Lauryn Langley: A Generational Olympia Journey
Lauryn Langley got her volleyball start in her early days on the courts of Olympia Sports Camp, where she learned her fundamental skills from coaches like Tanya Byers and Kathy Hall. She then played for the Durham Rebels from age 11 to 18 before taking her talents to Lakehead University on a COVID- interrupted career and is now playing professional with ESC Grimma Volleys in Germany.
But to understand Lauryn's journey we have to go back... A couple of generations back. The Langley's are an Olympia family.
Bill and Eva Langley both coached basketball at Olympia for over 4 decades. Roughly from 1980 to 2002. Their original connection to getting on at Olympia was that Dave Grace knew Eva through her playing days at York and coaching at George Brown College during Dave's teaching years at North Toronto CI. Both Bill and Eva had distinguished careers coaching in Durham Region, Eva at Paul Dwyer Catholic HS and Bill at Oshawa Central Collegiate and Port Perry High School.
And through all those years there was Olympia. Always Olympia. Bill and Eva would do the parent-coach teamwork as Bill would coach week 1 while Eva parented their own young kids and then week 4 they would switch as Eva would coach Girl's Week and Bill was the cabin-husband.
Those children they looked after were Jeff, Sarah, and Darren. Jeff's earliest recollections of camp was when he was three. All three coach's kids would end up being on staff, with Jeff working as a counsellor from 1994-1998. Jeff has been coaching volleyball since 2007.
Jeff had four kids kids of his own who became Olympians; Lauryn, Marissa. Griffin and Calum.
Before we get to Lauryn, a little on Jeff's journey. As a counsellor and now 19 years as a coach Jeff experienced the acquaintances and opportunities that Olympia provides. Through Olympia he met and later played university basketball at York under Olympia legends Bob Bain, Charlie Simpson and Mike Quigley, university volleyball at York under Wally Dyba and later at teacher's college at Lakehead he played for the Thunderwolves for Lou Pero by way of Stu Julius.
Lauryn was first at Olympia in the summer of 2009, doing gymnastics while being babysat by grandmother Eva as Jeff was coaching. Talk about a full circle moment!
Here is a recollection from Lauryn all these years later:
" I started with gymnastics and basketball, and did vollyeball for the first time when I was 11. I always liked the other sports but no other sport gave me the confidence and ignited the passion within me like volleyball did."
"I loved the skill development within a supportive, low pressure environment at Olympia. I remember Tanya and Kathy teaching me to jump float when I was 13 and pro Sam Pedlow taught me to spin serve when I was 16. It was inspiring to learn from National level players like Olympians Mark Heese abd Diane Ratnik and Margo Maloney. As a young person with dreams these people gave my journey more of a purpose in mind."
Lauryn played club for the Durham Rebels and was recruited to play at Lakehead. Her career was interrupted by COVID so Lauryn stayed at Lakehead for six years. In her last two years she was a starter and captain and her great years in Thunder Bay paved her an opportunity to play professionally.
It wasn't until her last year playing a Lakehead (in her first year of teachers college) that playing professional volleyball was even a thought. Things materialized with in the Bundesliga 2 league in Germany in August and Lauryn has been overseas for a few months now with a contract for this season. Lauryn has deferred finishing her teaching degree in pursuit of her profesional volleyball career. Teaching could wait.
Lauryn shares.
" It was very rewarding to be in front of the campers in the same role and impact that I got from so many others when I was young. I was excited to give back and pass on the konwlegde and passion that others had instilled in me.
Lauryn: It was very rewarding/full circle to return this summer in the same role as those who had such a strong impact on my development when I was at that age. I was very excited to give back and pass on the knowledge and passion that they had instilled in me, as well as share my story to help inspire the campers to let them know that I started out in their exact position and was able to get to the spot I’m in today.
Lauryn Langley, another result of generations of love for Olympia. Olympia should be proud of such a legacy. The best part of the professional career is that we know that Lauryn will use all the parts of her fantastic Hero's Journey to inspire others to go after the dreams she pursued. That's what heroes do. We wish her well.
A Hero’s Journey: Beyond Little Norway and Olympia Sports Camp chronicles the people that make up the history of Olympia, but it does far more than that. It serves as an inspirational guidebook for readers to become the hero of their own path. In order to do this the book examines the history of the land on which the camp has been built, from its indigenous origins to the European settlement process of the 1800’s. and the use of the land by the Royal Norwegian Air Force during WWll. The book is built on a collection of stories related to mentorship, sports psychology, and community building. This book honours the 50-year history of the camp while giving us all a window into seeing a deeper level of understanding of the world and our place in it.
Books Available at:
- Tuck and Pro at Olympia ( ask about the coach's deal)
- Amazon and Indigo.ca
- Indigo, Burlington Brant Street location.
- The Different Drummer Book Store on Locust Street in Burlington\
- Cedar Canoe Books on Main St in Huntsville
- Etransfer me $30 and I'll drive it to your house !
- available online at aherosjourney.ca
- audiobook version is available at Audible, Amazon, and iTunes
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