Through her ups and downs, she starts this season strong
Photo credit: Remi Yuan
Kellie Ring is a fourth-year guard for the Gee-Gees women’s basketball team. She’s a member of the starting lineup, and one of the more experienced players on a young team. The past four years she’s gone through two ACL tears, but she continues to be a leader and looks to push the Gees into promising playoff basketball this season.
The Fulcrum: When did you know that basketball was your sport?
Kellie Ring: I was always a multi-sport athlete, growing up playing soccer, hockey, and basketball. I knew I didn’t want to pursue soccer any further, so the toughest decision was between hockey and basketball. I decided in Grade 10 that I was going to focus on basketball. It was a tough decision, but I do not regret it one bit.
What has playing for the Gee-Gees meant to you?
Playing for the Gee-Gees the past three years has been awesome. There have been some ups and downs, but ultimately there is nobody else I would rather play with. The group of girls here has always been amazing, and I am very fortunate to play with such supportive and hard working teammates.
How have you improved so far, and what would you still like to improve?
There is definitely plenty to improve, that’s for sure. One thing is the shooting side of things, being confident enough to take open shots. This is something I am trying to improve day-in and day-out. My game has improved in the sense that I understand the game more; sitting out a year and a half has helped me with my knowledge of the game. I try to use my knowledge to help lead the young girls, and be there for them if they need my help on anything.
What are your goals after school is finished?
Obviously playing after university is a major goal of mine. Playing professionally in Europe would be amazing, but there is still plenty of work to be done in order to achieve that goal. Representing our country at the Olympics has always been a dream of mine too.
Who is your favourite professional basketball player and why?
Favourite professional basketball player is a tough question. I don’t really know, but recently I have been reading up a lot on LeBron James and watching videos of him. There is no doubt that he is one of the best players to play the game, and I really respect his determination to continually evolve his game.
