Jamie Broder was a soccer and track and field star at Claremont Secondary. But it was another sport that caught her fancy atop the ridge in Cordova Bay. It is the one that has carried her to Rio as one of more than 50 Island or Island-based athletes who will compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
Broder was made an Olympian on Wednesday when the eight-member Canadian beach volleyball team to Rio was officially announced in Toronto. What if volleyball had not intrigued her more than her other sports and what if she didn鈥檛 take the leap of faith from hardwood to sand?
Broder thought about all that Wednesday as she was handed her sa国际传媒 Olympic team kit: 鈥淭here are so many key decisions you make in your life, and you ask yourself later, what if I didn鈥檛 make that decision and made the other, what would have happened?鈥�
Not that anything comes easy even after a path is selected. Broder is a 31-year-old Olympic rookie and this is the culmination of a lengthy quest.
鈥淔or a long time, this did not seem realistic,鈥� said Broder, by phone from Toronto.
Her career, including the two-year qualification period for Rio, had its peaks and valleys.
鈥淭his entire journey has been remarkable, with so many bumps and turns along the road, and so many lessons learned that I carry with me today,鈥� said the former Vancouver Island University Mariners star and two-time CIS champion with the UBC Thunderbirds.
A hurdler and long and triple jumper at Claremont, Broder always had explosive ability: 鈥淚 am better suited to the beach game. I love the dynamic aspect of it, and that you touch the ball on every rally, and that there is no place to hide on a beach volleyball court.鈥�
For the first time, sa国际传媒 has qualified the full complement of two women鈥檚 and two men鈥檚 beach volleyball teams for the Olympics. Broder teams with Kristina Valjas of Toronto.
鈥淜ristina and I are very close and support each other. That helps us in pressure moments,鈥� said Broder.
The other Canadian Olympic women鈥檚 team is Sarah Pavan of Kitchener, Ont., and Heather Bansley of Waterdown, Ont. The Canadian men鈥檚 teams are the Alberta pairing of Chaim Schalk from Red Deer and Ben Saxton of Calgary; and the Richmond Hill, Ont., duo of Josh Binstock and Sam Schachter.
The Olympic beach volleyball takes place amid the spectacular setting of Copacabana.
Broder and Valjas are in a pool, beginning Aug. 7, that includes Italy, Egypt and the top duo from Germany.
鈥淭he Olympics are about resiliency and finding balance amid the many distractions,鈥� said Broder.
The opening ceremony is Aug. 5.
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