Because, without question, she most certainly can dig it.
And now, fans of the Columbia Bible College Bearcats in Abbotsford, B.C. will have a chance to see what she’s capable of for themselves
CBC announced recently that Angeles -- the Spirits’ standout defensive specialist from their 2019 provincial title win -- would be joining their squad for the 2021-22 season.
The fact the 5-foot-1 Vanier senior is moving on to play a higher level in the sport is no surprise to coach Brad Hennenfent.
“It’s phenomenal,” Hennefent said. “She was just coming into her own as a Grade 11 when we won provincials, and not being able to practice or play this year has been so hard, but it’s been so neat to see her get a chance and an opportunity to play.
“Where she’s at right now, she’s just starting,” Hennefent added. “She has so much potential and it’s amazing to see her getting this chance.”
Angeles showed impressive development in her short time with the Spirits, going from a self-regimented player reluctant to get too aggressive in the backcourt to a free-flowing dig machine who made it nigh impossible to put a clean hit on the floor.
“I saw her in a gym class one day and she was just performing, playing so well and just having fun, and when she came to me for volleyball, she was playing tight and everything,” Hennefent explained.
“So I just pulled her over to the side one day and told her ‘all I want you to do is do what you do in your gym class and enjoy it’. It took her awhile to get the confidence to be able to do that with our team and with herself, but boy, she ended up as one of the differences for us when we were at provincials and made our team so much better.”
The key now will be to continue that level of play against a quality of opponent she hasn’t faced before. CBC plays in the Pacific Western Athletic Association, a member of the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association and home of the three-time defending CCAA women’s volleyball champion Vancouver Island University Mariners.
But Hennenfent expects Angeles’ abilities to translate well into the next level.
“Her thing is she sees the game so much better than so many kids,” he explained. “She was doing stuff at the end of the year that you can’t teach… once she got the feel that she didn’t have to stand in a spot, she just had to figure out where to be, oh man it was nice to watch.
She dug balls at provincials that earlier in the year she wasn’t even getting close to. That’s just that natural instinct and that’s why I think she’ll do well there.”
Angeles will also have a unique ally in her corner -- the CBC Bearcats coach is none other than recently graduated Briercrest College Clippers stand-out Rebecca Garner, who has worked with the young recruit at camps in the past. That will help, especially for a young player thousands of kilometres from home
“It’s a long way away, (Adrienne) phoned me and we talked and yes, you’re going to be afraid, and yes there are going to be changes. Like when I went down to Bemidji to play baseball, I was coming home a lot of nights and I was lucky I had Rod Heisler down there at the same time,” Hennenfent said with a laugh.
“But with Facetime and all that, she can be closer to her family and friends who will help her adjust, too.”
All in all, Hennenfent has no question it’s just a matter of time before we start hearing Angeles’ name as a PacWest standout.
“Once she understands that and believes in herself at that level, she’ll thrive,” he said. “And there’s a chance she might even end up going to a bigger school and have even more opportunities.”
