Heather Erickson

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 place2008 BeijingTeam
Silver medal – second place2012 LondonTeam
Gold medal – first place2016 Rio de JaneiroTeam
Gold medal – first place2020 TokyoTeam
World Championships
Silver medal – second place2010 Edmond, OklahomaTeam
WOVD Intercontinental Cup
Bronze medal – third place2008 Ismailia, EgyptTeam
WOVD World Cup
Gold medal – first place2010 Port Said, EgyptTeam
Parapan American Games
Gold medal – first place2015 Toronto, CanadaTeam
Parapan American Zonal Championships
Gold medal – first place2009 Denver, ColoradoTeam
Gold medal – first place2011 Sao Paulo, BrazilTeam
Parapan American Championship
Gold medal – first place2010 Denver, ColoradoTeam
Sitting Volleyball Invitational
Silver medal – second place2007 Shanghai, ChinaTeam
Euro Cup
Gold medal – first place2009 Roermond, NetherlandsTeam
ECVD Continental Cup
Gold medal – first place2011 Yevpatoria, UkraineTeam
Volleyball Masters
Gold medal – first place2012 Leersum, NetherlandsTeam

Early life

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

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

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
  1. "Heather Erickson profile". Volleyball Magazine. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  2. "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". Tokyo2020.org. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
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