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Sarah Shewan stands tall on court CANDICE VETTER candice.vetter@eap.on.ca
as she could be. Did she ever doubt herself? “I’d doubt my- self before,” she answers seriously. “I wanted to travel overseas and to play at an Ameri- can University, but I’ve spent my life in a small town.” She persevered, attending camps and workshops and playing in Ottawa. Then, in 2012, she played in Otta-
school, where everyone seems to be proud of her. Students passing during her inter- view all called out phrases like, “Good job, Sarah!” (Her team had just won a game a few minutes previously.) Or they said, “She’s the best! When will she have her stats on a trading card? Is this a TSN interview?” “It helps a lot when people are proud of your achievements,” Shewan says. “My par- ents, my team, my classmates. They’re all proud so I am too.” She says she’s grateful. “It’s a nice feeling.” She doesn’t play other sports or have a lot of extra-curricular activities, spending most of her time on basketball and schoolwork,
but she has coached for the Russell Rockets and the Grade 7s and 8s at STA. She plays as a practice player on the senior boys’ basket- ball team, and this past summer practiced and played in Toronto with A-Game. Was spending every summer weekend commuting to Toronto worth it? “Yes! I learned so much.” Her creative outlet is drawing, something else she loves and is good at. Her long term goal is to play then work as a coach. “I’d like to be able to pass my skills on—to help oth- ers play the best they can.” And the key to being the best? “Focus, de- termination, practice, that’s all.” She smiles.
RUSSELL | The first time many people no- ticed Sarah Shewan she was on the bas- ketball court. The star player, now in her senior year at St. Thomas Aquinas high school, is im- mediately noticeable, not just because her long lean body type is perfect for that athletic pursuit, but also in her seemingly effortless style of play. But that effortlessness is an illu- sion—the result of a lot of hard training, dedication and single- minded focus. Focus, says Shewan, is the most important element in a sports career, and she has made up her mind. Her statement is proven by the 15 offers of full scholar-
wa at the national finals. Her teamwas fourteenth out of sixteen, but she was the ninth top scorer in the entire league. “When I heard that, I thought, ‘I really could go some- where with this.’” The confidence that statistic brought her has lasted. “I was going towards a dream of playing in the U.S. I knew I could do it. And I did it.” She credits her parents, M o n i c a
ships she has r e c e i v e d from Amer- ican col- leges. Yes, she had her pick of 15 basket- ball schol- arships. She na r r owed it down to four s c h o o l s , which she v i s i t e d , and re-
L o z e r - S h ewa n a n d G e r a l d Shewan, w i t h
helping k e e p h e r m o t i - va t ed.
“Mom would s a y , ‘go to p r a c - t i c e ’ . ” She says
c e n t l y gave her v e r b a l a c c e p - t a n c e to Quin- nipiac, C o n - n e c t i - cut. S h e started p l a y -
that
while
playing in games the big motivator is the crowd. Her t e a m m a t e s also support her. “My point guard Teresa, when I’m down
ing when aged eight, and says she tried everything, but found basketball suited her physical attributes, and by high school she was focused on being the best at that sport
on myself she’ll talk me out of it,” says She- wan. “I learned from her. Now I say the same things to other people.” She also receives plenty of support at
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