A combination of size, athleticism an power make Gators senior Shainah Joseph a dangerous weapon for the Gators in the NCAA Tournament. (Photo: Jim Burgess/UAA Communications)
Goofy and Talented: Shainah Joseph Blossoms for Gators
Friday, December 8, 2017 | Volleyball, Scott Carter
The fifth-year senior, after a slow start to her college career, is playing at a high level as the Gators try to play deeper into the NCAA Tournament.
The transition from prep sensation to college freshman can be difficult, and for Joseph, a 6-foot-1 hitting machine from Ottawa, Canada, that meant playing in only four matches as a freshman. As a sophomore, Joseph started to play more, appearing in 17 matches.
Still, she needed time to develop and find her place in a Florida program that ranks annually as one of the nation's best. Joseph redshirted her third season on campus.
Through it all, one constant remained.
"It's really fun to come to practice with someone who brings that energy daily,'' teammate Carli Snyder said.
Yes, that energy. Any story about Joseph requires mention of her big personality.
If you have watched Florida play, or perhaps seen her in team videos or on social media, you know Joseph is the beat that often drives the Gators' moves. On the court, Joseph can nearly jump into the rafters with a 40.5-inch vertical. Off it, she is equally full of zest.
"She has always been like that. Very high-energy, very sociable,'' said Yoline Joseph, who along with her husband, Terry, raised Shainah. "She can be with kids or older people and feel very comfortable."
Growing up, Shainah sprouted into what Yoline called "the goof" at boisterous family functions and the teams she played for through the years. Any time the Joseph family gets together, it's usually a "high-octane" affair according to Terry.
They dance. They sing. They laugh.
Shainah is the life of the party, much the way she is with the Gators.
"When I'm with my family, you should see us,'' Shainah said. "I love to entertain people. We are just a crazy bunch. Every single one of my family members dance Salsa. When we are together, we always have a good time."
The good times have extended to the court for Shainah as a fifth-year senior.
The Gators (27-1) host UCLA (21-10) on Friday (4 p.m. at the O'Dome) in the Sweet 16 and Joseph is a big reason why. She played one of the best matches of her career in a victory over Miami in the second round, registering 19 kills and just two errors.
"She found kills in less than perfect situations,'' Gators head coach Mary Wise said. "There were a lot of transition balls that Shainah made happen."
Joseph always had the height, leaping ability and raw power to dominate a match at the net. What she lacked was a deep understanding of the game, which caused her to watch more than play her first three years at UF.
While training with the Canadian National Team in Vancouver last summer, Joseph faced a similar situation as to when she arrived at Florida. She had to find her place.
Canada's new head coach, Marcello Abbondanza, told Joseph she was a good player with potential to help the team as it works toward the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. To make it happen, though, Joseph had work harder than some of the other players.
"He is so big on mistakes,'' Joseph said. "I was a high-error athlete. I had to figure out a way I could get on the court. I had to find a way to be low-error."
When Joseph returned to the Gators to prepare for her final season, she approached the season with a fresh mindset. She had already learned so much about the game from Wise to make her a much better player, but she wanted more.
She sought moments like her performance against Miami.
"You always want to finish your career really well,'' Joseph said. "Because of my whole career journey, I had no expectations. I think that was the best way for me to play the best that I am playing right now. I still have no expectations. If my coaches told me tomorrow that I'm not starting, I'd be like, 'OK.' It was the best way for me.
"I want to play volleyball after I'm done here. I want to play professionally and play for my national team and go to the Olympics, so my goal every day I step onto the court, I'm trying to get better as an athlete. I'm trying to learn as much as I can so I can be the best athlete I can be. The rest will fall into place."
Joseph's fresh outlook has helped her produce for the Gators, who are seeking their first trip to the Final Four since 2003. She has 248 kills and a .368 hitting percentage, reducing her errors from 62 to 48 with significantly more playing time than a year ago and more opportunities from setter Allie Monserez.
Joseph said in the win over Miami, Monserez set her up for shots that she would have passed to someone else in past years. Yoline and Terry, who watch Florida's matches on delayed internet streams back home, can see the confidence Shainah is playing with in her face and body language.
"Volleyball has always been a passion for Shainah,'' Yoline said. "She is really giving the best that she ever could to the Gators. I can see Shainah just blooming. She is not stressed at all when she is on the court. She is just playing and having fun."
"We've always tried to instill a certain amount of being grateful, thankful and humble,'' Terry added. "It's pretty hard for us to be humble when we watch her play."
Joseph's focus is to help the Gators get as far as they can. If they defeat UCLA on Friday, they face the Minnesota-Southern Cal winner on Saturday night at the O'Dome for a berth in the Final Four.
Her famous energy is on overdrive.
"You can only imagine,'' Snyder said. "It really does spread off onto the whole group."
Joseph has tried to share her renewed outlook, too. She is a much different player and person than in the fall of 2013 when she got to UF.
She plays much smarter. She tries to learn and teach. As her journey nears a finish, Shainah, perhaps as Yoline said, in full bloom.
"I'm the oldest one here. I've been in different situations,'' she said. "I've been on the bench. I've been on the court. I've been on the court and on the bench. And now, I've been starting every game. I think that gives [my teammates] a lot of trust and respect."
She is, of course, still the team's goof.
Players Mentioned
Saturday, January 24
Tuesday, December 23
Saturday, December 13
Sunday, December 07
