian and Men’s Volleyball National Team member Graham Vigrass to establish a private venture in 2011 to reach athletes throughout the province.
From there, she went on to establish the Junior Cougars Volleyball Club in 2013.
Fraser sees an opportunity to build a solid foundation with the Broncos squad.
“I know what a special experience sport can be and I have always been passionate about bringing opportunities to communities who wouldn’t otherwise have them,” she said.
“It is very full circle for me to now be in a position where I get to help build something special in a town like Olds.”
In explaining what initially drew her to the Broncos, Fraser pointed to a shared vision of building community as a key factor in keeping her within athletics.
“I’ve been involved in athletics at various levels over the past 10 years and it can be easy to get consumed by the wins and losses, but it was clear that what OC Athletics is trying to build exceeds far beyond that,” she said.
“I’m in the business of empowering the people around me to be the best they can possibly be, and after getting to know the staff in the athletic department, I think they are interested in doing the same.”
Olds College athletics manager Trina Radcliffe is thrilled to have Fraser onboard.
“We are so fortunate to have Sammy joining our Broncos family,” Radcliffe said. “I am beyond excited to add a coach with her knowledge, energy and true commitment to developing women on the court, in the classroom and in the community.”
Fraser said, “Working together to build our culture will be a huge focus for our group. Gone are the days when a coach can single-handedly develop the goals of a team.
“I believe if you truly want to build a legacy that supersedes your time as a leader, it requires a collaborative approach to building a program's culture.
“I believe deeply in creating an experience beyond the volleyball court and that is what makes me most excited about being at Olds College. We are all rooted in our passion for the sport, the community, and lifting up the women in our program.”
The women’s volleyball team will tip off its 2022-23 season on Oct. 21 at home versus the Lethbridge College Kodiaks at the Ralph Klein Centre.
This article, edited by the Albertan, was provided by Olds College sports information coordinator Geordie Carragher.
