Megan Trotman has a full course load on and off the court in Kelowna this fall.
The recent Delta secondary graduate is continuing her basketball career with the UBC Okanagan Heat. Trotman is red shirting this season after successfully competing for a roster spot at last month's open tryouts.
The nearly 5-foot-10 forward was a key part of the most successful group of basketball players to come through DSS in the past two decades. After a third place finish at the Fraser Valley Junior Championships, the Pacers were in tough competing at the senior level in a tier one Valley league that featured many of the top teams in the province.
That meant a very brief playoff appearance for two straight seasons and the team staying
basically off the radar screen in the recruiting process for college and university coaches. Trotman wanted to continue playing basketball but had to prove herself.
She wished to pursue a degree in Human Kinetics and a decision on her post-secondary destination came right down to the wire.
"It was 50/50 on whether I was going to UBC Okanagan or Kwantlen," recalled Trotman. "I had until June 1 to make a decision and I made it May 30. I knew I had a better chance of making the team at Kwantlen but I really wanted to go to UBC Okanagan."
She showed enough at tryouts to work her way onto the team despite the coaching staff opting to carry a smaller roster this season. Now it's a significant learning curve of getting up to speed to become a polished player at the collegiate level.
She has three two-hour practices a week on top of five classes.
"To be honest, it is just way better than high school," said Trotman. "Everyone shares the same passion for the game and the desire to be a better player.
"Right now it's about getting use to the speed of the game and working on my overall fitness. They even give you a food plan that has helped me out a lot."
Trotman does have relatives in nearby Penticton but decided to live on campus. She even has a part-time job.
"I expected it to be a lot of work and I'm pretty good at managing my time," she added. "The last few days were definitely nerve wracking realizing I was leaving home, but I absolutely love it up here."
