Height not everything, Olympian tells youth
Heather Bansley, new beach volleyball partner speak at clinic
In a sport dominated by tall athletes Heather Bansley has shown height isn’t everything.
At five-foot-seven “and a half,” Bansley said, with a laugh, not wanting to short change herself of that extra half inch, the 29-yearold Waterdown native has proven herself to be among the world’s best beach volleyball players. She and her former partner, Sarah Pavan, placed fifth at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
On Wednesday, Bansley and new partner Brandie Wilkerson were at Beavermead Park running a clinic for Soul Beach Volleyball youngsters.
While Bansley has overcome taller players, Wilkerson is only in her second year playing beach volleyball and already plays at a world class level. Their main goal in speaking to the 250 youth assembled was to let them know what is possible. The duo are coming off a fifth place finish at their most recent world tour event in The Netherlands.
“I know how much it means to younger athletes coming into the sport to have role models especially being a female athlete,” Bansley said, “Having someone to see ‘Oh, this is where I can go.’ I’m a shorter player so it’s always special and touches me when I see young women who are maybe a bit shorter.
“I can give them an example to say, ‘I’m not a tall person but I can still make it in this sport.’ I like showing young women this is an opportunity for them.”
Wilkerson, 24, said she’s inspired to see young athletes in the sport and is admittedly a bit jealous, she said, because she didn’t get an early start like them.
“It’s great to give back and remember where you come from,” said Wilkerson. “Starting so late and having to work hard to catch up to a lot of veteran players, what I try to preach is anything is possible if you work hard. If you want it, go for it and take those risks.”
Soul Beach Volleyball has grown from six students in Andrew Hinchey’s elementary school class who wanted to learn about beach volleyball to 40 players in year two. Now in year five there are 250 registered players. Hinchey, a former national team player, had Bansley to an indoor practice in the winter and wanted to expose more athletes to her.
“One of the pieces of feedback I got from a parent is, my daughter is not super tall but when she met Heather she realized going to the Olympics was a possibility for her. When I heard that I thought we have to have her come back because we had a small group there. To think about the impact these women could have on a group of 250 is twelve-fold.”
Kate Bemrose, 13, is in her second year with the club.
“It’s very cool and very inspiring,” said Bemrose, a Grade 7 student at Adam Scott Intermediate. ‘To see them here just chilling is very cool because you could be them one day. They’re really nice. Some people are cocky but they’re regular people.”
Bansley and Wilkerson have competed in three world tour events this year finishing top 10 in each.
“We were both looking for a new partner and had similar goals,” Bansley said. “Our long term goal is to go to Tokyo in 2020. Shorter term, this year we’re looking to go to the world championships in August in Vienna. We’re looking to place top five.”