Julia Melnyk

• Smart
• Friendly
• Supportive
• Funny
• Creative

In a team setting I like to be extremely supportive of my teammates. After every good point we score, I like to acknowledge everyone. A lot of the time the hitter is the only one who gets the credit for scoring the point, and the Setter/Libero/Defender goes unnoticed. I like to high five these people and encourage them so they know they scored the point for us too.

Receiving the award for most improved player on my team Pakmen 16u Gold.

I felt very proud in this moment that my hard-work throughout the year did not go unnoticed. At the start of the season I was a bit closed off and sometimes upset with not being able to contribute to my team’s success as much as I wanted to. Although the end to our season was very bittersweet, I was extremely proud of how I contributed to the team and our successes, even if we didn’t walk away with the championship.

Spending time with Family/Friends

Spending time with my family and friends brings me joy as they are the most important people in my life.

My parents are my biggest role models. They are both very hardworking individuals and I strive to be like them every day. They have given up countless hours for me and my athletic career, which I something I am eternally grateful for. They are both caring, compassionate, and supportive people. Everything I have accomplished in life is thanks to them and I hope I grow up to be just like them.

As much as I love volleyball and it has recently been my main focus, I have also had a love for soccer for the majority of my life. I still play rep soccer on the Oakville Soccer Club Girls U17 OPDL Team. Many people are shocked by the fact that I am playing 2 sports at this age, but I think it helps me in so many ways. Even though I won’t be playing both forever, I have taken away many lessons from the experience.

From a volleyball perspective, playing soccer has helped with numerous aspects of my game such as my footwork, stamina, strength, and more. It helps me move around the court in a way that many people in my position cannot.

Playing soccer has also helped me a lot with my time management skills. Having very little time with school, soccer, volleyball, and school sports has led me to work very efficiently. Even with the limited time, I manage to complete all my homework and succeed on all tests and assignments at school, finishing grade 10 with a 95% average.

Lastly, playing 2 sports has also taught me the importance of stretching, cool down, and rest. The demand on my body was very heavy throughout the winter in peak of volleyball season as well as soccer. Without learning the importance of taking care of my body I wouldn’t have been prepared to perform at the end of the season for Provincial and National Championships.

Receiving a 95% Grade 10 Average

Going back to what I mentioned with being a multi-sport athlete, I was very proud of myself at the end of this school year. I knew it would be tricky to balance everything so I worked extremely hard in my academics to prove to myself I was capable of it. I am most proud of my marks in Gifted Math and English, where I finished with a 98% Average.

I am most interested in attending a Science or Business program in University.

I found both courses extremely interesting this year and would love to pursue them further.

I envision my school life in university being similar to my life right now. Should I get the opportunity to play in post secondary, I will be juggling my time between school and athletics while also making time for myself and rest.