From early success as a Portage Collegiate Institute (PCI) Saint to overcoming multiple injuries and redefining her path, athlete Simone Crevier has never let setbacks slow her down. She recently capped off her final year at the University of Manitoba (UM) by earning the prestigious Spirit of the Bison award in recognition of a journey marked by hard work, determination, and an unshakable will to keep moving forward.
Early signs of strength
Crevier’s athletic success never came as a surprise to her parents. Danette and Jean-Guy Crevier, longtime educators in Portage la Prairie, say they saw her natural ability from the very beginning.
“She excelled in sports early,” says her mother, Danette. “We exposed her to a lot, and she probably played every sport that she could; volleyball, basketball, badminton, ringette, soccer.”
“She just always had that athletic part of her,” notes her father, Jean-Guy. “We tried not to put too much pressure on her at a young age because the focus was always on fun.”
As she got older, Simone’s competitive drive became clear. Her parents describe her as self-motivated, conscientious, and driven, whether that be on the court or in the classroom.
“She’s always worked very hard and that counts in every aspect of her life, whether it be academics or athletics – she gives 110%,” Jean-Guy says.
Back on track
Throughout high school at PCI, Simone juggled multiple sports, winning provincial medals in track and helping to lead her volleyball team to provincial finals. When grade 12 rolled around, she had a tough choice to make.
“She had a difficult time deciding because she had options to play university sports either as a runner or as a volleyball player,” her father explains.
Ultimately choosing volleyball, Simone joined the UM Bisons, where she played from 2019 until her junior year when injury interrupted everything. The volleyball star tore the labrum in her right shoulder and was already facing a year-long recovery when the unexpected happened. A week before she was set to have surgery, while at the gym, she dislocated her left shoulder, tearing the left labrum and requiring a second surgery.
“As a parent, you live through it with them,” her mom recalls. “From being so busy, working out on a consistent basis to suddenly being unable to do any of those things – it was hard. She came home and basically slept in the recliner for a couple of weeks because she couldn't sleep in a bed."
“You watch sports, and you hear about people coming back from injuries, but unless you've had a daughter or son that's gone through it, you have no idea what they go through for rehab,” Jean-Guy explains. “It's just baby steps at the beginning and it's very painful to see them go through it, as a parent. The mental aspect is very tough – just as tough as the physical aspect as far as recovery is concerned.”
Despite these physical setbacks and a ton of physical therapy, Simone returned to volleyball, much quicker than anyone expected.
“She was still on the team, still playing and trying to rehabilitate her arms. When you're competing at that level, and miss a whole year of the kind of training that you need to be doing - that's tough to come back from.”
With one year left in her university career and knowing it would be tough to get back on the starting lineup, Simone decided to make a big change and returned to the track.
An emotional comeback
Simone began training to run again in May 2024 which was a dramatic shift—not just in sport, but in body and mindset. The training was both mentally and physically draining, but her hard work paid off; in less than 10 months she was competing at the Canada West Track and Field Championships. She was also invited to join the Usports travel roster.
Simone was recently presented with the ‘Spirit of the Bison’ award. This honour recognizes an athlete who embodies true strength in the face of adversity, a distinction her parents say was tailor-made for her.
“It’s hard to measure people’s struggles – that's a tough thing to measure on a stick, but we know what she's gone through and we're so proud. It's nice that she got that recognition because she has worked hard. She's a good student and she's an amazing athlete,” her mom explains.
“Her shoulder surgeries were two months apart,” her father adds. “She had one surgery in February and the other was two months prior. She was playing again by the fall. It was a struggle, but she worked through it – she never gives up.”
After receiving the award, Simone reflected on what made the honour so meaningful to her.
"I was extremely grateful to win, especially because you have to be nominated by fellow peers. The fact that it's the people who have helped me through it all. They’ve seen me go through all this adversity and were the ones who thought that I deserved the nomination—I was very grateful. It felt like a storybook ending to it all because my whole time at UM didn't go as planned, but it all felt worth it in the end."
The road ahead
Graduating this year with her business degree, Simone has also been named a Usports Academic All-Canadian with a 3.9 GPA throughout her university career. Though she is unsure where her future will lead, she has a lot of options in front of her. Due to the 2020 pandemic, she has a year of eligibility which she could use to run at UM for one more year. She is also considering a gap year to write the LSAT for law school.
“She’s still deciding,” her mother says. “But no matter what happens next, sports will always be a part of her life in some capacity.”
Looking back on her journey, Simone was quick to recognize that her resilience was not built alone. She credited the support system that carried her through the tough times and helped her find success.
"I was very grateful for all the people around me who helped me because it really does take a village and it took all those people: my athletic therapists, my coaches, my nutritionists, my training and conditioning coaches, my volleyball team, my track team, my parents. All those special people that really lifted me up. Sometimes it can be difficult to see the positive side when you're going through adversity, but everyone made it easy to want to try my best all the time."
Her story is a testament to perseverance, the power of community, and the strength found in overcoming adversity. No matter where Simone's future takes her, her ability to push forward—through every challenge—will surely guide her toward success.