Melfort’s Julie Kozun headed to 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris

Julie Kozun from Melfort will be headed to the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris for sitting volleyball 

Julie Kozun said she has always been an avid volleyball player. “In 2015, I was in a zero-turn riding lawn mowing accident which amputated my lower left leg. My main concern in the hospital was if I was ever going to be able to play volleyball again.” 

A close friend of hers had a cousin who played on Team Canada’s wheelchair basketball team and she asked to meet with Kozun. At that meeting she asked Kozun if she had ever heard of sitting volleyball, which she had not.  

Kozun gave her contact information to the volleyball team’s head coach and they flew her out for a training camp to try it out. “I wasn’t very good at the beginning because learning how to scoot around on the ground while also performing volleyball skills does not come naturally. However, eight years later I have become a fast player on the court.” 

Sitting volleyball is a team sport featuring constant motion and communication. Sitting volleyball has many similarities to its stand-up version, but with a few modifications. While teams in the stand-up version are separated by a raised net, sitting volleyball is played from a lower net. The court dimensions in sitting volleyball are also smaller. 

Kozun is from Melfort and currently lives in Nipawin. At 24 years old she Diploma in Agribusiness. “I grew up playing sports – competitive swimming when I was younger, then a bit of softball and eventually once going into high school I found my love for volleyball.” 

She found out that her team had four chances to qualify for the Paris Paralympic games and after two failed attempts, at the World Cup in Egypt 2023 is where she they were the highest ranked unqualified team and punched her ticket to Paris by winning silver.  

“I am most looking forward to my family and friends to be able to come and watch me play in the Paralympics. My last experience at the Paralympics in Tokyo of 2021 was COVID and no spectators were allowed so I’m excited to experience the games on a whole different level.” 

They placed fourth out of eight teams in Tokyo. Kozun is the only Saskatchewan player on Team Canada. 

That the 2024 Paralympics Games go from Aug. 28 to Sept. 9. This will be viewable to watch on CBC GEM. The dates of Team Canada’s pool play games are Aug. 29, Aug. 31 and Sept. 2. You can follow Team Canada on instagram at @canadawsittingvb.

This story was originally published in the SaskToday.ca. It is republished under a Creative Commons license as part of the Local Journalism Initiative.