The women’s volleyball team finished the first semester with a perfect 9–0 record, sitting in first place in its division. The team succeeded with the help of every player — veterans and rookies alike. Sarah Chapin is a fifth-year middle who has had consistent success on the team and in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) league, earning awards in both athletics and academics. Anna Feore is a rookie playing left side from Stratford, Ontario, and has played in seven matches so far this season.
Sarah Chapin: What is your favourite part about being a Varsity Blue?
Anna Feore: My favourite thing about being a Varsity Blue is wearing that big T everywhere, whether it’s on my jersey, practice shirt, or winter coat; I am always representing my school and that is a really amazing feeling.
Sarah Chapin. COURTESY OF THE VARSITY BLUES
SC: I totally agree with you; I think the first time you put on your jersey is one of the most exciting moments! What are your short- and long-term goals in the sport of volleyball?
AF: My obvious short-term goals would be winning OUAs and the CIS [Canadian Intercollegiate Sport] Championship. My long-term volleyball goals are to play at the highest level I possibly can, potentially National B or maybe the national team. After that I want to coach; I’ll get my certification and hopefully coach at a reasonably high level.
SC: I think if you continue to work as hard as you are during every practice and game, you can go far with this sport. You have a great work ethic and your skills continue to grow. I can also see you being a great coach some day, and maybe we will coach against each other one day! What is your favourite thing about volleyball?
AF: My favourite thing about volleyball is the non-stop competitiveness. There are no moments within a game where you can relax and take a break! Every point counts whether it is 0–0 or 24–23.
SC: Outside of volleyball, what do you like to do?
AF: I like to sing and write music. I also love exploring new places, and living in Toronto gives me endless opportunity for adventures!
SC: What program and courses are you taking?
AF: I am studying life sciences. I’m in bio, chem, calculus, and some other fun courses on the side like Land of the Pharaohs, Ancient Egyptian history, How to Study Everyday Life, and history [and] philosophy of science.
SC: Why did you choose the University of Toronto?
AF: Primarily, I chose U of T because just being on campus made me insanely happy. Playing for the best team ever was icing on the cake! I was so overwhelmed by how much influence the University of Toronto has on research around the world, being a science lover I was just blown away.
Anna Feore. COURTESY OF THE VARSITY BLUES
SC: If you could describe yourself in one word what would it be?
AF: If I could describe myself in one word I would probably say animated. It sounds dumb, but I try to be light-hearted in all aspects of my life and do like to crack jokes whenever possible.
SC: What has been the most rewarding and the most challenging part of being a student-athlete?
AF: The most rewarding part about being a student-athlete is being able to achieve the marks that you want even in times of very high volleyball stress. Around midterm time is when our first half of the season really picked up, so it was tough balancing both. The most challenging part is planning so far in advance on schoolwork when you know you will be away for an entire weekend; it takes some serious planning skills.
SC: This will come with time. Trust me, you will get better at time management every year. How do you find the university game similar to and/or different than club volleyball?
AF: I certainly had a lot of fun playing club ball but I think the university game is just way more exciting. I love how challenging everything is. The blocks get bigger, the serves get tougher, the ball moves faster and overall the game is just more enjoyable.
SC: Any moments stand out to you from the first half of the season?
AF: So many moments from the first half of the season stand out, but I’d have to say that I really enjoyed our game in Ottawa because our defense was just so incredible that it was unbelievable. A 3–0 win also contributed to the good memories.
SC: I think the match versus Ottawa was also a highlight for me as well. We played as a collective and it was a competitive game, which always make it that much more exciting! What assets will you bring/contribute to this team and how do you plan on doing that?
AF: In terms of assets, I think I bring fairly strong serve receive to the table. I love playing in the back row, so I think I can really help the team in times of need.
SC: I also think you have great offense. Don’t forget about that. You are a consistent hitter, which is critical at times in a match. Are you ready to host CIS championships in February in the brand new Goldring Centre?
AF: Am I ready to host the CIS championships? Oh, absolutely! The Goldring is an incredible facility and I can’t wait to show it off as U of T’s new home gym.
