The 91原创 women鈥檚 volleyball team didn鈥檛 qualify for the Tokyo Olympics but the work has begun for Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028.
Six-foot-two outside-hitter Thana Fayad of Victoria looks to be part of that journey as a member of the 91原创 NextGen team announced to centralize for 10 weeks from Monday through July 30 at the national training centre located in the Richmond Oval.
鈥淭his is my dream come true. I鈥檝e always aspired to come back to Canada and give back to the program,鈥� said the former Oak Bay Secondary standout, who played NCAA Div. 1 for the University of San Diego.
鈥淢aking the Olympics would be an amazing experience.鈥�
It would carry on a proud tradition, following in the high-top sneaker steps of former Island volleyball Olympians such as Jamie Broder, Fred Winters Martin Reader, Ann Ireland, Greg Russell and Tom Graham.
Fayad grew up immersed in the culture, growing up in the Comox Valley from age nine after the family moved to the Island from Regina. Fayad followed her volleyball dreams down-Island to Victoria clubs. Dad and former junior-national team player and USC Trojans recruit Jahmil Fayad coached and older sister Shimen Fayad, a B.C. champion and provincial MVP with Lambrick Park Secondary, also became an NCAA Div. 1 player at Wichita State and then Cal State-Fullerton.
鈥淭he Island has such a great volleyball environment,鈥� said Thana Fayad, who turns 23 next week.
Nineteen players will gather in Richmond for the NextGen camp.
鈥淭he aim of this program is to create a sustainable podium pathway for indoor women鈥檚 volleyball by developing world-class athletes, who will help propel Canada beyond the current successes, to Olympic qualifications and podium performances,鈥� said women鈥檚 senior national team head coach Shannon Winzer, in a statement.
The B.C. players selected are Fayad, middle-player Avery Heppell of Langley and outside-hitter Katrina Pantovic of 91原创. Fayad came out of Oak Bay in 2015-16 as B.C. high school player of the year and provincial first-team all-star. She was recruited by NCAA Div. 1 teams Washington State, Santa Clara, Hawaii, Minnesota, Notre Dame, San Francisco, Portland and Idaho State before settling on San Diego, where she made the all-WCC first team in her senior season.
鈥淚t was a great run at USD and I had four very successful seasons,鈥� said Fayad, who remained at USD to work on her masters degree.
She overcame a lot, returning for her final two seasons with the Toreros after missing back-to-back seasons following two left-knee ACL injuries. Despite the setbacks, Fayad completed her USD career with 13 double-doubles, 589 kills, 454 digs with an average of 2.74 kills and 2.11 digs per set over 57 games. She collected 692 points for an average of 3.22 points per set. Fayad reached the second round of the NCAA tournament once in her career with the Toreros.
It is that relentless perseverance from adversity that will hold the Islander in good stead as she charts her international career, which began on the junior national team.
鈥淓very 91原创 athlete is proud to put on the Maple Leaf and represent their country,鈥� said Fayad.
She鈥檚 in the right place and well positioned to continue doing that.
鈥淭he NextGen program is a gateway for the senior national team and is an extremely important part of the women鈥檚 national team framework,鈥� said 2021 NextGen head coach Gina Schmidt.