Gage Grassick accomplished pretty much everything on the basketball court this season, now the University of Saskatchewan star guard is giving back to where it all started for her.
Grassick is helping coach a series of basketball camps at Carlton for athletes in Grades 5-8 over the course of the next two weeks.
“For starters, it’s just so unbelievable to see the community of Prince Albert and how much they have come together and been a basketball community.” Grassick explained in an interview with the Daily Herald. “When I was growing up, we only had maybe one, if not two basketball clubs. To be able to see how much basketball has evolved in Prince Albert was super special and I really wanted to be a part of that. Just seeing young kids and young athletes, especially at the events on Sports on Central showed how much they loved basketball and loved sports. I knew I had to do something, so definitely with the help of some coaches, Jen Ferguson especially, she put these camps together and then all of a sudden it was amazing to see how much interest there was in young athletes.”
It was an incredible individual season for Grassick as she averaged 18.8 points per game while leading the country in three point shooting at 41.4%. Grassick helped the Huskies capture their third national championship in program history with a 35 point performance in the championship game against the Carleton Ravens.
She earned several individual awards for her strong season including being named the USPORTS Final 8 Tournament MVP. She became the second Huskie in program history to win the Nan Copp Trophy which is presented to the U SPORTS player of the year.
Growing up, Grassick looked up to Dalyce Emmerson and Erica Gavel who both played for the Huskies women’s basketball team and have been inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame.
Now that she is starring for the Huskies, Grassick says she wants to be able to inspire young athletes like Gavel and Emmerson did for her.
“It really is a great honor and no words can really describe it. I think as an athlete, when I was growing up you always had your role models and to be able to say that young girls and young boys that I’m their role model is something that I absolutely am so incredible and grateful that athletes look up to me the way that I looked up at Dalyce and Erica. (I’m) just following in their footsteps and impacting as many kids as possible.”
The camps aren’t the only event Grassick has had the opportunity to be a part of in the community. Grassick was one of three guest speakers for Sports on Central in downtown Prince Albert last weekend.
“I was so proud to be a part of it and just represent Prince Albert.” Grassick says. “Walking through that day, seeing the football field and the hockey arena and just the basketball hoops and the bouncy castles, just seeing how many events are now in Prince Albert and we’re kind of showcasing that. You had a great game of firefighters versus police and hockey just showing how much of a community Prince Albert is, we’re not just an individual at all. We’re a community of people who want the best for everyone. It just gives kids an opportunity to just try new sports and just do something different and really expose themselves because as a young athlete, basketball wasn’t my first choice, but it was because of how many different opportunities I had in Prince Albert that really showed me how much I loved basketball.”
Grassick still has one more year of U SPORTS eligibility that she will take advantage of this fall when she returns to the Huskies and continues her in Pharmacy.
Grassick says she is hoping that the Huskies are able to have a successful season in her final year.
“It’s a little bittersweet. You always think you have so much time, and then all of a sudden your fifth year gets here, and you’re kind of a little sad, but I’m definitely super excited. We have a great returning bunch from our team, so we’re hoping to be successful again next year, and really build off the season we had this year. A little bittersweet, but I’m gonna soak up every moment, every practice, every conditioning practice, every little bit, just to kind of wrap up that fifth year.”
sports@paherald.sk.ca
