Kim Mintenko's teammates don't give her a hard time about being the old lady. Given the fact she's the only fifth-year player on the roster, they certainly could.
"Surprisingly, I tease myself the most about that," said the 22-year-old Mintenko, the starting setter for the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades women's volleyball team. "It's a good dynamic. The young ones have lots of energy but they still need someone experienced to look up to because they just haven't been on the floor to see certain things. It's good to be around and be a calming influence."
The current edition of the Cascades is indeed baby-faced. UFV has six first-year players, four second-year team members, three third-years and no fourth-years.
Mintenko, a 2006 graduate of Duchess Park, has spent her entire post-secondary career with the Abbotsford-based Cascades and is heading into the second half of her final season. She has a hard time believing that time has passed so quickly.
"It feels pretty crazy, not only finishing volleyball but then graduating soon," said Mintenko, who is majoring in biology and minoring in kinesiology. "Lots of my friends have graduated already. It definitely goes faster every year."
