Margaret Yan

Five words you can use to describe yourself on the court.

• Disciplined
• Consistent
• Deliberate
• Competitive
• Adaptable

Five words you can use to describe yourself off the court.

• Ambitious
• Open-minded
• Motivated
• Intuitive
• Resilient

Describe how you work in a team with your partners.

To me, working with a partner relies on consistent communication throughout a match, especially when things aren’t going our way. Making sure that I do my part in communicating what I need encourages a strong bond and trust. Being attentive to what my partner needs on and off the court is also an aspect of beach volleyball I find incredibly important.

• 2021 Beach OVA championships – 5^th D1T1
• 2021 BVNE bid qualifier to California – silver medalist
• 2019 Beach OVA 12U D2T2 – Gold
• 2019 Indoor OVA tournament Premier – Gold – ranked 1^st in ON
• 2019 Indoor OVA championships – 5^th in Ontario
• 2019 Indoor – team MVP award
• 2018 Indoor – team MVP award

When receiving these athletic accomplishments, I felt incredibly honoured and thankful of my coaches, partners, teams and especially my parents. They have all given me the best possible opportunity for success as a volleyball player and their support throughout these past few years has and will continue to motivate me to become the best player I can be.

What are your interests outside of sports? Why do you like them?

Recently, I tried baking as a pastime during quarantine, and to my surprise, I loved it. Throughout the past year, I experimented with different recipes and found that starting with ingredients and ending with something completely new was extremely gratifying and validating. Since then, it has become an important hobby of mine and I often bake for my friends and family.

Who are your role models and why?

As a volleyball player, I truly admire Samantha Bricio, the youngest player to play for the Mexican National team in history. Watching her play at University of Southern California and seeing Bricio begin her professional career is incredibly inspiring and motivates me. As a university player, Bricio was the most outstanding and reliable player on the court. She always found a way to kill a set, even when others couldn’t, and as a result, her teammates all trusted and relied on her. As a volleyball player, I aspire to be the most dependable player on the court and have the complete trust of all my teammates.

Involvement in other sports or extracurricular. Why is it important for you?

I love to get involved in extracurricular sports and volunteer around my community. This year, in 2021 I volunteered my time towards the Canadian Cancer society, specifically as a participant engagement coordinator for the Run for the Cure. As a member of the committee, I learned how important it was to support breast cancer research, and the impact the pandemic has had on funding and campaigning for the organization. Other extracurricular activities I participate in are model UN, debate team, piano (level 10), hockey and competitive swimming.

Academic highlights and how you felt when you received them?

In grade 9, our schedule drastically changed due to Covid and we had two classes at a time for the entire year. I tried to take advantage of the fact that I could spend more time on each class and worked hard to adjust and succeed in school.  I finished all my assignments, studied for tests and asked questions when I needed help. By the end of the year, I had a 99% average and felt incredibly proud of the results of my hard work and dedication throughout the schoolyear. This year, I hope that my dedication continues to pay off, not only in school but as an athlete as well.

What program would you like to attend in school?

I am still deciding on what I would like to study in the future, however I find nutrition and chemistry extremely interesting and rewarding.

How do you envision your school life in college/university?

I envision myself as an involved student athlete, staying busy playing a sport I love, and studying a fulfilling program. I am eager to take on the challenge of balancing school and sports and am sure that the new environment will force me to become the best I can be. I can’t wait to immerse myself in a community filled with other dedicated athletes, students, professors and coaches who will undoubtedly become an important influence in my life.

Vincent Massey Secondary School, Windsor, Ontario

• Class of 2024
• Grade 10 average: 98%
  • Honours and Distinction
• Grade 9 average: 99%
  • Honours with Distinction

I’m looking at pursuing chemistry with focus on nutrition.