While many high school students contemplate what career path they want to take post-graduation, Andrews, Centralia High School’s senior outside hitter/setter and last season’s 2A Evergreen Conference MVP in volleyball, already has found hers – even to the point of starting a small photography business.
And she’s only 17.
“I feel very fortunate to know what I want to do,” said Andrews, who lives in Rochester.
Andrews loves being around people – friends, family, teammates and the subjects in her photos – and sees their world through a lens. Just like the shutter on a camera, taking pictures simply clicked as a hobby that has now turned into Tyana Andrews Photography.
She received her first camera in eighth grade, and quickly began exploring various artistic shots. She took photography classes at Centralia, and then, in the summer of 2010, a friend asked her to take senior portraits. Since then, she’s added family and children’s portraits.
Weddings and infant portraits will come later.
Centralia coach Neil Sharp, who has known Andrews and her family since his days attending Rochester High School in the late 1990s, said Andrews has the strong character traits to succeed in both volleyball and photography. “She’s found two things she loves,” Sharp said.
Andrews became proactive in her college future for both volleyball and photography over the summer. In July, she contacted Josh Rohlfing, the head volleyball coach at Southern Oregon University about playing for the Raiders, given that SOU is known regionally for its photography program in the Department of Arts and Art History. Andrews went to Ashland, Ore., for a camp, and Rohlfing offered her a scholarship.
She also received interest from other college programs in the Northwest, including Western Washington, but was interested only in colleges or universities with a photography programs.
“I really like the town. It’s small and spread out,” Andrews said of Ashland. “I love the area.”
Andrews grew up in a volleyball family and has played the game since she was in middle school, but playing collegiate volleyball almost wasn’t an option. She has suffered from lower-back pain since her sophomore year. The pain doesn’t just come and go on the volleyball court, but also when she’s doing one thing for a long period of time, such as sitting, she said. Numerous visits with doctors have revealed no cause for the pain. She continues to do physical therapy and have chiropractic sessions.
Andrews has been a versatile and all-around player throughout her high school career for the Tigers and is one of three players who will be four-year starters – Megan Kurner and Mykala Anglin are the others. As a freshman, the 6-foot Andrews was asked by Tigers coach Sharp to be a middle hitter.
She excelled quickly, earning all-league honors.
“She will do anything for the team,” said Sharp, who is starting his fifth year at Centralia. “She does so many things on the court. She’s dangerous and valuable in so many different ways.”
Andrews in the outside hitter/setter combination works well in the Tigers’ 6-2 (two setters) offense, but Sharp said he’ll switch to a 5-1 (one setter) offense this year, and Andrews will primarily be an outside hitter. Last season, she led the team in kills per set (3.92), consistently drawing the double-block at the net. She also set a school record for kills in a match (22) against River Ridge.
Andrews’ versatility as an outside hitter and setter was respected by opposing 2A EvCo coaches when it came time to vote for MVP at last fall’s league meeting.
But there is one goal not yet achieved for Andrews and the rest of her teammates that they hope to accomplish this season. The past two years, Centralia has been on the cusp of making the state tournament, only to come up points short at the 2A District IV tournament.
This year could be the one that sees the Tigers get over the hump. Their season kicks off tonight in a nonleague match against R.A. Long.
The program has had three state appearances, but none since 1990, and this fall’s 2A state tournament is at The Evergreen State College, Nov. 11-12.
“Everyone is on the same page with the goals and doing whatever it takes,” Andrews said. “We feel we’re going to get there.”
Meg Wochnick: 360-754-5473 mwochnick@theolympian.com
