KAMLOOPS – The two graduating members of the Thompson Rivers WolfPack men's basketball team have helped the program continuously grow throught their time with the 'Pack while also being excellent examples of all-around student-athletes. Playing the final home games of their TRU careers this Saturday at 6:00 p.m. inside Hillside Stadium, Thomas Olsen and Gavin Reis have undoubtedly left their mark on the program.

THOMAS OLSEN
With the 'Pack since 2021 Olsen is one of just 22 members of the 'Pack to have been named a U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian in five-straight seasons. Originally from Surrey, Olsen will leave the 'Pack in the program's all-time top ten in games played, rebounds and steals.

Graduating with…
A Chemical Biology degree with honours.
 
What's next for you?
Hopefully medical school and then wherever I get to do that I get to learn for four to five years, do a couple research projects and then start a career as either a family physician or an orthopedic surgeon.

What made you want to pursue medical school?
It started off as a passion for science. I've always wanted to help people and through my time at TRU I've had the opportunity to connect directly with patients from vulnerable communities. I work with the Special Olympics programs here in Kamloops and I really love working with and advocating for that group, that's been really special for me and I've also volunteered in the emergency room. It's been so amazing connecting with patients and being able to support people, I've really developed a passion for that and medicine gives me the best opportunity to work directly with patients and try to make a difference.
 
What has gone into you being a five-time U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian?
 My teammates can speak to it, it's a lot of 5:00 a.m. wakeups to study in hotel lobbies and staying up late on team buses trying to get as much work done as possible. It's also a real testament to the support systems around me, here at TRU we have a lot of amazing professors and academic support staff that have really made my job easier and supported me through my five years and I don't think it would be possible for me to be a five-time Academic All-Canadian without them. I just hope I can continue to support young athletes and inspire some of our rookies moving forward to be Academic All-Canadians themselves.

How do you think you have grown during your time at TRU?
I remember coming here and one of the first things former head coach Scott Clark told me was 'here you are either a leader, a follower or an obstacle and as a first year guy there is no way you're a leader so what are you going to be?' So I took that as an opportunity for what am I going to learn and absorb from everybody around me. In my first year I had some amazing veteran players that I was able to learn from. Over time I've taken that and I've just tried to grow as a leader, I've taken on initiatives in the community and roles with our basketball team. It's just been learning how to rally the troops and sacrifice for winning, how to contribute to something bigger than myself and set an example for my teammates and other people in the program. That growth into a leader and accepting more responsibilities has been the biggest thing for me. I've certainly developed as a basketball player both mentally and physically but more important than that I've really developed as a person here and I couldn't been more grateful to coach Scott, coach Chad and everyone with the WolfPack that has helped turn me into the person that I am today.

What sort of legacy do you think you will leave behind?
I hope it's a legacy of hard work and doing whatever it takes to help the team win. I come in every day with a smile on my face but I'm coming to work. I try to be physical and a competitor but I hope they remember me as a guy that not only loved winning but hated to lose and tried to push everyone to do their best on the court, in the weightroom and in the classroom.
 
What is your favourite WolfPack memory?
The elementary school game three years ago I remember running out of the tunnel to warm up and I looked beside me and there was a poster where a kid had hand drawn my jersey with my name on the back. I have a photo of that on my phone because that moment really stuck out to me in showing just how much the community here has our back. They love the WolfPack and support the WolfPack and to be able to see that I had had some type of impact on young athletes in our community it really just hit me, the responsibility that we have as WolfPack athletes and I'm really proud of that. I wouldn't be who I was today if it wasn't for the community of Kamloops.
Another standout moment was being able to play against my brother when he was on UBC. It was really cool battling and talking trash with him. Although he got the win, I will never forget those games. There's nothing like sharing the court with your younger brother, that was a really special moment for me.
 
What do you have to say about your fellow grad, Gavin Reis?
The biggest thing that everyone knows about Gav is that he's the best teammate you could possibly ask for. He's a guy that comes in every day, works harder than anybody, cares about his teammates and is always smiling. Some things that people might not know about Gav is that he is the mentally toughest guy I have ever played with in my basketball career. I have plenty of stories of Gav getting coached hard but every day he came back with a smile on his face and ready to go to work. I can't speak enough to how impressive that was and how inspiring it was to me because I would have struggles but I always knew Gav was coming every single day. I know for a fact that I wouldn't be the player I am today without Gavin in the locker room, I wouldn't be the guy I am without him so I'm so appreciative for these last five years. He's going to do huge things with his life and his career and I'm excited to see where he goes with it.
 
Do you have anything else to add?
I'd like to thank my immediate support systems. First with my girlfriend Siobhan, she's been there when I've been at my lowest and at my highest and none of this would have been possible without her so I want to thank her for all her continued support. Obviously my parents, my mom is my biggest fan and I call her probably 5-6 times a week so she's been great. My Dad is always calling and texting before every game, my sister who has overcome so much adversity – she's an inspiration to me and then my brother who has the most irrational level of confidence which is something I aspire to. I wouldn't be the person that I am or get to this point without my family and my girlfriend so I appreciate them so much.

GAVIN REIS
Also joining TRU for the 2021 season, Reis has suited up in 55 games for the 'Pack. Gavin is a two-time U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian and has brought an infectious personality to Kamloops that has made the entire department better for having him.
 
Graduating with…
A Geography and Environmental Studies degree with honours.
 
What is next for you?
I'm going to do a little bit of travelling. Next summer I'm going to be working agriculture in Australia which I'm super excited for. After that I'll do some travelling and then settle down. The dream at the end of the day is to get into firefighting.


What about firefighting drew you to it?
It runs in the family a bit, my dad and grandpa were both municipal firefighters and I just feel like I need a job that makes you get into that locked in mindset and it's something that I would love to try out.

How do you think you have grown during your time at TRU?
When I came in I was super raw, I still feel like I'm a bit raw now, but I've gotten better at being the player I am, using my athleticism. My work ethic has grown massively, in high school I was a terrible student and now I'm getting an honours degree which is something I never thought would happen.
 
How do you think your teammates will remember you?
There's one story from my first year that I think describes it. Our coach Scott was always trying to get us to communicate names and I was really bad at that, I wouldn't say anything. So to make a long story short one day Scott stops practice and says 'Gavin, who is this guy standing beside you?' this was two months into the season and I didn't know his name so that was an awkward experience but just the type of thing that happens to me and only me.
 
What is your favourite WolfPack memory?
My first year against UVic our team had some injuries so I got more time on the court and I ended up having a really good game - had my first dunk and it was just a really good experience for me.
 
What do you have to say about your fellow grad, Thomas Olsen?
Tom has an incredible work ethic. Everytime I'm in the locker room he is always giving me support. Sometimes I get in my head a lot and he is great at showing support and it's something that I've really appreciated over the years. We have some awesome stories together.
 
Anything else to add?
I want to recognize my parents for all their support. They pushed me to keep going when things were tough and I've really appreciated that. Also, Mr. Verbeek who was a teacher back in high school. Mr. Verbeek gave up so much time to help me with my footwork and game on the court. That's something I appreciate so much more now because he didn't have to give up his time to help me and it showed me that life is more about your community and giving back.