By Mikala Morris
At the end of the 2019 spring season, Sun Devil volleyball's Andrea Mitrovic and Megan Beedie were forming plans for their summers. Maybe they'd go home to Canada and spend time with their families. They could take some time off of volleyball to rest and get ready for the upcoming season. But heading into exit meetings in May, head coach Sanja Tomasevic had other plans in mind.
Tomasevic knew the level of elite competition at the national team level and had studied Team Canada's film before going into the meetings. When she asked the girls for their thoughts about trying out for the national team, they were in disbelief. Neither of them had ever considered the possibility.
"They were like, 'Really? We could play for Team Canada?'" Tomasevic recollected. "And I was like, 'I think you can! I don't know for sure, but why not go try?'"
Right after that meeting, Tomasevic contacted the newly hired head coach of the Canadian National Team, Tom Black, who's also the head coach of the University of Georgia's volleyball team. Coach Black agreed to have them try out, leading the girls to fly to Canada in May.
To their surprise, they both earned spots on rosters of Canada's Women's National Teams, as announced on May 15th.
???? Congrats to Andrea and Megan! ????
— Sun Devil Volleyball (@SunDevilVB) May 17, 2019
Two of our juniors have been named to Canadian national team rosters for the summer! #ForksUp
More info >> https://t.co/104HKsDPgG pic.twitter.com/HmpADTVTYP
Mitrovic and Beedie spent the summer training in the Richmond Olympic Oval, just south of Vancouver. Their days consisted of team meals, weights, practices, team meetings and match preparation. They competed in matches in Canada and got the chance to travel internationally.
Mitrovic was part of the Senior A Squad that went on to win the Women's Challenger Cup in Lima that qualified Team Canada for next year's FIVB Volleyball Nations League. She also got the opportunity to compete in an Olympic Qualifier Tournament in Kaliningrad, Russia where the team narrowly missed qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Both Mitrovic and Beedie competed for Canada in tournaments in Peru. Beedie was part of Canada's NextGen Squad that played in Lima this past August for the 2019 Pan American Games, where the team finished eighth overall. Mitrovic helped Team Canada to a sixth overall finish in the 2019 Women's Pan American Cup in Trujillo, including their match against Argentina, where she racked up 16 points.
"Being exposed to training every day — sometimes twice a day — as an athlete doesn't happen a lot for those three months out of the year," Tomasevic said. "So the ability to work on what they need to work on all summer, as well stay in volleyball shape, to get to see what it looks like at a high level, to be in the gym with elite athletes that they're able to play with again . . . I think it gives them a perspective of what it's going to take for them to play pro one day and play for the national team."
For Beedie, a junior middle blocker from Cambridge, Ontario, playing for the national team felt like a dream and not a reality.
"It was my first time doing this," Beedie stated. "It was my first time trying out and playing for my country. It was also my first time playing internationally, which is completely different than anything I've ever done before. Even just being in the room is an amazing feeling."
Tomasevic was thrilled to see Beedie return to Wells Fargo Arena in great shape, with new shots, a higher volleyball IQ and a tangible confidence.
"She didn't even know that side of her existed. She didn't even know that that's a reality for her," Tomasevic reflected. "Megan could be one of the best middles in the conference if she continues improving."
Mitrovic, a junior outside hitter from Mississauga, Ontario, is currently leading the Sun Devils in several stat categories, with 160.5 points, 4.22 points per set, 138 kills, 3.63 kills per set and 16 service aces, was thrilled at the opportunity to grow and be challenged.
"Andrea has always had that burning desire to be just always the best volleyball player you can be," Tomasovic said. "She wants to figure out what it's going to take for her to be in the starting six for Team Canada."
But for Mitrovic, while learning and progressing as a player was always high priority, getting the opportunity to learn from and be mentored by older players who've had more experience playing professionally and internationally was priceless.
"They've all played either in Canada or in the NCAA, and then there's some that are playing professionally now, too," Mitrovic said. "So I got a lot of advice about pro life and how coaches are overseas. I got to pick up a lot of tips and tricks, not just in volleyball but in life in general. I would just watch them. I learned from their example."
"This summer I was given the opportunity to play and compete with some of the best players... The biggest lesson the national team and traveling to different countries has taught me is you are never done growing as a person, teammate or an athlete!"
— Sun Devil Volleyball (@SunDevilVB) August 20, 2019
- Andrea Mitrovic ???? pic.twitter.com/9Hqb6Jcizz
For Mitrovic and Beedie, representing their country for a summer was an experience they'll never forget.
"To play for your country, it's amazing," Beedie said. "I don't think it can get better than that."
And now, both hope to take the lessons they learned from Team Canada and apply them on their home court at Wells Fargo Arena. They'll do that for the first time this season on Thursday night at 7 p.m. MST against rival Arizona.