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After six seasons away, Oak River product Jordyn Paddock was pleased to be back playing competitive volleyball with the Assiniboine Community College Cougars this winter.

The standout player joined the Brandon school’s women’s team in 2017 right out of Rivers Collegiate. Life then took her in other directions. She returned to the Cougars last fall.

“It was so much fun to be playing in a competitive atmosphere again,” the daughter of Susie and Gord Paddock said. “Being surrounded by talented athletes and coaches almost everyday was such an amazing experience, and I feel like I learned so much from so many people. It was really nice to be around people who are competitive and want to win and get better just as much as you do.”

The ACC squad was definitely thrilled to have her. The 5-foot-8 left side was seventh in the conference with 2.02 kills per set. Her 1.70 digs per set placed her 11th in the MCAC. Paddock was eighth in the standings with 0.42 service aces per set.

“Once Jordyn got back in that competitive mode, her game really took off,” ACC head coach Kevin Neufeld said. “She gained more confidence in her attack as she was willing to take more risk. She was an extremely valuable part of our team in the second half.”

In a January win over Providence University College, Paddock pounded down 15 kills. In February, she had an 11-dig performance against the same team.

“She plays with a great calmness and maturity and is very reliable,” Neufeld said. “She was a leader in a quiet but very valuable way.”

During her time away from the Cougars, Paddock found ways to stay involved in the game. She played in women’s leagues. Paddock also passed on her

knowledge as a coach. She spent time at Rivers Collegiate and also coached at the club level in Winnipeg. That latter experience played a role on her return to the ACC squad.

“I had been coaching club volleyball in Winnipeg, and spending so much time in the gym, but not being able to be play volleyball that whole time sort of gave me the feeling that I was missing out,” Paddock said. “I guess I didn't realize how much I had missed volleyball until I was back in the competitive volleyball community. I decided, a couple months into the year (2024) that I needed to at least try to go back. I was also very fortunate to have a big support system through the club that I was coaching with as well (Winnipeg Volleyball Academy). One of the coaches even allowed me to come and practice with his team whenever I wanted, and that was a huge help with getting back into the swing of things.”

When she jumped back into college athletics, Paddock had to make some adjustments. She said, “Going from playing once a week to often playing six days a week was definitely a change for my body, but it 'scratched the itch' of playing competitive volleyball again.”

Paddock was enrolled in early childhood education when she was first at ACC. She later studied environmental science at the University of Winnipeg. Paddock hopes to become a nurse. She completed the healthcare aid program at ACC at the end of February. She has been taking classes online to “lighten my course load for when I hopefully get into the nursing program.”

“When I started telling my family that I wanted to go into nursing, I think everyone was a bit shocked, but also very supportive,” Paddock said. “My mom and her mom are/were nurses, and I think that my mom was happy that I had finally given nursing some serious thought.”

Paddock succeeds in return to the court

By Robin Wark