Coaldale’s Wickstrom shines on the volleyball court

Sunny South News Photo submitted.

By Heather Cameron
Sunny South News

Lethbridge College student Aideena Wickstrom was named one of two Canadian Brewhouse Kodiaks Student Athletes of the Week for the week of February 7, 2024.

“I’m happy that I was selected as Athlete of the Week, as there are so many great female athletes here at the college and being recognized really reinforces the effort that I’ve been putting in throughout the season,” said Wickstrom.

Hailing from Coaldale, Wickstrom has been at the college for three years and is currently enrolled in the Exercise Science program while playing volleyball for the Lethbridge College Kodiaks.

“I’ve been playing volleyball since I was 11, and started playing club volleyball at 12,” said Wickstrom. “I went to tryouts to make new friends, and ended up falling in love with the sport and everything that comes with it. I played for LCI in high school, and then played my first year of CCAA volleyball in Toronto before moving back to Lethbridge to play for the Kodiaks in 2021. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to play the sport I love at a competitive level, with a group of ladies who push me to be better every day!”

In addition to having support from her team, Wickstrom says, she also has the support of her parents. Wickstrom says that her mom, Rhonda Quick, and her stepdad, Troy Quick, were super happy at the news of her Athlete of the Week achievement. Her mom, Wickstrom says, has been by her side for relatively all of her volleyball career, and she has also been a part of every achievement and hardship that she’s gone through over the past five years. 

Sadly, Wickstrom says, her biological father, John Wickstrom, passed shortly before she first joined the Kodiaks team, but he was always such a big support for her athletically, and always pushed her to be better, so she knows he would be proud of her as well.

“My parents have always been a big support and played a big role in shaping my athletic journey,” said Wickstrom. “I feel like I faced a decent amount of adversity throughout high school and my first few years of college in Ontario through grief and loss, but those experiences reinforced my desire to continue reaching for my goals academically, professionally, and athletically. After I’m done playing, I’m going to finish getting my NCCP certification and start my volleyball coaching career. I’m also going to try to get my foot in the door in the Sport Management industry. There are a bunch of current Kodiak athletes from Coaldale, and over the years there has been an awesome increase of sport opportunities for young kids in the area.”

Outside of school and athletics, Wickstrom says, she has worked for BGC Lethbridge for just over two years now, has learned a lot about handling situations with young kids, and has also learned more about herself in the process, as the staff and management there have been a huge support network for her.

“My biggest thing is trying to get one per cent better everyday, and I try to follow that both on the court and in my personal life,” said Wickstrom. “Always listen, and be willing to learn. Sport especially is always shifting and changing, and you have to be open to taking in new ideas and adapting both as an athlete or someone working in the sport industry. You’re never too good to learn something new!”