When Kristy Gallagher was a freshman player on the UVic Vikes basketball team, she was spending too much time on the bench.

She was a standout on the Parkland Secondary high school team, but Gallagher said she had a tough transition into university-level basketball.

B次元官网网址淕oing from head of the pack to having to earn everything, every day, right away is really difficult,B次元官网网址� said Gallagher.

To improve her game, she trained every day in May and June, sometimes twice a day, and she ended up starting in her second year. Now in her fourth year, she has become a leader on the team, earned a place on the Vikes Honour Roll (which requires an 80 per cent average), and was chosen as a U-SPORT Academic All-Canadian.

She said that experience makes her a better mentor other first-year players struggling in the same way.

B次元官网网址淚 understand where theyB次元官网网址檙e coming from and IB次元官网网址檝e gotten to the other side.B次元官网网址� said Gallagher.

As one of three fourth-years on the team, Gallagher is a senior member, and she said itB次元官网网址檚 hard to fill the shoes of last yearB次元官网网址檚 leaders. But, it helps that GallagherB次元官网网址檚 roommate is Nicole Karstein, one of those leaders who Gallagher said led by example when she was a younger player. She now tries to do the same for others.

Gallagher is optimistic about this season, even though the loss of three senior members was tough. The Vikes lost two games to Trinity Western that she felt were winnable, B次元官网网址渂ut that was earlier in the seasonB次元官网网址� and they ended the first half of the season with two big wins over Alberta, where the Vikes held them to under their average B次元官网网址渨hich is unheard ofB次元官网网址� because Gallagher said B次元官网网址渨eB次元官网网址檙e the team that scores a lot but we also let teams score 15 more than they average.B次元官网网址�

The Vikes have been working hard to improve their defence, getting stops and keeping possession, so B次元官网网址渋t was a good way to end the first half of the season.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 feel like the cohesion on the team has gone really well and IB次元官网网址檓 happy to be a part of that process,B次元官网网址� she said.

Gallagher, a Recreation and Health Education student, is still figuring out what she wants to do after her university career. She likes the idea of playing basketball while completing a masterB次元官网网址檚 degree in Europe, and could see herself as the athletic director of a university someday.

She is still in touch with her Parkland coach, Larry Green, and she said they talk on the phone at least once a week about B次元官网网址渆verything,B次元官网网址� not just basketball.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 a big part of my life still. He inspired by motivation for basketball and got everything going there. And continuously pushed me. ItB次元官网网址檚 a big part of where I am today.B次元官网网址�

Gallagher said she tries to be a presence for the current group of Parkland girls, helping out at practices where she can, even though she doesnB次元官网网址檛 get out to Sidney as much as sheB次元官网网址檇 like. Her family are B次元官网网址渉uge supporters,B次元官网网址� streaming every away game and cheering her on at home, but B次元官网网址渢heyB次元官网网址檙e obviously biased,B次元官网网址� whereas she will sometimes get a text from Green saying B次元官网网址測ouB次元官网网址檝e got to move your feet!B次元官网网址�