Vernon-Evans always ready for the task

Most teams competing at the 2021 FIVB Volleyball Nations League rely on veteran, experienced players to carry their offensive loads in the tournament. Canada are an exception.

At the age of 22, Sharone Vernon-Evans is Canada’s go-to scoring option and he’s not shying away from the responsibility. The athletic opposite has been using his physical and technical tools to help his team score points and has produced 24, 16 and 15-point performances to become Canada’s top scorer in the VNL so far.

“The guys help me so much,” Vernon-Evans said. “I feel very supported and I know they believe in me, which makes me very comfortable to play my own game. Anytime I make a mistake they say ‘it’s OK, just keep going' and that gives me confidence and helps me settle in and understand that I have a big role and that I need to remain focused on all points.”

Despite his young age, the 2.05m-tall Vernon-Evans is already an experienced player. He joined the national team in 2017, at the age of 19, and immediately stepped into a key role with the team, replacing the legendary Gavin Schmitt.

He helped the team win bronze medals at the 2017 FIVB Volleyball World League and also the 2017 and 2019 NORCECA Championships. At the club level, he spent the same period of time playing in some of the strongest national leagues in the world in Poland and Italy.

“Playing against the best players in the world and just having to continue pushing myself up, it helped so much,” the opposite commented. “This year was a big year in the club for me as I had (Wilfredo) Leon as a teammate and he helped to guide me. I’ve had some responsibility with the teams I played at and that helped to prepare me to stay focused on the task and the goal. And playing here in the VNL has been so helpful too.”

In less than two months, Vernon-Evans will experience something for the first time in his still young career. He is expected to be part of the Canadian team at the Tokyo Olympics and will try, once again, to help his country battle against the best national teams in the world.

“I always want to win, no matter what,” the opposite added. “We had some good wins in the VNL and need to build from them and carry that momentum into the Olympics. More important than how you start is how you finish it, and we’ll keep fighting. Everyone on the team is prepared to go to war.”