Former Ballenas Whalers volleyball player, Lainey Jantzi just turned pro this year.
After five years of playing for the Camosun College Chargers, Jantzi will be heading to Denmark to join Brondby Volleyball Klub in the Danish League.
The 6’1” middle hitter recently signed a contract with Brondby and is expecting to leave for Denmark in August.
It’s an exciting moment for this high-leaping Parksville player, who in her final year at Camosun helped the Chargers achieve their best ever national women’s Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association finish last season, taking home the silver medal. It was a great way to end her collegiate volleyball career but Jantzi wants to continue playing.
When a friend from Capilano University, Kira Sutcliffe, who was signed by Brondby, informed Jantzi that the Danish team was looking for a middle hitter, she took the opportunity.
“I wasn’t done with volleyball yet,” said Jantzi. “I feel I have not accomplished enough yet in volleyball. Kira told Brondby about me and so I sent them a bunch of videos of myself playing. I didn’t think much about it. I didn’t think they would like what they saw but the coaching staff did and they sent me a contract.”
Jantzi inked on the dotted line last week and will play for Brondby for nine months. When she signed it, she didn’t get the chance to gauge the kind of competititon she’s going to be exposed to.
“I just wanted to keep playing volleyball so I really didn’t care what the level is,” said Jantzi, who also considered playing in Australia. “All of these things are just happening so fast and I am pretty happy about it.”
Jantzi can’t wait to start her professional career.
“It’s going to be a great experience for me,” she said.