When Spruce View resident Shylo Hendrickson, 18, went to the 2008 Alberta Summer Games for canoe polo, it was the official beginning of the start to her competitive athletic career.
She got in contact with Christie Siddle, who was on the women's national team at the time, to get a sense of how to take her skills to the next level.
ìI told her how I wanted to really strive at it,î Hendrickson said. ìShe took a number of us Innisfail athletes under her wing and really trained us and showed that we really could do big things in a short amount of time.î
A few players even went down to Texas with Siddle to U.S. nationals.
ìThat was the end of it being for fun and just something to do and the start of it being something quite serious,î she said, ìthe only thing that mattered in life just about.î
To excel in a sport like canoe polo a lot of travel is required. Hendrickson spends one night a week in the Sundre pool, one night a week at the Innisfail pool and at least one weekend a month in Edmonton. Then, every other year there's world championships.
This past summer Hendrickson was bestowed the honour of captaining the national under-21 women's team.
ìAt first I wasn't sure I liked it because I took it as such an honour and a privilege,î she said, though she quickly realized how important it could be to act as a mentor for the younger players and help them have a good time. ìEven when you're thought to be one of the strongest people you can still make mistakes and be silly.
You learn to laugh at it and love yourself whether it's good or bad.î
Gwen Farnsworth, the program assistant at Alberta Sports Development Centre, which has helped develop Hendrickson's athletic abilities over the past four years says the canoe polo player is determined and focused.
ìShe is one of the major players in the under-21 field,î she said. ìShe was the third-highest scorer for Canada at the 2012 world championships.î
Hendrickson even overcame the challenges of playing a more obscure game.
ìNot being a mainstream sport you're not getting the funding that hockey, figure skating or the big name sports get,î she said.
Next on Hendrickson's agenda is trying to make the senior women's team.
ìI really just want to push myself,î Hendrickson said. ìI think that would be the best way.î
