Hansen-Young rises to the challenge

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/11/2024 (513 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jersey Hansen-Young craves competition.

A high-level softball and hockey player in her formative years, Hansen-Young decided to make one sport her focus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She chose volleyball.

“Obviously, all sports are competitive but I feel like volleyball has a different level of intensity and focus that you need to have — you have to stay engaged for the whole game,” said Hansen-Young, 17. “You’re always engaged when you’re playing volleyball. You’re always getting touches on the ball. You’re always digging balls. You’re always going for attacks and stuff like that.”

In Hansen-Young’s case, the outcome of her decision will have far-reaching implications.

The University of Manitoba recruit is destined to play a major role as Brandon’s Vincent Massey Vikings chase the first varsity girls AAAA volleyball title in school history.

Hansen-Young’s star status was certified when she was honoured as the top varsity girls volleyball player in voting by a panel of coaches.

“She’s always been a consistent player for us and I would say from Grade 11 to Grade 12, I’ve really noticed an improvement in her defence,” said Vikings head coach Kelly DeRoo. “And she’s just been attacking a lot more consistently. She was always a consistent attacker but she’s hitting at a 38 per cent efficiency this season, which is really good.”

With Hansen-Young fuelling the offence, the Vikings were 47-2 and ranked No. 1 in Manitoba entering Saturday’s quarter-final action at the provincial AAAA championship.

“We didn’t know how we were going to stack up against other teams,” said Hansen-Young, a starter on the Vikings since Grade 10. “We lost one game right at the start of the season, and then as we were going through our tournaments, we just kept having success and the wins just kept racking up. We kept pushing ourselves and now we’re at where we’re at.”

Hansen-Young’s prowess on the court shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. She comes from family of athletes.

Her oldest sister, Jayde, is a libero at Brandon University while another sister, Jori, is a hockey blue-liner at Mount Royal in Calgary.

Her two youngest siblings, brothers Jaxsten and Jagger, have volleyball and hockey on their resumes. Jaxsten is a member of Massey’s varsity boys volleyball squad while also playing defence for the Southwest AAA U18 Cougars.

Jagger, meanwhile, suits up for Massey’s Grade 9 volleyball team and Southwest’s U15U AAA hockey team.

DeRoo said Jersey is much more than just a overpowering offensive force.

“She’s become such of a leader for us,” said DeRoo. “Even last year, she was one of the leaders on the team and she always kind of keeps everything together when we’re not doing so well. She’s always positive. And that’s one of the reasons why she’s one of the best players in the province, because it’s all those other things. It’s not just that she hits the ball hard. She does everything else that you want in a good volleyball player.”

Last summer, Hansen-Young fine-tuned her game with the provincial team while also playing club volleyball for Virden-based Club West and head coach Steve Densmore.

Densmore had high praise for the 6-foot left side, recommending her to U of M head coach Ken Bentley.

“She moves well and she hits (from) the back row well and that’s becoming more and more important in women’s volleyball,” said Bentley. “I think our team is one of those teams that do a really good job of it and so I think she brings that to the table. She just got a really good natural arm that’s tough to teach and she’s a competitor. She wants to do well.”

The chance to play for a perennial national championship contender made her recruiting decision fairly simple.

“(Bentley) had showed interest, and that to me is not really an opportunity you pass up,” said Hansen-Young. “It’s such a great opportunity, right? So I kind of decided when he reached out to me that that’s where I wanted to go.”

DeRoo said there are no glaring weaknesses in Hansen-Young’s game.

“She hits the ball hard and high, so she has that ability to score, but it’s all the little other things that make her so good,” said DeRoo. “She’s such a good defender. She’s very calm in a game. She doesn’t stress over her errors. She makes errors, but she’s always just refocuses herself right away. I think it’s her mental toughness is what makes her such a good player.”

Becoming a star in U Sports will be a formidable task. First- and second-year players don’t usually achieve the status of starters.

“I’ll never say never,” said Bentley. “Her strength is certainly her attacking and the rest of her skills aren’t lacking… So I’m excited to see what she can bring next year. I think she’ll a pretty big part of our group over the next five years for sure.”

---

The Free Press’s Varsity Girls Volleyball Top 10

This list was compiled with voting from a panel of high school coaches:

1. Jersey Hansen-Young, left side, 6-0, Vincent Massey (Brandon), Grade 12: Intense player.

Extremely adept offensively and a superb all-around player. Committed to the University of Manitoba.

An honourable mention in 2023 coaches’ poll.

---

2. Julia Martens, setter, 5-9, Westgate, Grade 12: Runs a superb offence.

Extremely high volleyball IQ and one of the best setters the province has produced in the last few years. U of M recruit was ranked No. 7 in 2023.

---

3. Anna Fillipin-Buller, left side, 5-11, Collège Jeanne-Sauvé, Grade 12: Extremely smart and creative offensive player. Good defender as well.

University of Winnipeg recruit was ranked sixth in 2023.

---

4. Brooklyn Grobb-Prins, left side, 6-4, Lord Selkirk, Grade 12: Strong blocker and solid attacker.

University of Texas at San Antonio recruit was unranked in 2023 while she was attending Volleyball Canada’s National Excellence Program in Richmond, B.C.

---

5. Callie Andres, middle, 6-0, Steinbach Regional, Grade 12: Terrific blocker and strong middle attacker.

Tough float server with a big net presence. Honourable mention in 2023 poll.

---

6. Kyla Findley, right side, 5-9, Westwood, Grade 11: Outstanding vertical jump and very fast arm swing.

---

7. Taylor Labossiere, libero, 5-6, Collège Jeanne-Sauvé, Grade 12: Solid on serve receive and great defender.

Extends rallies with a tremendous court presence. Committed to U of W.

---

8. Delaney Groot, left side, 6-0, Westwood, Grade 12: Superb all-around player. Good solid skills.

U of M recruit was unranked in 2023.

---

9. Selestine Liu-Asomua, left side, 6-2, W.C. Miller (Altona), Grade 12: Powerful attacker.

Strong communicator who makes her team better. Unranked in 2023.

---

10. Amani Igboba, left side, 6-0, Dakota, Grade 11: Strong offensive game combined with a terrific serve.

---

Honourable mentions: Danika Jakabek, Lord Selkirk; Madison Richard, Miles Macdonell; Eliana Stark, Miles Macdonell; Naomi Teixeira, Glenlawn; Zoe Price, Vincent Massey (Brandon); Montanna Jubenvill, Gilbert Plains

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca