Russell ready for USports career with Bobcats
By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter
Photo Courtesy of Lara Russell
Leading a fast break for her Chestermere High School Lakers, Russell planted her left leg firmly on the hardwood in an attempt to make a cut to the hoop, but her knee had different ideas. The result was an ACL tear and it ended her Grade 11 season.
“It sucked. Mentally, it was hard regaining trust in my leg and realizing that it was as strong as possible once I returned to the court,” said Russell.
Major surgery is a scary thing for most individuals, but Russell had no fear of going under the knife. In fact, she was intrigued by it.
She was so interested by it she completely rerouted her academic goals moving forward. Russell made the switch to Chestermere High School from Holy Cross Collegiate because Chestermere offered legal study classes.
Leaving those legal dreams behind for a medical degree, Russell wanted to find a post-secondary program that could support her basketball career along with her academic goals of becoming an orthopedic surgeon.
On the court, Russell showed no signs of slowing down from the surgery. As a small forward playing in all 36 games, she averaged 10 points per game on 45 per cent shooting, along with five rebounds, four steals and three assists per game. She accomplished all of that without wearing a knee brace.
“It’s always a struggle for someone to come off an injury like that. The brain has to function at a different level and get used to the new speed of play, but she worked really hard at it and got stronger and stronger through more playing time and practice time,” said Lakers Head Coach Annette Wilson. “The success she had when she came back is a testament to how hard she worked when she was injured.”
Without a knee brace, Russell helped lead her Lakers to the 4A South Central Zone championship and a berth in provincials as the No. 13 seed.
The dream season was cut short when the Raymond High School Comets snuffed the Lakers in the opener 81-53 back on March 15. Russell chipped in with nine points.
In the consolation round, the Lakers fell 61-49 to the Medicine Hat High School Kwahommies. Russell recorded a team-high 16 points.
Watching from afar was Novell Thomas, head coach of the women’s basketball team at Brandon University.
“She initially emailed us when she started playing again. We get a lot of kids that send emails our way, but she also sent in video which really helped,” said Thomas who is entering his seventh season with the Brandon University Bobcats. “She kept sending in videos and it looked like she kept getting better, so we stayed in touch.”
The Bobcats had some momentum for the first time in three decades when Russell reached out. Thomas led his crew to a USports playoff berth for the first time in 30 years.
Unfortunately for the Bobcats, they were struck by injuries last year and finished 3-17, missing the playoffs once again.
But Russell isn’t bothered by that. She sees it as an opportunity to come in and help build up a program.
“It’s a good chance to get into a program that is going through a little bit of a rebuilding stage. I’ll be living with four of the girls at a house near campus, so hopefully we can build some team chemistry and take it from there,” said Russell.
Currently unpacking her family’s vehicle in Brandon for a year of life in Manitoba, Russell will have to adjust quickly to her new surroundings, as Bobcat camp opens Sept. 4 at the Healthy Living Centre.
Brandon might not have been the closest option for living on campus, but aside from earning an athletic scholarship, Russell was also drawn to the school for their sciences program.
“I just think getting into surgery would be cool and from what I hear, Brandon has a great sciences program,” said Russell. “I’ll probably have to transfer elsewhere for med school, but this is a great spot for me to start.”
Life at the USports level will be an adjustment, but if Russell could relearn how to play basketball on a surgically repaired knee, she can probably figure out how to defend a pick-and-roll at the highest collegiate level in Canada.