Christy Jickling

What does it means to be a Panda?

Being a Panda connects me to volleyball, this program, and all of its alumni. It has taught me that hard work is valuable and winning is possible. Being a Panda is about finding ways to win when there doesn’t seem to be one. And it’s about believing in something greater than yourself.

Volleyball has been good to me. It’s a good game. It contains all the answers to life if you just ask it. It’s a microcosm for real life - and volleyball players are likely better prepared for a career and real life than everybody else. Where else can you learn about hard work, preparation, commitment, determination, discipline, repetition, patience, the 3 C’s (“confidence, control, composure” ~Steve Kentel), and of course, silver linings and moderation (Laurie Eisler). Where else do you get to experience wins and losses, success and disappointment, euphoria and agony, elation and frustration, praise and criticism, and then reset yourself for the next point, game, or match? Where else do you learn catch phrases like “it’s not whether you win or lose….”? Ah... those Saturday night socials!

Especially in the States, I get asked if I was in a sorority in college, and secretly I know I was in something better than any sorority.

What do I remember most about being a Panda?

It went by fast - too fast. I had a lot of fun - maybe too much fun. I played from 1992-93 to 1996-97, and then helped coach in 97-98. There are things I’ve forgotten and I try to block out like 92-93 where there were 7 rookies and 15 on the team - I kept the stats and the bench warm, but even that served a purpose. But I do remember the people. I’m currently obsessed with Ed Sheeran’s song “Castle on a Hill” and his lyric, “These people raised me, and I cannot wait to go home.” My favorite memories are volleyball ones.

Of everyone I ever played with, I was never the tallest [Shandra], the strongest [Andrea], had the fastest arm [Danielle], could jump the highest [Jenny], hit the hardest [Katrina], had the best peripheral vision [Mirka], played the best defence [JJ], had the most talent [Cheri], or had the most volleyball IQ [Christy T]. I don’t think I would lead many superlative categories, but I thought of a few... For the most part, I think I was good at not getting injured, I was also good at being on the short end of the baseline lineup (arguing with Suzanne Fournier over who was taller); my serve was OK (I credit Daryl Young for the top spin and may have briefly held some record for aces/game); I usually knew what the drill was and what game plan was (inside joke: “it was a B and hit clearly to 6”); but maybe I was just the grinder, the plumber, that 3rd line center, the 7th man, Jill of all trades (I was tapped to set one year - my apologies to everyone involved). I might have been versatile and level-headed, and I suppose was pretty good at organizing and attending the social. Anyway, somehow my “not getting injured” strategy made up for my talent and I worked my way up to the rank of team captain. I felt honoured, but with those teams there wasn’t much weight on a captain’s shoulders - it was very evenly distributed and balanced. Maybe I was chosen because I was freakishly lucky with coin tosses; maybe I was chosen to be available to talk to the refs; or more likely, as a distraction so they wouldn’t hear Mirka swearing or cursing them out in Czech. Whatever the reason was, I was happy to help.

What’s my favorite memory as a Panda?

My favorite memory is probably the 5th set against UBC for the 1997 CIAU Championship. This is 22 years ago. It was my last game - I think I was the only 5th year player and I was nervous FOR REAL. This was year 3 of The Streak, and if every there was an example of adversity this was it. UBC was a dangerous team and our CIAU player of the year, Mirka, was playing with a brace and without an ACL. This was was one of those back-and-forth, tied-the-whole way games and there were no easy points. I think I spent most of that final set to 15 shaking. The 5th set is half over and I’m in the front row in 4 facing the main gym doors when suddenly my stars aligned, and I have this lucid, surreal, slow-motion, and silent memory where I see myself hover over a perfect set, see the block float and I cranked a crosscourt kill to the floor for point 9 with some weird inside out shoulder motion that I had spontaneously invented in that moment. Remember this is me we’re talking about -- I patented a high hands wipe off kill and a spin shot down the line. I didn’t crank to the floor very often. I can still see the block taking the line (did Doug Reimer do game plan on me at all??) and my ball landing in front of Jenny Rauh in 5. Whoa - did that just happen? And then I did it again 2 points later. When the final point was done and won, and we piled on at center court - I cried for real. I count myself extremely fortunate and among the lucky few (many Pandas) to win my last game and celebrate with some of my best friends. I think that was a pretty good party - I think Laurie removed the “moderation” clause. Someone once said, “It’s hard to win a championship.” And Ed Sheeran says, “And I miss the way you make me feel, it's real...and I can not wait to go home.” I believe them both.

What am I doing now?

I love the interconnectedness of being a Panda. I went to high school at Scona (‘92), played club with EVC coached by Rhonda Neufeldt, played the 1993 Canada Games coached by Julie Scarlett and Colleen Venne (Team Alberta), 5 years for the Pandas (‘93-’97) with Laurie and Lorne; assistant coached ‘97-’98. Krista Yarish and I coached Tawana’s club team (NAVC). Cheri and I played a little beach (Wasaga 2000?). After Pandas, I played one season in Switzerland (‘98-’99) and a second in Sweden (‘99-’00). Everyone thinks Canadians have excellent ball control.

I married Mike Jickling (Bears Hockey) in 2001 (the summer of 5 weddings), finished an Education degree, lived in Scotland for a year, and then moved to Charleston, South Carolina in 2002 and Mike played 3 more years of hockey in the ECHL. I teach high school English and I coached volleyball for 10 years winning a South Carolina State Championship (‘05) and losing another one in 2006. I retired from coaching in 2012 to focus on my babies, Isa (2008) and Holden (2013). I really miss the opportunity to play. Volleyball isn’t big in the South; there’s only women’s volleyball at the colleges, high school, and in club. They have some adult co-ed volleyball here, and a little bit of beach, but no real leagues like at home because so few people play. Football and basketball are bigger sports here.