On the volleyball court, Krista Zubick is a skilled attacker, but catch her in an airport en route to a competition and she will most likely be attacking psychology textbooks.
With a busy competition schedule, the two-time academic All-Canadian from St. Albert tries to fit schoolwork in whenever and wherever she can.
Zubick is in her fifth year at the University of Alberta and her final year of eligibility with the Pandas volleyball team.
St. Albert’s Jocelyn Blair, a former Panda, was in her final year playing with the Pandas when Zubick joined the team. She says Zubick is a strong contributor.
“Krista brings good physical presence,” says Blair, who is in her second season as assistant coach with the Pandas. “She’s really strong and she has had some experience at the international level so she brings leadership from a physical and skill perspective. She knows what it takes to play at a high level.”
Zubick made Canada’s B team in 2011 and competed in the last Summer Universiade Games hosted in China. She also played on Team Canada’s B team in 2010.
The left-side power gained valuable experience training and playing with the national team.
“We’re doing two-a-days, which are two, three-hour practices a day with that level of athletes,” she says. “It was great being able to play games at the international level and see the teams and what their style is.”
Last season Zubick finished second in Pandas’ conference play with 2.22 kills/set and 2.70 points/set.
After struggling with mononucleosis last year, she is feeling healthy and having a great season.
“We have a couple of good weekends of competition coming up before Christmas and then a lot of training at Christmas and right through until March,” she says. “There are no byes this season so we’ll have a busy one.”
The Panda’s are currently the No. 3 ranked team in the conference standings with a 6-2 record. Their two losses were to their rivals at the University of British Columbia.
The Pandas defeated the UBC Thunderbirds to clinch the Canada West Final Four championship title last season, but then lost the to the Birds in the Canada Interuniversity Sport final.
“It was a big highlight because we actually hadn’t beaten UBC for a really long time and we beat them in the final to get the banner there,” Blair says. “For our program it’s pretty much an expectation that we make it to nationals. We’ve been a top program for a long time.”
Zubick is hoping they go further this year and capture the national title.
“Quarter-finals and Final Four would be awesome, and just getting that Canada West title,” Zubick says. “The national title is something we don’t have yet, which we’d love to have, so that’s the goal for sure this season.”
The Pandas started their season early this year with a 10-day trip to Japan in late August in part of what Blair says is a Pandas tradition.
“It’s kind of an ongoing relationship we have with them,” Blair says. “Japan is one of the leading countries in volleyball so there’s really no better place to learn about the game.”
Zubick said the trip to Japan was an awesome development opportunity.
“They’ve touched more balls by the time they’re done high school than we have by now,” she says. “They’ve just had so much development and spend so much time on the skills, so their defence is a huge thing that’s just amazing to watch. Their technical skills are so, so good that when they’re hitting everything looks exactly the same.”
Beyond skill development, the veteran player says the trip provided an excellent opportunity for the Pandas to bond.
“There are six new girls this year, and there’s quite a few of us vets as well,” says Zubick. “(Japan) was a big part of the team building and showing everyone how the Pandas work, and from there they fit right in.”
Blair said Zubick sets a good example for the rookies on the University of Alberta squad.
“ It’s something that they can definitely strive towards,” Blair says. “I mean she started with the team and from her second year on she’s been on the starting line-up.”
Zubick began playing volleyball in Grade 7 at Vincent J. Maloney School.
“I think a big thing in junior high that made me fall in love with the sport was one of my junior high coaches I had a lot of fun with,” Zubick says.
From there, she went on to play at St. Albert Catholic High School, at which time she began playing with club teams.
The six-foot athlete played both volleyball and basketball through junior high and high school.
One of the things she loves most about the sport is the friends she’s made playing volleyball over the years.
“I met a lot of my friends who I’ve played with and I still have some friends who don’t necessarily go to U of A but I’m still good friends with them now,” she says. “And the Pandas here? It’s your second family, it’s who you spend all your time with.”
The psychology major eventually would like to complete a master’s degree in occupational therapy, but won’t head right back to school once she graduates in April. She plans to take a year off to travel or maybe even play volleyball overseas.
“I’m hoping to play for Team Canada again this summer at the (Universiade) games,” Zubick says. “I think after that then I would decide if it’s something I want to do to play pro or not, but I don’t really have anywhere in mind yet. Probably somewhere in Europe.”
