Global talents on campus
Mya Fraser (She/Her) // Sports Editor
Andy Poystila (He/Him) // Illustrator
The CapU Blues have a handful of students from beyond borders to be recognized for representing their teams. Many international students offer their talent and leadership skills to the world of CapU sport.
Barcha Hnizdilova moved from Ústí nad Labem in the Czech Republic in August of 2023. She is a first-year student athlete on the women’s basketball team, playing as a small forward. On how she became involved in the sport, she reflects on her youth: “I started playing when I was nine. My dad told me that I should try basketball because I was pretty athletic and he also played basketball growing up. And it worked out well, I fell in love with basketball from day one.”
Before CapU, Hnizdilova played two years at Aquinas High School in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in the United States. She made her way to CapU in the fall when she was recruited by the Blues head coach, Chris Weimer. On her experience here, she says she likes being a part of the team, “we have a good group of people which makes basketball more fun. And just, like, getting better every day.” She encourages all to come watch their games. Their next home game will be against the Mariners from Vancouver Island University at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 19.
Kash Lang also moved to Vancouver in August, from Idaho in the United States. He is a third-year student on the men’s basketball team and plays as a point guard or shooting guard. Lang has been playing basketball since he was a kid, stating that his parents got him started. Prior to CapU he played at Blue Mountain Community College in Oregon.
On what brought him to the school, he explains, “I came to Cap because I knew it would be a different experience than what I’m used to. I wanted to explore and see what it was like in another country.” On his experience here, he mentions he knew he would have to adapt to a new environment but he likes the community here between all the student athletes. Overall, he remarks, “I’ve enjoyed this new experience so far and getting to meet all these new people.”
María José (MJ) Carrillo González is from Mexico and moved to Canada last year in August of 2022. She plays on the women’s soccer team and is going into her second year. She typically plays as a midfielder but also has experience playing as a striker and defender. Gonzalez has been playing soccer since she was four.
“I fell in love with the sport by watching games with my dad, and my mom signed me up for the boys soccer team at my school because there was no girls team,” she says. She had heard good things about CapU as well as the soccer team. She decided to try out for the soccer team and after talking to the head coach, Dennis Kindel, she was offered a spot on the team. Regarding her experience here, she emphasizes loving the sports community. “It is one of the things I love the most. Being in the university almost every day and seeing all my friends from different sports certainly makes me want to be there all the time.” As for challenges she faced, she brought up living in residence, trying to eat healthy meals and taking care of her body and injuries.
Patricio Meneses is from Veracruz, Mexico and moved to Vancouver in July of 2023. He is a third year student and plays as a midfielder on the men’s soccer team. On how he started playing soccer, he explains, “My parents always wanted me and my brother to practice sports, so I started with baseball but did not enjoy it, then I moved into soccer and found that’s what I loved the most.” He ended up at CapU as a result of wanting to transfer somewhere after attending college in the United States. “I decided to look for good sports/school programs in Canada. Vancouver was always a great idea to me and that’s how I found Capilano University.”
He explains how it’s not easy to move away from your country and that you dearly miss family and friends. He also notes that the competition is strong in Canada, so he’s always trying to stay focused and motivated on soccer and school. On his time here, he comments, “I like the team atmosphere the most, it’s a great group of guys. During a small period of time we created a great and competitive team as well as good friends. I’m really thankful for the opportunity to play and study at CapU.”
Dario Pereira moved to Vancouver in March of 2023 from Brasilia, Brazil. He is a third year student and plays a right and left side hitter for the men’s volleyball team. On how he started playing volleyball, he mentions encouragement from his father, but also states, “My family doctor would always say that I would grow quite tall (Pereira is 6 ‘7) and that I should play basketball or volleyball. So my dad found a social project that offered free practices to the community and I started there.”
Pereira played a season for VIU in 2019/2020 right before the pandemic. When he decided to come back to Canada, he emailed some of the schools against which he had played. CapU had been national champions that season so he thought it could be good to join the team. On a different note, he studies music and heard the CapU music program was really good. The idea of living in Vancouver was also appealing to him. On his experience, he comments, “To be part of a team is also to be part of a family, and this for me is the best part of being an athlete. As a student, music has been a long time passion of mine and now I’m getting to study what I really enjoy.”
Marco Kost is from Nuremberg, Germany and moved to Vancouver in September of 2023. He is also on the men’s volleyball team and in his third year. He plays as an outside hitter and opposite hitter. He started playing volleyball when he was eight years old as it was offered at his local club and ended up enjoying it. Before CapU, he played two years for Missouri Valley College in the United States. After some time in the states, he wanted to move on and experience a new environment and play for a different team. From there he reached out to schools and landed a spot on the Blues.
He commented how he joined the team late, “it was challenging to pick up the new philosophy of the team and also build a fast connection with them because the season started quickly after my arrival.” He says he really enjoys the campus and the city and appreciates all the support between the athletic teams and from the coaches and athletic therapists.
There is unity in diversity, and the Blues are lucky to have a handful of international student athletes. Having global talents from all over the world, representing the school, is a testament to a diverse and inclusive nature, crucial to keeping new perspectives and enhancing both the learning and sport environment.
