Ella Hammond

• Kind
• Funny
• Encouraging
• Thoughtful
• Creative

I love being part of a close team – it’s like another family. That shared experience, and the common goals, are really motivating.

I pride myself on being able to be there for my teammates on and off the court, and I know they will do the same for me. We’re all going to have great days and less-than-great days, and I love being there to support my team through it all… and being able to rely on them.

1. Being named “Athlete of the Year” at my school.
2. Being accepted to Team Ontario – Beach.
3. Winning the “Heart and Hustle” and “Club MVP” at end of season banquets.

In all three cases I was incredibly excited and happy. I also felt a lot of pride because I knew how much work it took to get there. For 2 of those goals (school and Team Ontario) they were both long-time goals that I had set for myself, so when they happened, it was a dream come true.

I love the idea of travelling (I haven’t gone that far, but I really want to!). I love hands-on activities like baking, crochet and anything where I can have a vision and then make it happen! I also love Starbucks.

I also love animals – we are two weeks (well 16 days, to be exact) away from getting our new puppy! His name is Gord, and I can’t wait to play and hang out with him!

Laney Choboy from Nebraska. Not only is she an absolute demon on the court but she also brings such a positive energy that you can see.

Nana and Boba. My grandparents. I can count on one hand how many of my club or school games they have missed. They are always so supportive and that’s inspiring to me…I really look up to them!

The more I play volleyball, I think it is important to know that it isn’t my entire identity, and playing other sports helps with that.

I have played a lot of sports since I was very little. From flag football, rugby, dance and lawn bowling (fun fact: in my age group, I was the #4 lawn bowler in Canada at one point!) to squash, badminton, basketball, swimming and field hockey, I just love the athletic environment. I think being exposed to other sports is good for mental health and overall training.

Named to the Honour Roll in my first year of high school.
Averaging 88% in my first semester of Grade 10.
Asked by school staff to be a part of an “Intro to High School” program for new students who are anxious about entering high school.

I know the importance of academics and I am proud that the work and studying I put in paid off with good grades. When it comes to the “Intro to High School” program (which was to help those who needed more support than the average students), I was really honoured to be asked as the teachers were looking for “thoughtful and caring people”, so it was really nice to be asked and seen that way by my teachers.

I don’t know, yet!

At this point, my areas of interest include…
1. sports media / marketing
2. creative roles
3. business programs
(I’ll figure it out soon…I’m just seeing where life takes me!)

I know that being a student athlete involves a lot of hard work, early mornings and other sacrifices. I know it’s all part of the experience and I am really excited for it.

On top of that, I want to meet new people, try new things and have fun along the way.