Wickstrom leading by example

By Lethbridge Herald on January 23, 2025.

LEthbridge polytechnic Photo Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiak Aideena Wickstrom bumps a ball during a recent game.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiak women’s volleyball player and Coaldale product, Aideena Wickstrom, has not only grown as a player and a person but leads by example every time she steps out on the court for her fellow teammates.

Wickstrom initially started playing collegiate volleyball right out of high school at Humber College and it was after a year there that she decided she wanted to come home after she didn’t like the culture there and was missing her family.

“Me and Anna (Kodiaks coach Schwark) had been talking throughout the whole time I was still in Ontario and this was just after COVID,” recalled  the fifth-year setter.

“I had told her right from our first one-one-one that I want to start and that’s my only goal here.  And so I just came into every single practice competing with own my teammates, knowing that I deserve to be out there.”

Wickstrom feels as though she evolved a lot over the five years with the team.

“Over the past few years I’ve built some really strong lifelong relationships with these girls and they’ve taught me how to communicate, they’ve taught me how to love and how to have solid friendships,” said Wickstrom.

She has always strived to be the type of player that is well-rounded.

“I was just really competitive and really wanted to do everything possible,” said Wickstrom.

“So I just put in 24/7 work every single day (for) the past four years and every single thing that I do is with a purpose of performing for 

here.”

Wickstrom sees the leadership as being woven around her.

“I feel like just slowly over the years I started to look around and I have these girls just rallying around me and looking up to me,” said Wickstrom.

“Even at Humber, I started as a first year and not a lot of people start as a first year or when they get to a new team. So I think just that and seeing how consistent I’ve been in the line-up makes everyone else want to look to me for advice.”

Wickstrom has had to lead the Kodiaks through a tough rebuilding year as the women’s volleyball team is 2-11 going into this weekend.

“Something I’ve been trying so far this semester is really just getting to know what makes every single teammate click,” said Wickstrom.

“I know for my teammate Lauren (Barker) out there, she gets stressed out and she needs to giggle. So I’ll whisper little things to her while we’re up at the net. I’ll do a little dance for Emma (Blumenschein), I’ll meow in Robyn’s (Austin) ear.”

Schwark remembers when Wickstrom contacted her through email with interest in moving back home and playing with the Kodiaks.

“She sent some film and I was just like, ‘Holy cow this is a different girl,’ like she’s playing the best volleyball I’ve seen her play,” recalls Schwark.

“Her body was changing, she’s getting stronger, she’s getting bigger and so that initially really excited me.”

Schwark noticed the development of confidence since Wickstrom has joined the Kodiaks.

“And how important that confidence has been in changing the culture of this program and representing the Kodiak head,” said Schwark.

“I remember her being shy to meet the team, and being a little unsure if she’s going to fit in, in how she’s playing , and she didn’t take up a whole lot of space (and) she wasn’t super loud. Now you look at her and she’s a team captain and the whole team relies on the energy that she brings.”

Schwark does not think the team would be where it is at with the culture that is in place without Wickstrom.

“She’s been such an integral part of how our team functions with such little people,” said Schwark.