Routine

There is something very comforting about having a routine. It’s one of the reasons teams love home games so much. You can wake up in your own bed, have your favourite breakfast and then shoot in your own gym. You go home, have a nap, and cook a perfect pre-game meal. We listen to music, visualize and go over our scouts. We get taped in our taping room. We all have our own quirks, of course, like Meg mentioned last week she bakes, I shower and straighten my hair, Jordanne makes a particular smoothie. Some of us do things to jack ourselves up; others do things to calm themselves down. Whatever our routine, it’s well practiced and it’s chosen because it works.

Why am I’m bringing this up now? Because we have routines in our daily lives too; I’m starting to find my groove this semester, and I like it. Class and practice (and weights, cardio, individuals, film, and mental skills sessions) are the nonnegotiables. We fit everything else in wherever there is space. Unsurprisingly, there isn’t a lot of room, so our homework sessions become routine as well. The end result is a week that looks a lot like the one before and after it. It’s not that there is no change or surprises – because those do happen – but everything just gets comfortable. Early in the semester I find myself checking my schedule and texting teammates all the time (“What time is practice tomorrow?” “Do we have weights today?”). A few weeks in and I’m relaxed. Each thing has its place in my schedule and I’m at ease.

I should also mention that as much as I love our home games (for a whole bunch of reasons other than just my routine) I really am enjoying our road trips. I’m getting to see a whole new part of Canada that I’d never been to before (I get to go across the Confederation Bridge tomorrow!) but nothing compares to playing at home.

This week’s player profiles are two rookie guards: Sam Wilson and Colleen Daly.

Sam Wilson

5’6”

Woodstock, NB

Arts and Science

What's the toughest part of being a student-athlete? The toughest part about being a student athlete is managing your time. By time we have our individuals, practices, weights and games you’re exhausted and it is hard to have ambition to do work and it is hard finding time to see your friends outside of basketball because we are always so busy and you need to be fully committed to your team all the time. What are you most looking forward to this season? I think we have improved a lot lately and I am really looking forward to the few games and seeing how the rest of the year plays out because we are ready to win games. We are capable of a lot more then what we have shown at the beginning of the year and I hope our hard work pays off in the last part of the season.

Why do you wear #6? I didn't get to choose my number this year. But hopefully next year I’ll be able to get the number I want. I have always been #7 I have worn it almost every single year since I started playing basketball. All the other sports that I have played I wore that number and now my little sister wears it for basketball and my little brother wears it. Everyone in my family has started to wear it even my little cousins because I am the oldest on both sides for grandchildren.

Do you have any superstitions? I am a bit superstitious about eating less than two hours before the game. I think that I will play bad if I do.

Colleen Daly

5’3"

Ancaster, ON

Recreation and Sport Studies

What's your best memory (so far) of being a VRed? My best memory is when we travelled to BC for a pre season tournament, it was great to travel across the country to play basketball.
What's the toughest part of being a student-athlete? The toughest part of being a student athlete is having to balance school and basketball. It is extremely important for athletes to manage our time wisely if we want to succeed on the court and in the classroom.
What's the best advice you've ever received from a coach? The best advice I have ever received from a coach is that you get as much out of things as you put into them. I have tried to use this advice for not only basketball but also everyday life.
Why do you wear #22? I wear number 22 because it was given to me when I came to UNB. I am planning on sticking with this number for the rest of my career here at school.

Off to PEI tomorrow for one game against UPEI! I'll let you know how it goes.

Allie

(Photos by my little sister, Bethan Chalke)