Briercrest athletics is excited to introduce hard hitting outside hitter Janae Rapley for the 2014-15 season.

Briercrest women’s volleyball head coach Nolan Weinmaster is excited for the addition of the native of Regina, SK for the coming season.

“Janae is a good jumper and explosive attacker,” Weinmaster said. “She has the God-given ability to hit the ball hard, and also has a variety of shots that make her an offensive threat, not only at the net but also from the 3 meter line and the service line. I am excited to see her continue to refine her skills and take her game to the next level this year! Janae comes from a great Christian family and her fun personality will be a great addition to our team culture here.”

The 5’9” graduate of  Michael A. Riffel High School has a strong athletic background. She was selected to the RHSAA basketball female all-star team as well as team MVP, while also competing in track and field and flag football for the Riffel Royals.

“I started playing volleyball when I was in Grade 3,” Rapley said. “I was waiting for my brother’s volleyball practice to end and was playing with a ball when the Grade 5/6 volleyball coach saw me and then asked my parents if I could play for him. That is where my love for the sport began. I played for the Regina Christian School Grizzlies and the Henry Janzen Jaguars during elementary school, before playing club for the Queen City Volleyball Club (QCVC) Royals in Grade 8.”

“A main highlight of my volleyball career was when my high school team beat the Campbell Collegiate Tartans in the city final this season!” Rapley said. “We had lost to them every time we've played them since Grade 9 so beating them in the final was the best feeling ever. Another one of my favorite moments is when my close friends and family drove out to Saskatoon for a day during club provincials just to cheer on my club team. It reminded me about how much family means to me and how much they are willing to do for you.”

Rapley has experienced a lot of team success in volleyball, winning the U of S and Megawish tournaments as well as the Regina City finals with Riffel and the Moose Jaw Element tournament with QCVC.

Rapley is excited to attend Briercrest this fall, where she plans to study speech disorder as well as psychology which will help her to eventually obtain a speech pathology degree.

“The thing I am looking forward to most about coming to Briercrest is getting a chance to get closer to God on my own,” Rapley explained. “I've always had my parents and brothers with me every step along the way to help me if I'm going down the wrong path, but this is a chance to get a closer connection with God on my own as well as to meet new people and get a feel of what life will be on my own.”

 

For more information on Briercrest Volleyball like the Facebook page.