Name: Thomas Hope
Sport: Golden Bears Soccer
Year of Eligibility: 5th year
Program of study: Education

What brought you to the U of A?

Edmonton home, I came to the U of A because my parents both went here, my sister was a member of the U of A Pandas soccer program, and I was happy to be able to represent such a historic soccer program.

What is your favourite part of being a Golden Bear?

I love the sense of community of being a part of a team. I have made so many friendships from being a part of bears soccer.

What made you want to be a Summer Camp coach? 

As an education student, getting to develop my teaching and coaching skills, while getting to be outside and participate in the sport I love is such a rewarding experience.

What's the funniest or most memorable moment you had with the campers? 

My favourite memory from summer camps is when we have our games day on Fridays, seeing the skills that the kids have developed on display in real games is super rewarding!

What's the most important thing you hope campers took away from the week?

Seeing campers make new friends over the week and develop confidence around kids they don't know is amazing to see. I hope that kids can take this confidence into new schools or new sports teams they may join.

What did coaching teach you that you maybe didn't expect to learn? 

I think coaching has taught me great adaptability. Especially coaching in an outdoor environment where weather conditions can be unpredictable, being able to adapt is a key skill I have learned.

What would you tell a young athlete who wants to play at the university level?

Be resilient, every athlete will experience hardship, whether that be due to injury, coaching, or something else. Being a high level athlete, you need to have the ability to fight through hardship, and be able to move on from the past.

Favourite coach you had when you were the age of the campers, and what stuck with you?

My club soccer coach, Niki Vignjevic, taught me almost everything I know about soccer. He instilled a sense of discipline and accountability into all his players that still sticks with me today.

What is the best moment of your athletic career so far?

Being able to go play abroad in Germany while I was in high school was a very unique experience I am still grateful for.

What's your go-to pre-game song or artist/band/group?

Bulls on Parade by Rage Against the Machine. 

What's the most random talent or skill you have that most people don't know about?

I can play the drums and am in a band. 

What would you name your own camp theme week?

Our favourite days at soccer camp were "wear your favourite jersey day", so my camp theme would be "favourite jersey"