Photo credit: Volleyball Canada

By Curtis Galbraith

Volleyball

Smith keeping busy after retiring from volleyball

Jun 25, 2022 | 7:00 AM

A former national team player from Beaverlodge has settled into life after volleyball.

Dani Smith retired last summer after nine years with Canada’s women’s volleyball team.

Smith now lives in Kelowna. She is working on her master’s degree in counselling psychology, working part-time at Big Brothers Big Sisters, and doing a practicum at a youth wellness centre.

She says what she remembers most about her time with the national team is her teammates.

“We went through a lot of changes. The program moved from Winnipeg to Vancouver. We changed coaching staff a lot.”

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“We were always spending the summers together and then going away abroad. Those relationships that I formed with the girls were huge and they were so special and they’re still so special to me.”

Smith will graduate from her master’s program and be a registered clinical councillor in December.

She says she hasn’t “given a ton of thought” to staying involved in the sport.

“I think now that I’m working in mental health, I’m more intrigued by that side of things and I think working with athletes is something that I’m pretty interested in.”

Smith says she would also consider working with other setters and helping at clinics or workshops would interest her more right now than something like a head coaching job. She adds she “hasn’t touched a volleyball” since she retired.

Smith adds she “feels excited about the current team Canada that is currently playing in the Volleyball Nations League and the potential of the athletes. She says she feels grateful for the experience and proud of the program and hopeful for what is next.

Smith says she misses northern Alberta but was back at Easter and will be back in July. She adds she is proud to be from this area because of all the support she gets from the community.