Strathmore athletes to play for post-secondary teams
By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Several Strathmore athletes have been recruited from their respective teams to play for post-secondary institutions next year, including Brady Johansen, Effram Hook, and Grace Culshaw.
Johansen will be headed off to the University of Saskatchewan to play football with the Huskies; Hook will be off to Thompson Rivers University to swim with their Wolfpack; and Culshaw, staying a bit closer to home, will play basketball for the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Ooks.
Each athlete shared a bit of their stories regarding recruitment, their excitement to play, and what got them involved in their respective sports.
Getting Scouted
“The coaches actually direct-messaged me on Instagram and got me hooked up with the head coach. We just started having little calls … and I definitely showed interest in going there,” said Johansen. “It is extremely exciting for me and my family. It has been my dream to play at that level ever since I started playing when I was about 11 or 12 years old.”
“I went to go train with them for a morning practice and it was probably one of the most nerve-wracking experiences I have ever had. It was terrifying at first, and the coach said he could see it and tried his best to make me as comfortable as possible,” said Hook. “I just did not perform well that morning, but apparently, he saw a lot in me and then I was given a swim cap and he said, ‘see you next season.’”
“I am so excited. Playing post-secondary, I have always wanted this since I was a kid and now it is finally here. I am a little nervous though for a whole new team and playing at a whole new level,” said Culshaw. “Throughout the season, I had a couple of other offers … and then NAIT was recruiting me and they offered a spot and a scholarship. I decided to go with NAIT because they had what I wanted most and I wanted to move away from home.”
Finding Their Sport
“One of my best friends started playing football in Chestermere and he thought that I would be a good candidate to play out there. I went out and played, and that’s where it all started for me,” said Johansen. “U of S has got a really good team out there. They have been to the national championship the last two years, so it is a really good program and I am excited to get out there.”
“I think it was my brothers, because I think they joined basketball with this little club, and then I was watching them and then I wanted to join too,” explained Culshaw. “What keeps me excited is that I just do not know what is coming next. Every year there is something new and I just have the passion for basketball. That will never go away.”
“I started when I was 14 … we have a family friend of ours who was a coach on the Strathmore Silver Sharks and she suggested that I should try swimming. Prior to that, I was training to be a lifeguard and found I quite enjoyed being in the water and meeting new people,” said Hook. “Immediately, the competitive atmosphere made it easy to want to be there … It clears my head. As soon as I am in the water, nothing else matters and I just look forward to that pretty much every day.”
Advice To Their Peers
“Chase your dreams and stay committed to it. Coming from smalltown Strathmore, you might not expect to be able to make it to that next level, but I think that if you work towards it and make your way up the ranks, you are going to be able to do whatever you want,” said Johansen.
“Just be confident. If you want to get offers, you just have to play strong and hard and show your love for the sport and never give up. Always show up to the morning practices and the hard days,” said Culshaw.
“It is a huge commitment … it is hard to do, but know what you want to do and have goals, especially in a sport like swimming. You have to have goals and believe in yourself and have a high level of confidence,” said Hook.
Each athlete will be starting their post-secondary education and careers in the fall at their respective institutions.