Kelowna's Hanson has high hopes at new home for hoops

As tough a choice as it was, Taya Hanson’s relocation from Kelowna to Brantford, Ont. to further her basketball career appears to have been the right play.

“It was definitely a difficult decision moving across the country and away from my family,” said Hanson, a 5-foot-9 guard, who as a Grade 10 student, played for the KSS Owls’ senior AAA team last season. “But to achieve my goals I felt like this was the right path. It was a great opportunity and I couldn’t let the chance go by. The transition has been great — the coaches and support staff here are amazing, and I have great teammates who have helped me out. I’m loving life. It’s been great.”

Hanson was recruited to the TRC Wolfpack by Jim Wilson — owner of The RISE Centre in Brantford, Ont. — for their women’s academy team’s inaugural season. TRC is one of eight teams competing in the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association (OSBA), and taking part in tournaments across Ontario and the United States on a regular basis. Hanson caught Wilson’s eye while competing for Canada’s U17 Cadette national team.

“I was really impressed with her skill set,” said Wilson of Hanson who crushed even senior women’s national-team milestones in combine testing for Canada Basketball. “Taya can play every position. She sees the floor, makes the right passes and takes the right shots. She’s an incredible defender and she’s light on her feet. It just adds up to all the characteristics and traits you’re looking for in a player.

“It wasn’t hard for me to want to reach out to her family. At first they decided against it -- they weren’t anticipating sending their daughter away until she went to university.”

A few weeks after their initial rejection of Wilson’s offer, Hanson and her family re-evaluated the opportunity, and decided to accept the invitation after all. When September hit, Hanson suddenly found herself a Grade 11 student at St. John’s College in Brantford, and a member of the TRC Wolfpack.

Neither homesickness nor an increased level of competition has impeded Hanson from continuing to be the same dominant player she was on the court while playing for the Owls. In fact, with a number of her new teammates injured, Hanson has been relied upon more than she expected.

“During the preseason I was definitely a dominant player, and I feel like I still am now,” Hanson said. “I have seen the floor a lot because of injuries and more has been put on my shoulders, but I love the challenge. I have had my ups and downs. I’ve definitely had to re-analyze certain situations and adapt in certain games.

“That’s what it takes to be a good basketball player though — there’s always something you can learn, and when challenges come your way, it’s how you deal with them that matters. You make the most of your situation and learn from your mistakes. I love basketball, so I try to bring my ‘A’ game every time.”

Retaining her flawless 4.0 GPA that she brought with her from KSS, it seems the move hasn’t hindered her academic prowess either.

“I learned from my parents how to have good time management,” Hanson said. “We have a study hall schedule, and as teammates we always try to find time to do homework together if we’re in some of the same classes. I’ve definitely had to work hard -- it’s not an easy time balancing school and basketball, but as a student athlete it’s something that is expected of you, so I’ve learned to adapt.”

Coach Wilson says Hanson has delivered on all levels.

“She’s a great leader. She’s an energy source that every team needs. When someone makes a bad play, she’s there to clap and pick them up. When someone falls, she’s running over to pull them up. When someone makes a great play, she’ll pat them on the back. She’s already of a university mind and attitude at a very young age.”

Hanson still has another year of high school remaining after this year, but she’s already started the university selection process, given the large volume of interest she’s generated from nearly a dozen NCAA schools.

Although she’s keeping the names of her post-secondary suitors confidential for the time being, Hanson says she plans to make a commitment to one of them next spring. The trouble will be first narrowing her list down to five (the NCAA only allows prospective student athletes five official visits to potential campuses), and then down to one – a good problem to have, considering the lengths most players go to in order to attract attention from just one or two schools.

“My dream is to play basketball at the highest level,” Hanson said. “I want to attend a great university; play professionally overseas; play in the Olympics; and play in the WNBA. I feel like I’ve put so much effort and time and passion into the game, and I’m going to keep riding the train until it stops at the highest level I can go, and make the most of the journey.”

Wilson believes that given Hanson’s skill and work ethic, she's capable of playing at the professional level.

“She’s 100% capable of playing in the WNBA or earning a pro contract in Europe — no problem at all,” said Wilson. “She has everything required or needed. She’s a rare breed. There aren’t too many athletes out there who have the work ethic, the will, the drive, the academics, and the frame to be successful in the sport. I give her family and Taya a lot of credit because she wasn’t just blessed with it, she’s worked really hard. She’s an incredible young lady.”

Hanson’s journey through the game has also seen her twice represent for her country — she played for Canada’s U16 and U17 Cadette national teams the past two years, winning gold at FIBA Americas in 2015, and placing seventh at the FIBA World Championships in 2016. She aims to don the Maple Leaf once again this summer — this time though, she’ll be shooting to crack the U19 team, competing with and against girls up to two years older.

To earn that right, she will have to first stand out amongst a field of 71 fellow invitees born in 1998 or later at the women's national age-group assessment camps at Humber College in Toronto this week. If she does well there, Hanson will be one step closer to competing for Canada at the 2017 U19 FIBA World Championships in Italy in July.

“That’s where my focus is at right now,” Hanson said. “I’m going to put everything I can into trying to make that team. There will definitely be some tough competition. I’m going to go out there and give it my all and hopefully this summer I’ll be able to play in Italy.”

While she’s committed and focused on her basketball pursuits, Hanson also has other goals she hopes to achieve beyond the court.

“One of the reasons I came to the academy is to play my best and improve daily,” said Hanson. “I feel that when you’re playing your best and you are at your best, you are put on a higher stage, and the higher the stage you are on, the more people are going to watch you — and the more people you can have an impact on.

“I feel like God has given me the gift to play basketball, and I plan to use it for that purpose — to make an impact on other people’s lives through the game, and be an inspiration to younger athletes who have the same dreams and aspirations as I do. I want to be someone they look up to so they can live out their dreams like I am doing.

“I play with a lot of passion, and I try to stay humble, respectful, play the sport to the best of my ability, and work as hard as I can. I feel like that by doing that, I can inspire.”

With all the attention she’s received for her achievements, no one would blame the 16-year-old for feeling overwhelmed. But Hanson exhibits a maturity beyond her years, and credits her family back home for her perspicacity and grounding.

“My family is so important to me, and that’s the reason it was so hard for me to move away,” Hanson said. “My parents raised me to stay humble and always work hard, and they keep me grounded. They’ve always supported me no matter what. I’m very thankful for them. My little sister is literally the glue that holds me together with my crazy lifestyle. She keeps me sane. I’ve learned from her to be content, but to also love what you do all the time. We keep each other balanced—I think that’s what siblings do.”

Upcoming competitions for Hanson and the Wolfpack include the Title IX tournament in Washington, DC Dec. 28 and the MLK Ballin Prep Classic in Montgomery, Ala. Jan. 14-16.

TRC resumes OSBA league play on Jan. 19, with playoffs commencing in April.