Matt Chapdelaine's life in sport began long before he ever stepped onto a university track or football field. Raised by parents who were both prominent coaches—his father in the CFL and U SPORTS, his mother a national team athlete and seasoned university coach—Matt grew up immersed in high-performance environments. That early exposure shaped the foundation of the coach he is today at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), where he now helps the next generation of athletes chase their own dreams.

"Growing up I was surrounded by elite performers and university athletics," he said. "I got a front row seat to seeing what it looked like to become a university level athlete and felt inspired to become one myself."

The Path to the Next Level

As a dual-sport athlete in football and track at the University of Alberta, Matt learned firsthand what it takes to succeed at the university level—both the excitement of opportunity and the reality of responsibility. "It was ingrained in my siblings and I at a young age," he said. "Our parents coached university level sport and showed us what it looked like to aspire to reach that level ourselves. We always knew that was the goal when it came to how we focused on our athletics and academics."

Recruitment brought its own lessons. "I spent a considerable amount of time shopping myself out to a wide range of schools in the NCAA," he said. "I was courted by a few schools in Canada West and the OUA and ultimately found my home at U of A. It felt like the right choice for me based on priorities that I felt were important at the time."

Learning to Manage the Jump

The transition from high school to university demanded a new level of time management and discipline—skills that Matt now emphasizes with every athlete he coaches. "The biggest hurdle was the change in timetable and time management," he said. "I was suddenly in charge of all of my time and I had a lot more of it to manage well."

He admits he wasn't fully prepared for the freedom and distractions that came with university life. "There are a lot of potential distractions and that was hard to navigate early on," he said. "I wish I had known more about what kinds of life skills I could build to make being a high performer easier for me… those little disciplines would have made life way easier and my performance that much better in the early years."

For high school athletes with university ambitions, Matt's message is clear: "Be determined in your last few years of high school to set life rhythms that are unshakable. Be self-reliant. You will have to be when you get to school."

The Cascades Difference

At UFV, Matt has found a home where grit and growth are woven into the fabric of the program. "You will become the best version of yourself at UFV," he said. "We are gritty and tough, we like doing hard things. We believe that choosing to lean into the struggle only makes us stronger."

That culture was on full display during one of his favorite moments as a Cascade: "When our women's volleyball team clinched first overall in the regular season."

"This was a program that in a very short time rose up from the CCAA with a squad of athletes that many might have overlooked. But they were tough and gritty and unstoppable," He explained on why that moment felt so special. "The game they won to clinch first was a tough win against UBC, and it was shorthanded, demonstrating the strength of their depth. They showed immense resolve and grit on the heels of a hard loss the night before."

"Everything about that win and that season spoke to what it means to be a Cascade."

For recruits, the process is about more than talent—it's about fit. "We let them see what life as a Cascade is really like," he said. "We don't just want talent, we want true Cascades."

Writing the Next Chapter

Matt's advice to anyone considering university athletics is simple but powerful: "Start working, training, and living like a university athlete now. You will be ready for what's next if you are exposing yourself to what comes next regularly."

He believes U SPORTS offers the perfect environment to grow. "It is such a great challenge in terms of level of competition and opportunity to grow," he said. "There is a nice balance of both."

For those thinking about UFV, he offers a final reflection: "You choices write the story of your life. I believe a choice to come to UFV is one that will help your story become one that is exciting and full of adventure, growth and success."