Charis Adefolarin has played division 1 volleyball in the US and competed with a top Canadian university, but it was a surprising connection with an Australian volleyball great which reignited her love for the sport on the Gold Coast.
Originally from Yorktown in Canada, Adefolarin moved to the Gold Coast in August 2024 to study a Juris Doctor at Bond.
Like many athletes she grew up playing a bunch of sports.
“As a kid I loved figure skating, dancing and basketball, but it was when I went to summer camp that I fell in love with volleyball, so I got my mum to sign me up for club when I was a young teenager,” she said.
After finishing high school, Adefolarin got scouted to play for the University of Arkansas in their division one NCAA team.
“It is probably my career highlight being on the starting list for my div one team and being a starting player all year,” she said.
Following a year abroad she moved back to Canada and played with the University of Alberta, one of the leading colleges for volleyball in the country.
“I played with Alberta for three years,” she said.
“It was a lot of fun and really elevated my game, but then I took a break.”
A chance encounter at the Bond gym led Adefolarin to meet Nicole Hannan, the Small Group Learning Facilitator at Bond Medical School, Athens Beach Volleyball Olympian and Assistant Coach of the Volleyroos.
Now almost three years on from playing competitive volleyball, Adefolarin is back on the court with the Gold Coast Storm Volleyball Club.
“I would say I had lost a bit of passion for the game, and I had a bit of resentment because I didn’t take it as far as I could have,” she said.
“I went to my first training on the Gold Coast and all the girls were super inclusive - it was just like a fun environment to be in.
“What sport should be, is what I rocked up to at that first training session, and it's been great ever since.”
She’ll play with the team for the first time this weekend as they take on Norths.
Her passion for law and sport led her to pursue a Juris Doctor at Bond.
“I would love to go into corporate sports law,” Adefolarin said.
“The dream is to be a sports agent or an in-house council for football teams.
“I also want to work in the sports policy sector.”