By JEFF BOMBEN
The game of volleyball is dominated by tall players but one Conestoga student is finding a way to stand out.
At only 5-foot-2, second-year marketing student, Samantha Singthong, co-captain of the Lady Condors, simply loves the game of volleyball. Singthong, 20, was recently noticed for her hard work when she was named as an Ontario Colleges Athletic Association second-team West division all-star.
The Lady Condors finished the season with seven wins which placed them sixth in their division. Singthong led the way, finishing second in the league with 222 digs.
“It wasn’t just a moment that defined the year. In a few games this year we were down by a lot and just picked ourselves up,” she said. “The team would always go to a third match and it would come down to the final few points and we pulled them out.”
Singthong uses her natural athletic ability to make her a stronger volleyball player, one who can play multiple positions on the court. One thing that never leaves her is a smile.
“I always have a smile on my face because I love not only the sport itself, but also playing it,” she said. “I have a positive edge and it helps me focus on the game.”
In addition to playing for the Condors, Singthong played six years with the Waterloo Tigers. She first started playing the game while in elementary school and that continued into high school where she attended Forest Heights Collegiate Institute in Kitchener.
Her volleyball career started in a unique fashion. “When I first tried out for the rep team, I didn’t know how it worked. I did all the fitness stuff and we were finally separated on courts. I didn’t realize it, but I was trying out for the ‘A’ team,” she said.
Singthong has committed herself to the Waterloo Tigers’ development program, and started coaching four years ago. Her coaching resume has only expanded since; she now works with the rep U15 team and the development program. The coach also commits her time to running camps in the summer for players ages seven to 15. Her biggest coaching accomplishment recently happened when she was accepted as a coach-in-training at Ontario’s best summer volleyball camp, Madawaska.
When she first started coaching, Singthong admitted that she was very quiet because she was still young and had to understand her role. Now she describes herself as a passionate, competitive coach who stresses discipline.
“I am brutally honest when it comes down to it. I let them know what they’re doing wrong and how they can fix it,” she said.
PHOTO BY JEFF BOMBEN
Second-year marketing student, Samantha Singthong, loves the game of volleyball. She is co-captain of the Lady Condors and also coaches in her spare time.
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