Bobcats go local with Massey’s Tiana Low

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This article was published 31/05/2023 (1040 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If at first you don’t succeed, work 10 times harder.

When Tiana Low heard her spike touch wasn’t high enough for the Brandon University Bobcats last fall, she shrugged it off and got in the gym.

Not two months later, it went from nine-foot-five to over nine-foot-seven, apparently high enough to earn a spot in their rookie class for the 2023-24 Canada West women’s volleyball season.

“It’s very special because I’ve always kind of wanted to play for BU ever since I’ve been watching games,” Low said.

“They had a pretty special team a couple of years ago just because some of the girls were coaching our 17U Cats club.”

That group included current assistant coach James DeGroot, along with Rayvn Wiebe and Jamie Bain — who led BU to a 9-7 record in 2021-22 as fifth-years who stayed back after the COVID-19 season and earned the program’s lone post-season victory.

The path to playing for that Cats team and even having a chance at joining the Bobcats certainly didn’t have a smooth start.

Low started playing volleyball in Grade 7 and tried out for the Cats club that year but only made the Blue (second) team.

“One of my closest friends I tried out with at the time made the Gold team so I was pretty upset and worked towards it a while,” said Low, who made the Gold team the following season and won a national title.

“It kinda happened again when we got to Grade 9 and the four of us on that team that won nationals, we all got really close … The three of them went to the JV team and I didn’t make the JV team.

“It was extra motivation to get better for sure.”

Low has repeatedly responded to disappointment with effort.

When the letdown came from the initial rejection at BU, she started plyometric training by compiling Instagram videos into a makeshift workout plan. Now she’s on a program with BU assistant coach Ashley Hosfeld, who’s mainly a personal trainer.

The six-foot attacker played middle blocker for the Vincent Massey Vikings, helping them reach the AAAA provincial semifinals as the No. 1 seed. Since then, however, she has shifted to right side with Cougars Volleyball Club, which finished third at provincials to enter nationals with the top 32 teams in Canada.

“I really love it,” Low said, adding the best part is not trading places with a libero for the back row rotations like most middles do.

“I feel like it’s my new spot and I’m hoping this year is where I can make up some of my lost touches I didn’t get at that position.

“One thing I really am wanting to work on right now is my spike touch. I really want to have that advantage of being able to hit the ball off of hands from a higher angle and also getting more height over the net to get those extra blocks.”

Low plans to study science and go into education later. She understands she’ll likely redshirt her first year with a massive crop of newcomers. Her rookie class includes Alberta’s Georgia Johnson, Ontario’s Alex Roberge, B.C.’s Shaunti Gill and Grace Gallacher, along with college transfer and Massey alum Jayde Hansen-Young.

The team needs a big group as Marly Pellerin, Ashley Thoms, Syree Tucker, Tielle Hagel and Danielle Dardis left after the team went 0-24 in 2022-23. It’s only slightly the biggest exodus of players in any recent season under head coach Lee Carter, who is on leave amid a supposedly ongoing third-party investigation into his conduct.

Those around the team did enough for Low to feel it was a good fit during her visit.

“When I attended the practice I had a really good time with the girls and felt like I clicked there and was comfortable there. This town is so nice and it’s somewhere I want to stay in,” Low said, adding the coaching situation isn’t a deterrent.

“I don’t care. As long as he or she is a great coach, I’m sure I’ll like their coaching style.”

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