Volleyball Coach Shaniya Vance’s Impact on Growing the Person, Not Just the Athlete
Shaniya Vance’s passion for sports began at a young age. Growing up in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and being from the Potlotek First Nation, Shaniya spent her early years immersed in a variety of sports before focusing on volleyball at age 17.
Starting competitively later than most, she was challenged by the pace and skill required.
“The environment in volleyball is different; it’s a different team culture,” she says. She admits that her late start pushed her to work harder, strengthening her commitment to the game.
This eventually led her to St. Thomas University, where she played for two years. When health challenges ended her time on the team, she shifted her sights to coaching.
Shaniya’s former high school coach invited her to assist with their volleyball team, providing an opportunity to step into a mentorship role. Though initially unsure of her coaching skills, Shaniya’s confidence grew; she gained experience that led her to the Canada Games as an assistant coach with Team Nova Scotia, and the North American Indigenous Games as head coach.
Today, she works with young athletes at Volleyball Cape Breton, emphasizing personal growth as much as athletic skill.
“I’m really big on growing the person, not just the athlete,” she explains. For Shaniya, the greatest reward is watching her players develop life skills, resilience, and leadership that extend far beyond the court.
As an Indigenous woman, Shaniya recognizes the importance of being a visible role model and hopes her presence inspires young women to see a future in sports.
“It’s really important that young women see representation of themselves in their own sport,” she says. “I hope it gives them the sense of confidence that they’re able to do it themselves in the future.”
Shaniya credits programs like Support4Sport with enabling her coaching ambitions by easing financial barriers and allowing her to focus on her work and pursue additional training.
Believing her own journey in community sports shaped who she is today, she’s eager to pass that influence forward as a role model.
Shaniya says, “Because Nova Scotia Gaming has Support4Sport, I’m able to continue engaging in education that better supports me, my athletes, and future generations.”
