Megan McCarter: “You’re A Strong Young Woman And You Can Do Anything You Set Your Mind To”
Megan McCarter with the Nipissing Lakers women’s basketball team – Photo by Lakers Athletics and Spencer Anderson
“When a young girl is watching me play I hope she looks out there and sees someone who is strong, determined and a leader,” said McCarter.
“I hope it gives her confidence to go and follow her dreams because that’s how I got there. And I hope she thinks that one day that could be her out there.”
McCarter, a Wallaceburg product, has been one of the strongest first year players in the OUA this season, but basketball has been a part of her life for many years.
“Sport has impacted my life in so many different ways. It’s helped me form so many great relationships, I’ve been able to travel to places where I probably never would’ve been able to go otherwise, and it has taught me so much,” she said.
“Basketball has also taught me a lot about myself. Because of sport I view myself as a leader, I’ve learned how to cope with stress, my emotions, and many different types of people in a wide variety of situations. It’s taught me to love my body and that means anything from my body image to how I treat my body with what I put into it and how I take care of it. I couldn’t even imagine the person I would be without sport.”
A Wallaceburg Airhawks alumni, McCarter is the type of player, and person young female athletes can look up to, and she hopes other young girls in Chatham-Kent and Wallaceburg will try the game of basketball. McCarter herself says she’s focused on persevering, being coachable, and having fun, and she wants others to love the game of basketball like she has.
“To any young girls who might want to try basketball…go for it, it could be the best thing that’s happened to you,” said McCarter.
“You’re a strong young women and you can do anything you set your mind to. When I was your age I had no idea I would be playing university basketball but here I am.”