Dallas Soonias
{{short description|Canadian volleyball player (born 1984)}}
{{Infobox volleyball biography
| name = Dallas Soonias
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| full_name = Dallas Randolph Soonias
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1984|4|25|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| death_date =
| death_place =
| hometown =
| height = 2.00 m
| weight = 91 kg
| spike = 356 cm
| block = 323 cm
| college = Red Deer College
University of Alberta
| position = Opposite
| currentclub =
| currentnumber =
| years = 2004–2005
2006–2007
2007–2008
2008
2008–2009
2009–2011
2011–2012
2012–2013
2013–2014
2014–2015
2015–2016
| teams = Alberta Pandas
Jadar Radom
Arago de Sète
Yaroslavich Yaroslavl
Montpellier Volley
CV Almería
Hyundai Capital
Plataneros de Corozal
Fujian Volleyball
Al Arabi
Pallavolo Impavida Ortona
| nationalyears = 2004–2016
| nationalteam = {{vb|CAN}}
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport| Men's volleyball}}
{{MedalCountry|{{CAN}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|NORCECA Championship}}
{{MedalSilver|2013 Langley|}}
{{MedalBronze|2011 Mayaguez|}}
{{MedalCompetition |Pan American Games}}
{{MedalBronze|2015 Toronto|}}
| updated = 2024-08-01
}}
Dallas Soonias (born April 25, 1984) is a male volleyball player from Canada, who competed for the Men's National Team as a right side hitter. He was a member of the national squad who won bronze at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He received the Inspire Award in the sports category in 2021.{{Cite web |date=2021-05-19 |title=Dallas Soonias |url=https://indspire.ca/laureate/dallas-soonias/ |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=Indspire |language=en-US}}
Personal life
Soonias is considered both Cree and Ojibwe. Along with his mother, he is registered at the Cape Croker First Nations reserve, whereas his father is Red Pheasant First Nation.{{Cite news|url=https://www.onevolleyball.org/blog/2017/2/27/taking-to-the-court-one-last-time|title=Jaimie Thibeault - Taking to the court one last time|work=ONE VOLLEYBALL|access-date=2018-10-08|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-10-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009013157/https://www.onevolleyball.org/blog/2017/2/27/taking-to-the-court-one-last-time|url-status=dead}}
Dallas is married to volleyball player, Jaimie Thibeault.
They are both role models for Neechie Gear, a clothing brand which gives a 5% profit to give children the opportunity to participate in sports.{{Cite web|url=https://www.neechiegear.com/pages/our-purpose|title=Our Purpose – Neechie Gear®|website=www.neechiegear.com|access-date=2018-10-08}} The title of the company refers to a Cree greeting, which is warm and friendly.{{Cite news|title=Kendal Netmaker, set to succeed|last=Thorton|first=Kevin|date=November 26, 2015|work=Fort McMurray}}
Through Indigenous communities, he connects to youth to relate to them in a positive light, both through the court and through story telling.{{Cite web|url=https://www.iispeakersbureau.com/our-speakers/dallas-soonias/|title=Dallas Soonias|last=Bureau|first=International Indigenous Speakers|website=International Indigenous Speakers Bureau|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-08}} Volleyball on the Move Clinic is an example of this, where he worked through the program in various elementary schools in Whitehorse, Yukon in partnership with Volleyball Yukon.{{Cite web|url=https://cafn.ca/event/community-volleyball-tour-dallas-soonias/|title=Community Volleyball Tour with Dallas Soonias {{!}} Champagne and Aishihik First Nations|website=cafn.ca|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-08}}
Dallas has had experience assisted coaching at the University of Alberta for the men's volleyball team.{{Cite web|url=http://www.saskcoach.ca/2018conference/presenters.html|title=Saskatchewan Coaches Conference|website=www.saskcoach.ca|access-date=2018-10-08|archive-date=2018-10-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009013243/http://www.saskcoach.ca/2018conference/presenters.html|url-status=dead}} He was awarded the Inspire Award in the sports category in 2021.{{Cite web |title=2021 INDSPIRE AWARDS {{!}} "My career took on a whole different purpose" Dallas Soonias was ready to leave sport behind, but then he realized he was a role model to indigenous... {{!}} By CBC Sports {{!}} Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/CBCSports/videos/2021-indspire-awards/488962702172714/ |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en}}
He appeared in the 2024 edition of Canada Reads, advocating for Jessica Johns's novel Bad Cree.[https://www.cbc.ca/books/meet-the-canada-reads-2024-contenders-1.7073689 "Meet the Canada Reads 2024 contenders"], CBC Books, January 11, 2024.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204084334/http://www.olympic.ca/EN/2007rio/2007_handbook/details.php?lastname=Soonias&firstname=Dallas |title=Dallas Soonias at Canada Rio 2007 Handbook}}
- {{COC profile|dallas-soonias}}
- {{CEV player|5135}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Soonias, Dallas}}
Category:Canadian men's volleyball players
Category:Sportspeople from Saskatoon
Category:University of Alberta alumni
Category:Volleyball players at the 2007 Pan American Games
Category:First Nations sportspeople
Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists in volleyball
Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists for Canada
Category:Medalists at the 2015 Pan American Games
Category:21st-century Canadian sportsmen
{{Canada-volleyball-bio-stub}}