After a stellar post-secondary career with the Vikings, Sarah Dedrick will pack up her talents and bring them to Austria this fall as she signs a pro deal with PSVBG Salzburg.
Following a career that spanned six-year and included three ACAC All-Conference Awards, an ACAC Championship Tournament All-Star recognition and a CCAA Tournament All-Star Award, we caught put with Dedrick before she sets off to Europe.
Q: How does it feel to achieve this milestone in your volleyball career?
SD: Amazing! Playing professional volleyball has been something I have been working towards ever since 2020. The opportunity to take my sport to the next level while being able to travel and immerse myself in a different culture has been a dream of mine.
Q: Can you tell us more about the team you'll be playing for in Europe? What are your expectations and goals for the upcoming season?
SD: I am playing for the PSVBG club in Salzburg Austria competing in the Austrian Volleyball League. For the past few years, PSVBG has been a middle-of-the-pack team in the league. Observing past films gave me the confidence that I will fit in well as the starting setter and hopefully help to climb the team up in the ranks! My number one goal is to earn my starting position on the team. I believe team goals will begin to fall into place once the season begins and I get a better feel for the league and team. I am going into this experience trying to recognize how hard of adjustment it will initially be. Moving across the world comes with challenges such as the 8-hour time change as well as language and cultural differences. I want to be easy on myself as I am initially adapting to this change and appreciate how amazing of an experience it will be!
Q: How did your experience as a college athlete prepare you for the professional level? Are there any particular skills or lessons you learned that you think will be valuable on your new team?
SD: Over my 6 years at Augustana, I have had the opportunity to play with many different people. Our team made major adjustments throughout this time frame and so did my game. Having experience with different game styles and players will help me to better adjust to the new team. Learning the technique required to properly watch film is also very important. This skill can be easily translated no matter which team I'm playing for to help us get an edge on the competition.
Q: What steps are you taking to prepare yourself physically and mentally for the demands of playing at a higher level?
SD: Physically, I have been focusing on weight lifting and proper recovery to ensure my body stays injury free. This is something that I will need to be diligent in as the season is longer than what I am used to. In regards to mental demands, I believe I am well equipped, as a student-athlete, I was required to create strategies to successfully manage my sport, education, and mental health. Now I can transfer these learned skills, without education being a major component. The biggest mental challenge I will be exposed to is not speaking the same language as most of my teammates. I have been told that in Austria most players will speak at least some English, but prefer German. I have been attempting to learn German to prepare for this and hopefully be able to meet my new teammates halfway and increase our ways of communicating with each other.
Q: Playing professionally in Europe you could be exposed to different playing styles and strategies. Are there any specific aspects of European volleyball that you're looking forward to learning and incorporating into your own game?
SD: Playing styles and strategies can vary within teams and leagues. Due to this, I am not exactly sure what to expect from the Austrian league I will be playing in. One thing I have heard from other professional volleyball players is there is more of an emphasis on the right-side offensive position, which can also be seen in high-level volleyball in Canada. As a setter, I have always been a fan of the long set to the right side so this should fit right into my personal playing style!
Q: Finally, what advice would you give to other college athletes who aspire to play professionally? What are the key qualities or habits that you believe contribute to success at the next level?
SD: The number one piece of advice I can give is to take care of your body. Injuries are one of the main reasons why great volleyball players aren't able to play professionally. Taking care of your body through rehab and stretching, eating enough to properly fuel yourself, and staying hydrated can make a major difference in how long you will be able to keep exerting yourself to the highest level. In regards to the gameplay itself, I would just suggest making sure you keep your love for the game. In my experience, I always play my best when I am having fun! This allowed me to keep working hard and wanting to continue playing throughout my six years at Augustana rather than getting burnt out. On that note giving yourself proper rest when required is also essential.
The last piece of advice, which makes the process of playing professionally a lot easier is to reach out to players who have gone through the experience already. I began reaching out to players as early as my 4th year to start to ask questions. The advice that helped me the most was asking about the person's recruitment process, agent recommendations, where they played and their experiences in different countries. By doing this you may get in contact with players who have played in the same country or team you will play for in the future! I got very lucky to know two Albertan athletes who played for the same club team I am going to. They were great support systems to answer all of the questions I have about the team. I would be happy to help any athletes through this process in the future!