Past: Britannia Bruins
Present: Howard Gairy Wrestling Academy
Future: Simon Fraser University Clan
Jilliane Vina did what almost no Vancouver athlete has done before. In the same winter season of her Grade 12 year, the Bruin competed in the high school provincial championship playoffs for two different sports.
As a wrestler, she swept through the regional qualifier to win gold and advance to the B.C. finals. As a shooting guard, she hoped to defend back-to-back city basketball titles and a provincial AA championship.
"Wrestling and basketball seem like the weirdest combination to me," said Bruins basketball coach Mike Evans. "In some ways, it's kind of odd."
However they differed, Vina excelled at both. "I was impressed," said the coach. "Whatever she tried her hand at, she was very good."
As a Grade 8 student, Vina played on the junior basketball team. Once in Grade 9, she played senior for Evans and three years in a row was named the MVP of the city championship tournament, which Britannia won in 2011 and 2012. She was repeatedly named to exhibition, regional and provincial all-star teams for her high scoring percentage, relentless defence and natural shooting talent.
"I'd always have a ball in my hand," she said. "Playing sports throughout school, I usually like the ones that were contact sports."
B.C. School Sports prevents high school athletes from stacking their schedule with two sports in the same season as Vina did, but Britannia and the Vancouver school district secured the permission of the provincial sport associations. She fine-tuned her schedule so precisely, she'd leave basketball practice early at five minutes past the hour to arrive in time for her wrestling workouts, which were held at gyms around the Lower Mainland.
"The whole thing was like a giant jigsaw puzzle," said Evans, noting the luck of having important wrestling and basketball finals fall on alternate weekends.
Vina plays in a women's basketball league with other Britannia graduates and although she reluctantly stepped away from the hardwood, she is passionate about her place on the mat and will compete for Simon Fraser University.
In February she qualified for nationals after only eight months in the sport. "It was a big accomplishment for me," said Vina, 17, whose first bouts were against boys and whose nails are often painted bright pink and sparkly red.
"She listens very well and she gets better with every match," said her Howard Gairy Academy wrestling coach Frank Mensah. "She moves as if she was born for this."
Born for sport, whichever she chooses.
Twitter.com/MHStewart
