Kalyna Bahler made her mark with the Olds Broncos women's volleyball team in her first season of ACAC athletics. (Submitted photo/Kalyna Bahler)

By Martin Martinson

volleyball Standout

Battlefords local Bahler named Olds College Rookie of the Year

May 3, 2023 | 5:37 PM

Battlefords local, Kalyna Bahler has been named the Olds College Broncos women’s volleyball Rookie of the Year.

Recognized as a standout first-year player on a very youthful team that featured nine rookies on their 14-player roster, Bahler said from the very start of the year, her goal was just to try and learn as much as she can and get better quickly.

“I wasn’t exactly expecting it, so when they said my name it came as a bit of a shock,” Bahler said, reflecting on the honour. “But when I went into the season, my mindset was just to be a sponge, take in all the information I can and just try to improve as much as I can.”

And improve quickly, she did.

It didn’t take long for Bahler’s work ethic to establish herself as a leader on the young team. Playing primarily libero in the left back position, she also became a consistent threat from the service line as the season went along.

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“I’m just there to play wherever the coach needs me and I’m happy to contribute however I can,” she said, adding that the coach’s confidence in her ability to contribute in different ways only reflected with more confidence in her own game.

“It was at that moment when I really started to think that hey, I could actually have a big impact on the team and put in the work and actually secure my spot in that position,” she said. “That really just affirmed my work ethic and took it even to that next level, pushing my limits beyond what they had been pushed already.”

Bahler, pictured here with her certificate as Olds Women’s Volleyball Rookie of the Year. (Submitted photo/Kalyna Bahler)

Continuing to build on her game into the final weeks, Bahler capped her first year at the collegiate level on a crescendo in the season finale, when she set a season high-mark in the women’s ACAC ranks with a staggering 32 digs against Concordia.

“I actually hadn’t realized I had done that until my dad texted me and told me,” she said with a laugh when asked about the season record, adding, “It didn’t feel like I was doing that much [more than usual], but you just get so caught up in the moment playing.”

A recent graduate of North Battleford Comprehensive High School last year, Bahler played throughout her high school years with the Vikings volleyball team where she helped lead the squad to a provincial bronze in 2019 and 2021, in addition to playing another six years outside of school with Battlefords Volleyball Club.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1