The purpose of the Youth National Team program is to identify, select and train a group of athletes who have future Senior National Team potential. The goal is to identify and develop an athlete pool through training opportunities for Team Canada programs.
2023 World Championship Roster
2, Mary Healy, OH, NC State (USA)
6, Veronica Dickson, MB, Pandas Volleyball Club (Alberta)
8, Megan Hawkins, OH, KW Predators (Ontario)
9, Logan King, OPP, Pakmen Club (Ontario)
12, Anya Fehr, Setter, Pandas Volleyball Club (Alberta)
13, Sophia Magus, Setter, Huskies Volleyball Club (Saskatchewan)
14, Abagayle Guezen, OH, Pandas Volleyball Club (Alberta)
15, Delaney Watson, Libero, KW Predators (Ontario)
16, Tianna Kehler, MB, Mariners Volleyball Club (British Columbia)
19, Sophia Hansen, OH, Pandas Volleyball Club (Alberta)
20, Ella Piskorz, MB, Halton Region Volleyball Club (Ontario)
23, Sara Gray, OH, Huskies Volleyball Club (Saskatchewan)
Head Coach: Christine Biggs, Alberta
Asst. Coach: Olivier Faucher, Quebec
Asst. Coach: Sandra Lamb, Alberta
Athletic Therapist: Lucas Rooney, Ontario
Performance Analyst: Troels Lavritsen, Denmark
WATSON TO REPRESENT CANADA AT U19 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Incoming University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's volleyball player Delaney Watson has been named a member of the Canadian national team that will compete at the U19 world championship, August 1-11 in Croatia and Hungary.
A 5-foot-7 libero, Watson trained with Team Canada's National Excellence Program (NEP) in British Columbia from September to December. This past season, she helped the 18U Predators Synergy to a fourth-place finish at provincials, while also competing on the national stage. In 2022, Watson and the 18U Predators Synergy won the 18U national championship title.
"We are very excited for Delaney," said Varsity Blues head coach Kristine Drakich. "It's always an incredible honour to represent Canada and to be selected for a world championship roster is such a privilege. It will be amazing for Delaney to compete against the best U19's in the world and also bring her experience and learnings back to our program."
Watson also won the 2023 OVA Scarborough Solars award, which is presented annually to a minimum of two Ontario athletes who have been selected to, or who have the ability to, represent Ontario and/or Canada in international indoor or beach volleyball competitions.
From Waterloo, Ont., Watson was also named her high school's 2022 senior female athlete of the year.
Canada's pool includes Brazil, Italy, Bulgaria, Peru and Thailand. Team Canada's first match is against Brazil in Szeged, Hungary, on August 01.
For full coverage: https://en.volleyballworld.com/volleyball/competitions/women-u19-world-championship-2023/teams/
‘One last hurrah’ for volleyball teammates
Megan Hawkins and Delaney Watson will play for Canada at U19 world championship before heading to different universities
By Mark Bryson Record Reporter
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
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Megan Hawkins of Kitchener, left, and Delaney Watson of St. Jacobs are part of the U19 Women’s Team Canada Volleyball team that will compete at the 2023 FIVB World Championships in August.
Brent Davis / Waterloo Region Record
KITCHENER — Megan Hawkins and Delaney Watson will soon go their separate ways, but not before sharing another milestone moment.
The longtime friends and teammates will leave for Europe on Saturday as part of Canada’s entry at the FIVB volleyball U19 world championship. The 24-nation tournament will run Aug. 1-11 in Osijek, Croatia, and Szeged, Hungary, and Canada’s top players are gearing up for the event this week with twice-daily workouts at Conestoga College.
“She’s my best friend, so it’s awesome to have one last hurrah with her,” said Hawkins during Tuesday’s lunch break. “And I’m very excited to be here and have the opportunity to play for Canada.”
Hawkins, an outside hitter, and Watson, a libero, are recent high school graduates who will continue their athletic and academic careers at the university level.
Hawkins attended Grand River Collegiate and will attend Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C., and Watson is an Elmira and District Secondary School alumna who will study and play at the University of Toronto.
The two played together outside of school for the Kitchener-Waterloo Predators Volleyball Club, most recently with the U18 Force squad that finished fourth at the Ontario championship and 11th at nationals. They previously won three national championships for the Predators’ Synergy squad at the U14 (2018), U15 (2019) and U18 (2022) levels.
Watson says being on Canada’s world championship squad is her biggest achievement to date.
“It’s been a big dream of mine since I was a little kid, and a lot of work has gone into getting here. I’m just super grateful to the organizations like Preds and Team O (Ontario) that have helped me get here,” she said.
“We just finished our club careers and we’re kind of going our separate ways now, so it’s really nice to keep playing with her (Hawkins) for these next few weeks.”
Watson played for Team Ontario at last year’s Canada Summer Games in Niagara Region and also attended Volleyball Canada’s National Excellence Program in Richmond, B.C. The four-month program gives the nation’s top prospects a chance to train full time, live with billets and attend school while working with national coaches.
Hawkins previously represented Canada at last summer’s U19 Girls’ Pan American Cup in Tulsa, Okla., and in March played for Team Ontario during a tour of B.C.
Lisa Watson, Delaney’s mother, has coached both girls with the Predators and was on hand to take in Tuesday’s morning workout.
“It’s super cool to see these guys get the opportunity to go to worlds,” she said. “I’m really proud of them and the club for supporting and developing them.”
Canada will open the U19 world championship on Aug. 1 against Brazil, a three-time champion making its 18th consecutive appearance at the tournament since its 1989 debut. Canada is playing in the event for just the third time and has never come close to winning a medal.
The 20th-ranked Canadians are in Pool C with No. 1 Italy, No. 5 Brazil, No. 12 Thailand, No. 16 Peru and No. 18 Nigeria.
Mark Bryson is a Waterloo Region-based reporter focusing on sports for The Record. Reach him via email: mbryson@therecord.com
