Canyon Tuman
North Allegheny
The past week: Tuman, a 6-foot-6 junior outside hitter, and his Tigers teammates claimed the Section 2 title Tuesday with a 3-0 win against Seneca Valley. The unbeaten Tigers will be seeded No. 1 in the WPIAL Class 3A volleyball tournament, which begins Tuesday.
Check this out: Tuman is the son of two accomplished athletes. His father, Jerame, played pro football for the Steelers for nine seasons. His mother, Molly Dreisbach, was a member of the United States women’s volleyball team. Tuman has been voted all-WPIAL Class 3A the past two years, third team as a freshman and second team as a sophomore. What other sports do you play? I also play football and basketball. I started at tight end and defensive end for the football team. I also played basketball. I didn’t start, but saw a lot of playing time. How tough is it to play three sports? It’s not easy. It requires a lot of dedication and devotion to each sport. It’s especially tough when I have two practices in one day. During basketball season on Wednesdays, I would leave practice and go to a club volleyball practice for the Pittsburgh Volleyball Club. It doesn’t leave me much time to hang out with my friends, but it’s fun. It keeps me busy and out of trouble. Which is your favorite sport? I’ve been playing volleyball since eighth grade. It’s the sport I’ve clicked with the most. It’s a sport I can make a career out of. Have you made a college choice yet? I’ve received interest from a few schools, but I haven’t made a decision. I did visit Ohio State and loved it. [Ohio State just won its second consecutive NCAA Division I title.]
What is it like having a father who played for the Steelers? It’s awesome. He knows how much hard work and determination it takes to be successful. He’s helped me a lot with special training packages.
North Allegheny won 11 WPIAL titles in 12 seasons prior to your freshman year. The team did not make it to the WPIAL finals the past two years. What’s it going to take to get the Tigers back to the winner’s circle? Our performance in the playoffs the past two years was a big motivation coming into the season. We want to be the best in the WPIAL and the state. It will not be easy, but we are up for the challenge. We just have to be ourselves and play like we have all season.