Second-year setter Kelsey Jordan has never shied away from competition.
Originally from Carberry, Manitoba – a town of roughly 1,700 people – she chose to make the 30-minute drive to Brandon so that she "could play some better volleyball" in high school with the Vincent Massey Vikings.
The results showed, as she helped her squad make it to the AAAA semi-finals in her junior year. The following year she was selected as a tournament all-star as Massey Brandon made it to the championship final.
Always striving for more however, Jordan also opted to drive into Winnipeg in grades 11 and 12 to play club volleyball with the Cobras to facilitate "a more competitive environment."
It was in her first year with the squad in 2015-16 that she met eventual teammates Josie and Kearley Abbott, two of the top-rated volleyball players in the province that were a year her elder. Middle Jocelyn Koswin, who Jordan had played with during the Western Canada Summer Games previously, was also on the roster.
Getting to know the trio had a big effect on the setter and ultimately helped in her decision to commit to the U of M for the 2017-18 season.
"I was a year younger than everyone and I ended up starting for that team and we all just ended up becoming good friends," Jordan says of her relationship with the Abbotts and Koswin.
"We played really well together and were really good that year. I would consider them some of my best friends now and it really helps our performance on the court I think."
Jordan was aided in her first year with Manitoba by the return of former national champion Brittany Habing.
"Honestly I learned so much from Britt. I don't think it could have worked out better for her to come back.
Every single day in practice she was always telling me something and I was always watching her and learning. I think I just learned a lot of the mental aspect of the game from her. She was just so smart with what she said and when, and to see the blockers and to just know how to handle herself on the court. I really try to think of her when I'm playing and think about how she thought and what I should be doing."
With Habing's graduation at the end of the year, Jordan knew she'd been in serious contention for the starting spot at setter. Contesting her all the way through was fourth-year Sydney Booker, another key veteran on Manitoba's squad this season.
"Throughout the whole pre-season we just really pushed each other," Jordan says.
"Every time we were in setting drills or wash drills [objective is to accumulate some number of total points or beat the other team], we were fighting for every point, because we knew the spot was open. Even to this day I think our team would be just as fantastic with [Booker] starting. I think she's a great setter and every day still in practice she pushes me to be so much better."
The sophomore ultimately earned the starting spot and has grown more confident with each match. She's currently in the top five in Canada West in both assists and assists per set, with 600 and 9.09, respectively.
"Kelsey, her potential is crazy high," says head coach Ken Bentley. "She's aggressive, looks to score and just continues to improve."
But to Jordan, the stats aren't that important. She's more concerned with putting her teammates in the best position to succeed – something that's happened quite a bit in the second half of the year. The Bisons are currently in a playoff position at 11-9 and have won six of their eight games post-holiday break.
"I'm just trying to get my hitters in the best position possible and if it works out, it works out," she says.
"And that's a big thing from my coach is consistency. I've been building on that all year and then finally in these past couple of weeks we've been starting to do a bit more strategic stuff about looking for blockers and knowing what to set and when, because I've finally got the consistency down."
Manitoba has two critical battles to wrap up the regular season. First, they'll take on Regina at home and then they'll travel to B.C. to face Trinity Western. Both squads are currently in a top four position in the standings, which makes each game that much more exciting for Jordan and company.
"I think we're pretty amped up. Every day in the team room is always a talk about what we're doing this weekend and what's going to happen. It's been a long season, but coaches keep reinforcing that if we want to be the best we can't take our foot off the pedal here."
