A pair of Innisdale Secondary School students have accepted scholarships to NCAA Division-I schools in the United States. Mikaela Brewer, left, is heading to Stanford University
Stephen Sweet, thebarrieexaminer.com, December 4, 2015
Six years ago, Mikaela Brewer was playing low-level basketball as relative newbies.
Now headed to the United States with Division-I hoops scholarships.
The pair of Innisdale Invaders committed to their schools – Brewer to Stanford – two weeks ago as they take the next steps in their careers.
“There were a few schools that I was very serious about, and ultimately, Stanford was my number one choice for a long time,” Brewer said. “I had to wait on admissions to get into the school first, but they were the number one choice for a while.”
Brewer, who has played with the Cadet National Team, was highly sought after, but the combination of athletic and academic clout that Stanford carried was too much to pass up.
“It's an outstanding place,” Brewer said. “It's such an amazing opportunity just that I could never turn down.
“The coaching staff is outstanding in how much they look out for the players, not only from a basketball standpoint to help to make them better basketball players, but as a person too.”
Stanford is ranked 13th in the most recent NCAA rankings as provided by the Associated Press, so Brewer knows it won't be easy to get minutes there.
“There's going to be a lot of seniors on the team next year and it's going to be tough to compete for minutes, but I think that's what makes it more fun and makes it more competitive,” Brewer said. “You've got to work for what you want to do.
“I think being able to play with those players who have all that experience and have been through the process and played for so many years can only benefit me, regardless of how many minutes I may get," she added.
Brewer will be going into the sciences, possibly looking at a pre-med designation within a couple of years.
She knows what a Stanford degree could do for her.
“Very much so,” Brewer said. “I take my academics very seriously, and outside basketball, as soon as I'm done university and playing university basketball, I think the next step for me is to pursue something academically.”
Brewer is quick to credit her parents, Bryan and Lynlee, with helping her get to this stage.
“I owe a lot to them,” Brewer said. “My mom drives me to all of my practices and my dad does a lot of recruiting, co-ordinating, that kind of stuff with the coaches, and I wouldn't be here without them.”
Brewer had the idea that she was going to go to Stanford for a few weeks.
During their high-school basketball days, Brewer reunited with Joe Denes, their coach from six years ago as they started out with the Barrie Royals Tier-II team.
He's seen their growth and is amazed by it.
“I think what I'm most proud of is that when they started their careers in rep basketball in Barrie, they weren't the kids picked for our travel team,” Denes said. “They were passed over, they both played with me on a 'B' team at the Grade 6 age level, and to see where they've gone from there to where they are today, signing Division-I scholarships, is quite remarkable.
“It speaks a lot about their commitment, probably second to none in terms of their discipline, because trust me when I tell you that many of these kids in the gym right now want to get scholarships,” Denes added. “But very few are able to achieve what these kids have been able to.”
He began helping them at the earliest stage, even when the hoop seemed a mile away.
“Well, I always give Joe Denes the most credit in the world,” Richards said. “He was my first coach ever to coach me.
“He taught me how to shoot my first free-throw when I was crying at the lines saying, ‘oh, it's too far, I can't do it,’ and he just helped me get through there.”
These days, the girls are learning individual skills that are beyond what Denes is used to, but he's still there for them.
“In terms of the technical advancements that they've made, I think I haven't had a hand in helping development that much, technically, in the last couple years,” Denes said. “Other coaches have had probably a bigger impact on them.”
Denes is the one, though, who opens up the gym nice and early every morning for them to get their training in.
“For them, it was about creating the opportunity,” Denes said. “I loved opening the gym for them at 6:30 in the morning and helping them through their workouts.
“I think I was more of the vehicle of opportunity.”
The girls credited a number of coaches in the area and beyond with helping them get to this point, including Paul Hopper, Scott Seeley, Amanda Lauzon, Mike Dodig, Todd Smith and many more.
But both girls mentioned Denes right away when giving praise, something that greatly touched the coach.
“Mikaela (told me she committed) the hour that she knew, Denes said. “I feel privileged to be in that in-crowd, if you will.
“When I found out about it I was very happy for them, and it's always nice to see someone that you've worked with find success, especially at that level.”
They've come a long way from a point where neither of them could have even imagined that they would be hotly recruited Division-I players.
“I was just starting out playing basketball and just thinking that, you know, it was something I was doing for fun, and that I would work hard and see how far it would get me,” Brewer said. “You never know.
“I ended up playing on national teams, provincial teams, and just having incredible experiences that I've been able to have through basketball and through working hard.”
