The Grade 11 student at Horton is a key member of the Griffins’ D-1 basketball team. She is recognized as one of the finest pure shooters in the province and as a team leader as well. It’s anticipated she’ll be highly recruited by universities.
The 2014-2015 Griffins were provincial runners-up for a second straight year, and McDonald is already looking forward to next season.
“I expect next year will be our year,” she said. “We’re losing two players to graduation this year, but we’ll be adding a lot of skilled young players who should really help our team.”
McDonald grew up in Coldbrook, but transferred to Horton midway through her Grade 9 year after her family moved to Port Williams.
“I wanted to come here for basketball,” she added. “I had played for Jennifer (head coach Jennifer Veinot) on club teams. I knew how she coached, and I liked how she coached.”
McDonald said she has “no regrets at all” over her move.
“I love it here,” she said. “It’s a great school.”
In addition to the academic opportunities, the chance to play basketball at the more competitive D-1 level made it “a better fit for me all around,” she said.
Eye on the prize
Horton has consistently had competitive basketball teams over the years. The Horton girls won back-to-back provincial championships in 2005 and 2006, and have been knocking on the door most years since, first under Bev Greenlaw, then Ian MacMillan, and now Veinot, MacMillan and Dwayne MacLeod.
McDonald believes a solid grounding in the game has been a key to Horton’s success. Dave Harris, now retired after a long career teaching phys ed, first at KCA and later at Evangeline Middle School, “has had a lot to do with that,” she said.
“Most of the players at Horton now have worked with Dave at one time or another. He knows the game well, and loves to pass on his knowledge.“
Harris has devoted much of his career to identifying, training and developing young athletes, and especially basketball players.
“I believe our area has more skilled players for the size of our population than anywhere in the province, and a lot of that is due to Dave’s influence,” Mcdonald added.
Horton, she says, “is really a D-2 school now, in terms of student population. It’s great that we’re able to compete at the D-1 level as well as we do.”
Next year, McDonald will be in Grade 12. Given that the Griffins will return most of this year’s team, she is looking forward to a successful season that hopefully will culminate in a provincial championship.
“I think we have a little bit of everything on our team right now,” she said.
Added to that are a number of strong players that will attend Grade 9 this September.
“The players coming up are really fit and run well, are used to playing together, and should improve our team speed, both on defence and on the fast break on offence,” she said. “They’ve always welcomed Grade 9’s on the teams here, since I’ve been here anyway.”
Looking ahead
As for what she plans to do following high school, McDonald’s not sure yet.
“People ask me that all the time, but it’s really too soon to tell,” she said.
“I know I love to play basketball, and I’m looking forward to being able to play at university, but I have to decide what I want to do, and which school will be the best fit for me academically. If the basketball part of it is able to work out as well, that’ll be a bonus.”
Luckily, she said, she still has time to decide what she wants.
McDonald, who plans to study toward a degree in science, says Acadia is a real possibility, and one of the options she will consider.
“My parents both graduated from Acadia, and my brother graduates from there this year, so there are definitely ties there,” she said.
Acadia recently hired a new women’s basketball coach in Len Harvey.
“He’s not coached me,” McDonald said of Harvey, “but I know people he has coached. I’ve heard lots of good things about him.”
Horton, she said, is helpful in terms of helping students make the post-secondary choices that are right for them.
“The teachers here go out of their way to help you succeed,” she said, “and they’re always right there if you’re having any kind of trouble.”
That concern includes being well aware of the juggling act that normally goes along with being a full-time student who is also playing school sport at a high level.
The Grade 11 student at Horton is a key member of the Griffins’ D-1 basketball team. She is recognized as one of the finest pure shooters in the province and as a team leader as well. It’s anticipated she’ll be highly recruited by universities.
The 2014-2015 Griffins were provincial runners-up for a second straight year, and McDonald is already looking forward to next season.
“I expect next year will be our year,” she said. “We’re losing two players to graduation this year, but we’ll be adding a lot of skilled young players who should really help our team.”
McDonald grew up in Coldbrook, but transferred to Horton midway through her Grade 9 year after her family moved to Port Williams.
“I wanted to come here for basketball,” she added. “I had played for Jennifer (head coach Jennifer Veinot) on club teams. I knew how she coached, and I liked how she coached.”
McDonald said she has “no regrets at all” over her move.
“I love it here,” she said. “It’s a great school.”
In addition to the academic opportunities, the chance to play basketball at the more competitive D-1 level made it “a better fit for me all around,” she said.
Eye on the prize
Horton has consistently had competitive basketball teams over the years. The Horton girls won back-to-back provincial championships in 2005 and 2006, and have been knocking on the door most years since, first under Bev Greenlaw, then Ian MacMillan, and now Veinot, MacMillan and Dwayne MacLeod.
McDonald believes a solid grounding in the game has been a key to Horton’s success. Dave Harris, now retired after a long career teaching phys ed, first at KCA and later at Evangeline Middle School, “has had a lot to do with that,” she said.
“Most of the players at Horton now have worked with Dave at one time or another. He knows the game well, and loves to pass on his knowledge.“
Harris has devoted much of his career to identifying, training and developing young athletes, and especially basketball players.
“I believe our area has more skilled players for the size of our population than anywhere in the province, and a lot of that is due to Dave’s influence,” Mcdonald added.
Horton, she says, “is really a D-2 school now, in terms of student population. It’s great that we’re able to compete at the D-1 level as well as we do.”
Next year, McDonald will be in Grade 12. Given that the Griffins will return most of this year’s team, she is looking forward to a successful season that hopefully will culminate in a provincial championship.
“I think we have a little bit of everything on our team right now,” she said.
Added to that are a number of strong players that will attend Grade 9 this September.
“The players coming up are really fit and run well, are used to playing together, and should improve our team speed, both on defence and on the fast break on offence,” she said. “They’ve always welcomed Grade 9’s on the teams here, since I’ve been here anyway.”
Looking ahead
As for what she plans to do following high school, McDonald’s not sure yet.
“People ask me that all the time, but it’s really too soon to tell,” she said.
“I know I love to play basketball, and I’m looking forward to being able to play at university, but I have to decide what I want to do, and which school will be the best fit for me academically. If the basketball part of it is able to work out as well, that’ll be a bonus.”
Luckily, she said, she still has time to decide what she wants.
McDonald, who plans to study toward a degree in science, says Acadia is a real possibility, and one of the options she will consider.
“My parents both graduated from Acadia, and my brother graduates from there this year, so there are definitely ties there,” she said.
Acadia recently hired a new women’s basketball coach in Len Harvey.
“He’s not coached me,” McDonald said of Harvey, “but I know people he has coached. I’ve heard lots of good things about him.”
Horton, she said, is helpful in terms of helping students make the post-secondary choices that are right for them.
“The teachers here go out of their way to help you succeed,” she said, “and they’re always right there if you’re having any kind of trouble.”
That concern includes being well aware of the juggling act that normally goes along with being a full-time student who is also playing school sport at a high level.
