Tom Wheeler: Finding Home Halfway Around the World

“I didn’t even look at it on a map.”

That's how Tom Wheeler describes his decision to move from Australia to Grande Prairie in 2017. He had heard about an opportunity to play volleyball at Northwestern Polytechnic (NWP), and that was enough to convince him to make the move.

Nearly a decade later, after earning a degree, setting a collegiate volleyball record and playing professionally overseas, Tom has returned to the place that became his second home.

Originally from Ipswich, Queensland, Tom was playing on Australia's youth national volleyball team when a coach at a training camp introduced him to post-secondary volleyball opportunities in Canada. The idea caught his attention, and before long, he was heading to northern Alberta to join the Wolves and pursue a Bachelor of Education.

Despite the distance from home, Tom found Grande Prairie surprisingly familiar.

“The people are similar – they’re friendly and willing to help, just like in Australia.”

The weather, however, took some getting used to.

“People just went on with their day when it was snowing sideways,” he recalls. “Everyone just got on with it!”

Tom spent five years with Wolves Volleyball, making his mark both on the court and in the classroom. In 2022, he broke an Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) block record. During the 2021-22 season, he also received a Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) award recognizing student-athletes who achieve honours standing in academics while competing in intercollegiate athletics.

For Tom, the balance between athletics and education was shaped in part by former Wolves Men's Volleyball Head Coach Sam Tu’ivai.

“I want to shine a light on Sam Tu’ivai,” says Tom when reflecting on his years with the Wolves.

“He set us up to have a future not just in sport. School had to be just as important,” Tom explains.

That foundation would prove valuable as Tom pursued opportunities beyond NWP.

After graduating with his Bachelor of Education, he headed to Germany to play professional volleyball. Over two seasons with SV Warnemünde, he experienced another new culture, another language and the excitement of helping his team win a championship and earn promotion to Division 1.

Despite having studied German for six years in elementary school, Tom admits the language barrier was “pretty tough.” But once again, he found himself surrounded by people who made the experience memorable.

“My teammates were super welcoming, management was good, the supporters were amazing,” he says.

And, of course, there were a few culinary adventures along the way, including a traditional German raw pork sandwich.

“That was a bit questionable,” he says with a laugh.

In 2025, Tom returned to Australia for knee surgery. But even while back in his home country, Grande Prairie remained on his mind.

“I always thought I’d come back to Grande Prairie,” he explains. “My whole adult life has been here. It feels like a second home.”

“There’s so much opportunity here. To teach, to coach, to have an affordable way of life.”

Today, Tom is putting those opportunities to work.

He returned to NWP as an assistant coach with the men's and women's Wolves volleyball teams, bringing his experience as both a collegiate and professional athlete back to the program where his Canadian journey began.

On game days, he also steps behind the microphone to provide commentary for Wolves Volleyball livestreams, helping fans follow the action and better understand the game.

“I’m passionate about it! I get to explain the game to people who can’t make it in person and who might not know it as well,” he smiles. “It’s another way to contribute to the Wolves.”

And while volleyball remains a big part of his life, teaching is equally important. After gaining experience as a substitute teacher in Grande Prairie and teaching and coaching in Queensland, Tom is taking on a full-time role teaching foods at St. John Paul II School this fall.

It's a combination of opportunities that brings together the two interests that first led him to NWP.

From arriving in Grande Prairie without looking at a map to building a career in the community, Tom's journey has taken him across continents and back again.

What started as a chance to play volleyball has become something much bigger: a place to call home.