Heather Nicole Erickson (born May 9, 1993)[1] is an American Paralympic sitting volleyball player.

Heather Erickson
Personal information
Full nameHeather Nicole Erickson
NationalityAmerican
BornMay 9, 1993 (1993-05-09) (age 30)
Eureka, California, U.S.
HometownFayetteville, North Carolina, U.S.
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Medal record
Women's sitting volleyball
Representing  United States
Paralympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2008 Beijing Team
Silver medal – second place 2012 London Team
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Team
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2010 Edmond, Oklahoma Team
WOVD Intercontinental Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Ismailia, Egypt Team
WOVD World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2010 Port Said, Egypt Team
Parapan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2015 Toronto, Canada Team
Parapan American Zonal Championships
Gold medal – first place 2009 Denver, Colorado Team
Gold medal – first place 2011 Sao Paulo, Brazil Team
Parapan American Championship
Gold medal – first place 2010 Denver, Colorado Team
Sitting Volleyball Invitational
Silver medal – second place 2007 Shanghai, China Team
Euro Cup
Gold medal – first place 2009 Roermond, Netherlands Team
ECVD Continental Cup
Gold medal – first place 2011 Yevpatoria, Ukraine Team
Volleyball Masters
Gold medal – first place 2012 Leersum, Netherlands Team

Early life edit

Erickson was born in Eureka, California with a bone that prevented her leg from fully developing. In 2002, after 18 failed surgeries, her parents decided to have her right leg amputated. She received a prosthetic leg a month later. In 2011, she graduated from Jack Britt High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina.[2]

Career edit

She started competing for Paralympic Games in 2007 where she won a silver medal for her participation at Sitting Volleyball Invitational. In 2008, she participated at World Organization Volleyball for Disabled where she won bronze medal and the same year got another silver one for her participation at 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China. In 2010, Erickson won gold medal at Parapan American Championship which was held in Colorado and the same year got another gold and silver ones for a WOVD Championship and World Cup. In 2011 and 2012 respectively she won three gold medals at ECVD Continental Cup, Parapan American Zonal Championship, and Volleyball Masters. She also got 4th silver medal for her participation at 2012 Paralympic Games in London.[2]

Erickson was a member of the USA Paralympic women's volleyball team which won the gold medal at the 2015 Parapan American Games in Toronto,[3][4][5] at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro,[6] and at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo.[7]

Personal life and interests edit

Erickson likes to listen to such singers as Maroon 5 and Blake Shelton. She also enjoys watching such films as Game Plan, Gridiron Gang and August Rush. She likes to watch TV shows as well such as House, and WWE Raw. Her other hobbies are reading Nicholas Sparks books, and playing volleyball.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ "Heather Erickson profile". Volleyball Magazine. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "Heather Erickson". Team USA. United States Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  3. ^ Bill Kauffman (August 14, 2015). "U.S. Women's Sitting Team Golden at Parapan". Team USA. Archived from the original on October 4, 2015. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  4. ^ "Sitting Volleyball - Event Overview - Women: Ranks and Medals". 2015 Parapan American Games. Archived from the original on October 4, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  5. ^ "Sitting Volleyball - Event Overview - Women: Athletes". 2015 Parapan American Games. Archived from the original on October 4, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  6. ^ Patterson, Karen (September 17, 2016). "Team USA Wins Its First Women's Sitting Volleyball Paralympic Title". TeamUSA.org. Archived from the original on September 21, 2016.
  7. ^ "Sitting Volleyball - ERICKSON Heather". Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.

External links edit