(Clockwise from top left): Tielle Hagel, Brantley Saar, Abbie Froom, and Angelina Ellis-Toddington (Photo courtesy Garrett Simmons, Lethbridge School Division)

By Justin Goulet

Four Chinook High School athletes moving on to post-secondary careers

Apr 26, 2021 | 9:12 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Chinook High School is celebrating four of its student-athletes.

Brantley Saar, Angelina Ellis-Toddington, Tielle Hagel and Abbie Froom are all set to advance to post-secondary careers following their years with the Lethbridge school.

Saar and Ellis-Toddington have officially signed to wrestle for the University of Calgary U Sports program.

Hagel will be joining Brandon University’s volleyball team and Froom has signed on to play golf at the NCAA Division III school Marian University Wisconsin.

Hagel said she’s known the coach at Brandon University for some time and is excited about the opportunity to hit the court with the Bobcats.

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She said, “I love the program there, the coach is great and the environment there is amazing.”

Hagel added that the past year has been a bit challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s been super difficult. It’s been difficult for everyone but for athletes, it’s been very difficult for recruiting.”

The former Chinook student is naturally a setter, but said she can also hit, so may be used as a ‘utility player’ during her post-secondary career.

Wrestling Brantley Saar said competing for the Dinos has been a dream of his ever since he first hit the mat.

He said that he started wrestling in grade eight and the last year has been challenging with competitions cancelled across Alberta. Saar said he hasn’t wrestled an opponent in a year.

However, he has been taking part in virtual camps and individual workouts to prepare for a U Sports career.

Saar stated that moving up to the next level is, “going to be like every finals match I’ve ever competed in, but at another level.”

Fellow incoming Dino, Angelina Ellis-Toddington, has shown great enthusiasm for suiting up with the team.

Her wrestling career started in grade four.

She remarked that, “it’s going to be more competitive, and people are going to be specializing a lot more.”

Ellis-Toddington added how Lethbridge has been a great training ground for her.

“It’s so nice to see the program grow here every year. It’s also great to see more girls come out to wrestle.”

Meanwhile, for Abbie Froom, COVID-19 has presented challenges even with golf courses staying open throughout much of the pandemic.

Last summer, she competed in the McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour as well as at a junior academy at Henderson Golf Club. About her time competing on the tour, Froom said it was very important.

“I need to be able to stay active and improve.”

She voiced a level of surprise at where she’s headed next.

“I never really thought I was going to have this opportunity because this is really only my third or fourth year competing.”

Froom’s going into her post-secondary play having never met her new coach in person or having seen the school, but she has been keeping track of her new teammates’ scores, finding their games very comparable to hers.

As for her strengths on the links, Froom said her game starts with her driver. With it, she can go 240-250 years off the tee.