Durham Lords men’s volleyball captain Tyler Krabi is on the team for a fifth season, but it wasn’t volleyball that made him stay.
Krabi graduated the three year Sports Management program at Durham College (DC) two years ago with a passion for a totally different career path – becoming a police officer.
While a student at Stouffville District Secondary School he coached minor hockey and currently coaches his nine-year-old sister Caitie’s Stouffville baseball team. From golf to hockey to volleyball, Krabi gravitates to sports.
As a result, he initially thought the business of sports was his passion. By the time he graduated though, Krabi realized a sports career wasn’t for him.
“It was actually my third year internship at Golf Ontario that I realized, I’m not sure I can do this for the next 30 years or so….I decided I really wanted to become a police officer so that’s what I set out to do,” said Krabi.
He considered studying Criminology at Ontario Tech, but ultimately decided to stay at DC.
“Being able to continue playing (volleyball) was a bonus for me, I was focused on my education,” said Krabi, who won the most valuable player award last season.
He stressed this will be his last diploma and he has found what he wants to pursue as a career.
Krabi is now in his last year of the Protection, Security and Investigation (PSI) program and hopes to become a police officer.
“I have a friend who is a police officer, so it’s nice to be able to see what it’s like,” said Krabi.
He has also been taken on six ride alongs with his friend where he is in the car while his friend is on duty and observes what it’s like.
“I was nervous my first time, but also expected it to be a bit boring,” he said.
On one of the rides, Krabi did more than just observe. He was asked to help escort a man with an expired licence into the back of the police car.
Nervously he agreed and while pushing the man’s head into the car, the whole experience felt real, he said. This was the first time he had assisted in an arrest.
As part of his program, Krabi is training for the Physical Readiness for Police (PREP) test.
He said campus gyms 1 or 2 are set up with physical obstacles while professors supervise the students. Students navigate around obstacles like walls, weights and stairs while completing the course.
Krabi completes this course a couple times a semester, however, as part of his fitness class he does a shuttle run every week.
This run consists of sprints between two or more points. The run builds stamina and tests agility.
“There are also practice sessions I’ve attended on the side that are run by Durham (Regional) Police Services – that are getting me ready for the actual (PREP) test,” Krabi said.
With one Krabi leaving the team, another one enters the spotlight. Younger brother Spencer Krabi is in his first year of Trade Fundamentals at DC and is playing his first season on the volleyball team.
“Yeah, I think I inspired him to play,” Krabi said, while laughing.
Only time will tell if younger Krabi can live up to his older brother.
For now the elder Krabi plans to finish out the season strong and focus on his studies.
