Alyssa and Addison Piekema. Photo supplied by Addison and Alyssa.

Being known as a pair most of their lives, the sisters are now taking the opportunity of university-level sports to express themselves as individuals.

This fall, twin sisters Addison and Alyssa Piekema made the leap from Lethbridge to Edmonton, signing with MacEwan University’s women’s volleyball team, where they hope to make strong growth as athletes and individuals. The two have been playing sports together since the fifth grade, and actively choose to play with one another again in university. “We sent emails to a bunch of schools together, we kind of sent them both at the same time and stuff, but MacEwan kind of recruited us together as one thing,” Alyssa says. They knew that playing together wouldn’t be an option at every school. “It could be a possibility we go separate places, but I mean, we said that if they were going to take us together, then that’s something we really wanted,” says Addison.

Like all siblings, Alyssa and Addison have some friendly competition. “It’s a blessing in disguise that we’re not the same position, because if we were, I think it would be so much worse,” Addison said, adding that “it’s more of just pushing each other to do better.” 

Their teammates have joked that they have some sort of psychic connection because of being twins. While it may be a joke that they can read each other’s minds, there is some truth to it, because of their closeness and openness with each other. Addison says, “It’s not like I can read her mind, but if she’s having a bad day, I know what will help with that, and how she feels.”

While they are close when it comes to athletics, they are also close with their education. Both sisters are taking a Bachelor of Arts, as well as having two classes together, and even living with one another. Most twins will probably be asked at some point: How do you differentiate yourself from one another? Aylssa says, “That’s kind of been a hard thing I feel like for most of our life, is being separate, even our friends they always refer to us just as like ‘the twins’. So it’s kind of been hard to be separate, but it’s not a bad thing, but I think it’s kind of nice in a way that we’re playing different positions, we don’t have to do exactly everything the same.” Addison added, “That definitely is a big aspect, especially in volleyball, just ‘cause that way we can focus each on what we need to do individually.” 

Addison and Alyssa’s journey of unity is strengthened by their own individuality. The two are beginning a new chapter at MacEwan, not only as athletes, but as sisters; they’re bringing years of teamwork and experience to MacEwan athletics that will connect not only them, but their entire team.