BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
At the age of 17, Kristina Fabris has established herself as one of the top young volleyball players in the province and all of Canada.
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Kristina Fabris, 17, recently competed against Canada's finest young volleyball players at the prestigious National Volleyball Team Challenge in Quebec. |
Fabris recently competed in the National Volleyball Team Challenge Cup in Longeuil, Quebec. She played for Team Ontario after earning a spot at a provincial tryout in May of this year. Fabris was one of 14 girls selected from a group of 50 elite athletes.
Team Ontario finished first in their pool. They then defeated Team Saskatchewan in the quarter-final match. Team Ontario lost to Team Alberta in the semi-final.
Fabris was thrilled about competing in a tournament with such a high level of competition.
"It was awesome to play at such a high level and meet all those great players," said Fabris. "I loved every minute of it and I would do it again 20 times over again."
Participating in the high profile event has certainly elevated her overall game.
Fabris found this out at a provincial elite training centre at York University last week, where she practiced with 185 of the top boy and girl volleyball players from all across Ontario.
"I noticed improvements in my defense and offense game right away," said Fabris. "I was able to read the hitter better and cut the ball where I wanted it to go better."
Ontario head coach Linda Melnick sees Fabris as a phenomenal athlete capable of remarkable feats.
"Kristina jumps well, has great movement and she's fast and strong," said Melnick. "She was a starter and showed incredible improvement from day one."
Melnick, who has coached volleyball at the University of Guelph for 10 years knows Fabris will have a bright future in volleyball.
"Kristina will be identified with our National team program," said Melnick. "She will have an opportunity to tryout for the national junior team in the future."
Fabris knows she will be a greater asset to her Lo-Ellen high School team this up coming season.
Lo-Ellen won the All-Ontario High School Volleyball championship in April, 2003.
The team has six graduating players and will require leadership and crucial seasons from veteran players like Fabris, who's returning for to complete her Grade 12.
Fabris is relishing the opportunity.
"Going to the Challenge Cup will help out a lot because I can bring something new to the team," said Fabris. "It has given me a sense of leadership that I can show the girls."
Fabris only began playing volleyball competitively in Grade 9. She made the senior team in Grade 10 and has quickly made a name for herself. Fabris loves the sport of volleyball.
"I like how you have to use every part of your body," said Fabris. "It's also a very mental game because you have to know where you are at all times on the court and be smart."
Fabris is still gushing about Lo-Ellen's OFSSA volleyball championship.
"Our team worked so hard for it," said Fabris. "We were a close knit group of girls and winning at home was amazing and it still is."
To get where she is today, Fabris had to defeat a nasty habit in her approach.
"I used to be goofy foot in my approach," said Fabris. "I'm a right-handed hitter and I used to approach the net right foot, left foot and right foot, when I should've been left, right, left."
Fabris's coach, Tom Sutton, put an end to her bad habit, which limited Fabris's power and accuracy.
"One game, I was doing it a lot and the coach made me do 50 approaches in the change room during the game," said Fabris. "It worked."
Volleyball is a great outlet for Fabris.
"It helps me get through difficult situations in life," said Fabris. "It can be an escape where I can forget about bad things happening."
Fabris has also played basketball and competed in track and field over the years. She was also in gymnastics for 10 years. When she's not on the court giving all she can, Fabris hangs out with her friends.
"My friends are very important to me," said Fabris. "They've always been there for me and we've always had good times."
Her athletic talent runs in the family as her father Lucio was one of the finest badminton players Canada has ever produced, as he captured numerous national championships in the 1980s.
Fabris plans to go to university in the future and continue playing volleyball.
