Sports have always been a big part of my life. I started playing soccer when I was four in my hometown of Prescott, Ontario, but growing up I had an interest in many sports including football, hockey, and volleyball. Both my parents were involved in many sports throughout their lives and have very competitive spirits, so they put me in as many sports as possible. I tried soccer, baseball, some track in elementary school, and speed-skating.
Malcolm and friend Aidan VanBeek at a speedskating competition 
Malcolm and team after winning a soccer championship
Then, when I was 9 I started playing football.
“I was bigger than most kids, so I thought I would have an easy advantage right off the bat, since it helps to be big in football.”
Football quickly became my passion, as I loved the teamwork and the strategy behind the game. Football isn’t just a physical game, it’s a game of who can last longer mentally; I loved that aspect.
I played competitively in my hometown for 5 years in both the spring and fall, all in different positions. I started out as left guard, then I was a tight end. In Mosquito I played, linebacker, full back, and then running back. When I was 14, I made the decision to try out for a AAA team (the Limestone District Grenadiers Football Club) that ran out of Kingston, which was an hour away from home. Both of my parents supported this without fail, and drove me back and forth at least two times a week during the season so I could play the game I loved. I played three years with the club and through this experience I gained so much more than a football career. There were two other boys who played from my hometown that we carpooled with (Robbie and Skylar), and I became especially close with Robbie during the years we played football together.
Malcolm and Robbie in their school uniforms after a game against each other 
Malcolm and Robbie at training camp together
The thing about team sports is you spend so much time together and you all think the same way and you bond both on the field and off.
“You’re more than just a team, you’re family; on and off the field.”
Most of my friends have played one sport or multiple sports with me, and we will always have that connection for the rest of our lives.
While I was playing competitive football, I played football as well as other sports at school. Football at school was fun, and looking back, Grade 10 was my favorite year. I played a position called hag-back, which is a hybrid position, and I excelled in it. Two catches for over 130 yards and 2 touchdowns in one game, with a one-handed catch in the first play of the game. We had a highly-talented team in that season, and we performed very well. I was also involved in basketball; I played all four years of high school and played one season competitively with my dad as my coach.
I started my volleyball career in grade 7. Until I hit my growth spurt in grade 10, it was a rocky start. I grew in my grade 10 year and my athleticism grew with me, which made volleyball fun. I started to be able to jump, my coordination got better, and I started to be stronger which meant I could hit the ball harder. I think that my experiences with other sports really helped with my ability to play multiple sports at a high level.
“In football, footwork is key, same as in basketball. Football improved my basketball footwork, and my volleyball footwork is marginally better because of all the training and speed training I’ve been doing. Speed-skating, on the other hand, helped with my balance and my stamina, which are also key aspects of sports.”
My grade 11 year, my high school hosted volleyball OFSAA, which was an incredible experience, and through we deserved to be there, it meant that we automatically got a bye into the tournament. In grade 12, we earned our way into OFSAA for the second year in a row by winning EOSSAA, which is my favorite volleyball memory. The feeling of getting that final spike is one I will never forget. We worked so hard as a team, we achieved such greatness, and to have my high school career end at OFSAA was a dream come true.
Throughout my athletic journey, I developed Osgood Schlatter in my knees, and football became a challenge when I was in my grade 11 year. I found myself having trouble walking after practice due to the pain, and this became a regular issue. In my grade 12 year, there was no high school football team, which made the decision to not continue playing easier. Once I made that decision, I thought, “Just because I’m not playing football anymore doesn’t mean I need to stop playing all together.” I started looking into the post-secondary institutions I had applied to and noticed that UOttawa had a volleyball team, and the rest is history!
It’s been 5 months with the UOttawa team now, and the adjustment has been eye-opening, but welcome. “In high school, you would have one or two guys that were really good so you knew who to look out for, but in university everyone is a great player.” My new volleyball family is great; the guys on the team are all really great and everyone is always willing to lend a hand; whether in school, finances, anything I need.
Looking into the future, I can’t see my life without sports in it. Whether it’s continuing to play recreation-ally after school, or coaching. I love to play sports, but I love helping people learn the way my parents and coaches have taught me. Looking back on the experience, 3 MVP awards, a most improved award, a coaches’ award, and countless team titles is pretty good, but it’s the friends and memories I’ve made along the way that will stay with me forever. If I had to sum it all up in one phrase it would be this:
“the best memories of my life.”
SPAD Players Tribune 