Catching up with the Sea-Hawks
In catching up with the Team Captains of the Memorial Men's and Women's Volleyball Programs, both Mike Arns and Krista Parsons were asked several key questions about their development as athletes along the way.
Mike Arns
What position do you play?
Libero and Left Side
What degree are you pursuing?
Engineering and Applied Science - Civil
What High School did you attend and who was your coach?
Queen Elizabeth High School; Rex Hillier
What is your favorite High School Volleyball moment?
Winning the Juvenile A Championships in grade 12 in the Queen Elizabeth gym and being named to the tournament All Star team. To me it is the best high school tournament and features the highest level of volleyball and it put the finishing touches on a year where we won all the major high school tournaments, including Volleyfest and 4 A's.
What is your favorite Provincial Team moment?
For me it wasn't one particular volleyball match or tournament but the opportunity I had to meet friends and to further my own skills as a player each summer that I played. Playing on the provincial team program eventually led to the opportunity for me to represent NL at the Canada Games, which was one of the best volleyball experiences of my life. It gave my teammates and I the opportunity to play against mainland competition on a consistent basis, something that the majority of NL athletes do not get to do, but which is so important in the progression of NL volleyball in general.
As a Provincial Team Coach what was your favorite part of the program?
The best part for me is having the chance to give back to the program that I was a part of for three years. It was rewarding for me to pass on all the knowledge that I have gained throughout my playing years to the next generation of volleyball players. It is rewarding to see the progress the teams and individual players make from the time of initial regional tryouts to the final tournament of the summer.
What is your favorite University Volleyball moment?
I have had numerous memorable moments during my five years playing for MUN but two stick out in my mind the most. The first being a second place finish at the Dalhousie Classic my second year in which we defeated all the Atlantic Conference teams and Ontario teams only to fall to Dalhousie in a five set final. I was named to the tournament All Star team for the first time as a university athlete. The second would be the Interlock Tournament held in Montreal the fall of 2005 where we went 1-3 during the weekend. We defeated McGill and lost two four setters to Laval and Sherbrooke and a tough 13-15 fifth set loss to Montreal. It was memorable because it was the best volleyball that I have ever been a part of and in my opinion the best that MUN has played in the five years I have been playing. All three teams we lost to were top 10 CIS teams at the time and featured numerous National team players.
Please give us a quote for future volleyball players in NL.
Don't let anyone tell you that you cannot achieve what you set out to do. If you want it bad enough, work hard and you will attain your goals!
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