Week 40: Brianna Strong

Intern (Electrical Engineer)

 

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. 

 

My name is Brianna Strong. I played beach volleyball and indoor volleyball competitively as a youth and continue to play both sports as an adult. Now I coach for the Clarington Grizzlies Volleyball Club and have coached various age groups from 15U to 17U. I have also helped run clinics with the Grizzlies. Throughout high school I also enjoyed playing tennis. Outside of school, I grew up riding horses and competed in many shows.

 

How has sport helped you develop skills for your work today?

Volleyball has helped me develop a plethora of skills that are very beneficial in the workplace. Teamwork is perhaps one of the more obvious skills that is learned while playing within a team environment. Being in the work force is similar; quite often I am required to complete projects that involve various co-workers from the same department or different departments. To successfully complete these projects, we must work together and help each other. Communication to complete such projects is also very important, just as it is in sports. Confidence is another skill that I gained through my involvement with sports. Coaching and playing volleyball have contributed to enhanced belief in myself and my abilities. Another important skill that has been developed through my involvement in sport is commitment. It does not matter whether the commitment to a team is as a coach or a player, once I have made a commitment, I feel obliged to honour it to the best of my abilities. This has also led to developing my time management skills, which is very important for athletes to begin learning at a young age.

 

How has sport helped you be a better leader?

 

One way that sports have helped me become a better leader because they have developed my confidence. Naturally, I am a shy person but volleyball has forced me to come out of my shell and overcome my shyness. Being confident in my abilities, whether at work or when participating in a sport, portrays a strong leader to those I work with. Playing the position of setter growing up, it was vital that I communicate. I struggled at times but over time and over the years, I got much better at communicating with teammates and coaches. I believe a strong leader needs to communicate with those around them. Past coaches have also taught me how to be a better leader. Watching them believe in me and my teammates, as well as themselves and the other coaches, taught me the importance of strong leadership and what may or may not work as a leader.

 

Why did you continue to stay involved in sport? How has sport continued to have a positive impact on you?

 

I continued to stay involved in sport because I absolutely love it. Sport has continued to have a positive impact on my life because it has always been a good stress reliever for me and I have made so many great friendships through sports. When I played volleyball I was always very grateful for all of the people who coached and helped me along the way. I always wanted to give back to the sport just like the coaches that I was fortunate enough to have did. Coaching has allowed me to do so and I have gained a great deal of satisfaction and growth as a young lady because of the coaching I have done thus far.

Instagram @briannastrong16 / Twitter @strong_brianna / Facebook Brianna Strong

*NOMINATION FEATURE*

 

This is what her nominator had to say…

 

She is the calming force behind the Clarington Grizzlies 16U team! She is so positive in her reinforcement of skills, always smiling and laughing with the girls. She is an outstanding volleyball player herself, and her experience and skill set have been an asset to the team.

 

She gives to these girls daily with a smile on her face. She shows up ready to mentor these kids. And being around her make our kids have a role model to understand balance and working hard, setting goals and becoming better versions of themselves.

 

Coach Bri has befriended the girls she coaches and has been such a positive role model to them that you can feel the girls eagerness to do and be better. As a coach, she has given the girls the encouragement they need from a coach (that they can relate to) and this has pushed them to push themselves and be stronger together as a team.