Aldergrove’s Taryn Grandia’s volleyball career just got a major spike in the right direction.
The 17-year-old grade 12 St. John Brebeuf student got signed to Trinity Western University – the Spartans women’s team is currently ranked third in all of Canada.
Grandia told the Aldergrove Star that she’s been playing the sport for six years and got introduced to it by her parents who both played in college.
“I played in the Summer Games in 2016 and an assistant coach that I met there stayed in touch,” she explained, eventually getting asked to show off her skills at a recent training session.
“The coach said he was going to call me later in the day and called that night saying he had fell asleep and forgot to tell me that I had made the team,” Grandia laughed. “I’m like ‘how do you forget about something like that’?”
Though she won’t join the team until the fall of 2021, Grandia said she is very much looking forward to the opportunity.
“I love volleyball – I love the team dynamic and this really pushed me to go to Trinity,” she said, adding she’ll likely enroll in general studies for now.
“I know I probably won’t play for the first couple of years just because the team is so good, but I am looking forward to it,” Grandia said.
She’s gotten to play on and off for most of 2020, noting that volleyball is thankfully not a contact sport and that she’s been diligent with staying apart and washing equipment.
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In that time, Varsity Letters, a provincial high school sports publication, named her as one of the top 15 players in B.C. – a title that she’s not quite sure how she obtained.
“The head coach asked for my photo for it and I wasn’t sure why,” she said. “When I got it, I looked at honourable mentions and my name wasn’t there and so I thought I didn’t make it, but I actually turned out to be one of the 15.”
When asked about the skills that may have put her on that list, Grandia pointed to her tall stature – six feet – and her strong serve.
”I hit a heavy ball which is hard to return,” she humbly admitted. “I am good in the back row and can hit from there, which a lot of people struggle to do, so maybe that’s why?”
Grandia was quick to say volleyball is a team sport and she is looking forward to playing more in 2021.
“I want to stay positive and have fun and try my best,” Grandia said.
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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@aldergrovestar.com
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