Lily Brook鈥檚 talent and tenacity have not gone unnoticed.
The Salmon Arm resident is soaring to success in many areas of her life, most recently wheelchair basketball.
Lily, 17, who has been practising with the junior BC team, was one of two junior players invited to play with the women鈥檚 BC team, which just competed in the 2022 Women鈥檚 National Championship.
On April 10 at the Richmond Olympic Oval, the BC Women鈥檚 Wheelchair Basketball Team defeated Quebec 66-52 in a hard-fought, fast-paced gold-medal game, bringing home the national championship trophy for the first time since 2014.
鈥淭his was my first time to be with this group of women. They鈥檝e been to the Paralympics and a bunch of bigger things than I鈥檝e ever been to,鈥� said Lily.
鈥淚t was so exciting when they mentioned it 鈥� I thought, 鈥極h my gosh this is so huge.鈥� I just got back from skiing nationals, so this was really cool, I was really excited.鈥�
When Lily referred to skiing, she is talking about paranordic sit skiing, currently one of three sports in which she excels.
鈥淚 love them all so much. I would say boxing was my first sport I really fell in love with, skiing is up there and basketball is great too. But I would say boxing is the one I enjoy the most.鈥�
In response to a comment that she must be super fit, she laughs.
鈥淚 work out pretty much every day to train for my sports. I do boxing three days a week still. It鈥檚 also really good cross-training for my other sports. Basketball twice a week usually, sometimes more. Skiing, three to four times a week.鈥�
Boxing is 鈥渁wesome,鈥� she said enthusiastically.
鈥淚鈥檓 with the Westcoast Wheelchair Adaptive Boxing group. They鈥檙e trying to make wheelchair boxing a big thing. Right now it鈥檚 not even considered a sport,鈥� she said.
Although she would love to pursue wheelchair boxing at a higher level, that won鈥檛 be possible until more people do it and it becomes recognized.
When Lily was injured and could no longer do the other sports she loved like soccer, basketball, cross-country running and skiing, she gave up on sports completely for about a year-and-a-half to two years. She has osteochondritis in her ankles, which she was told usually heals. However, not for her, not so far.
鈥淚t was really hard to tell myself, hey you have to go find something else to do.鈥�
First she tried swimming, but it wasn鈥檛 for her. Then she opted for boxing. Her goal now is to spread boxing to other people who might enjoy it.
She said it was huge for her when Bulldogs Fitness & Boxing Centre in Salmon Arm brought in wheelchair boxers for Boxing 4 Wellness鈥� Hit2Fit charity event.
Now, Lily is excited to be participating in this year鈥檚 Hit2Fit, set for May 7.
Regarding wheelchair basketball and the national competition, Lily said she was very happy with how she played.
鈥淭he other women were more skilled, I鈥檇 say, than me. But all the coaches said I鈥檓 doing really well for where I鈥檓 at. I鈥檝e only been playing for a year.鈥�
She was also pleased to score some points.
However, her favourite part of the event was the dinner, she said, where players from all across Canada attended. The discussions were what she loved, being able to ask questions of women with years of experience.
鈥淲e got to talk to people who have been playing for a long time, we got to know their journeys and how they got to where they are.鈥�
Read more: Young Shuswap wheelchair athlete spreads message of hope
Through all her sports, Lily said she has been able to get to know so many great people. Even with living in Salmon Arm, her basketball coach was able to set up online training sessions.
鈥淢y basketball team down in Vancouver, I know them as if I lived there,鈥� she said.
Her coach has also been training a crew from Cambodia, so they鈥檝e trained together.
Asked what鈥檚 next for her, Lily said the basketball season is almost over, but she is hoping to go to the Canada Games next year for skiing, so she鈥檒l be training for that.
鈥淏asketball, I鈥檒l wait to see where it takes me,鈥� she said.
And along with spreading the word about boxing, she also wants to keep spreading the word about sports and her journey.
For her Capstone project for school, she went to schools in School District 83 and spoke to the students. In fact, she said, she鈥檚 still doing it.
She knows she鈥檚 made a positive difference for at least one person who was struggling, which makes it all worthwhile.
Read more: Young Shuswap wheelchair athlete spreads message of hope
martha.wickett@saobserver.net
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our daily newsletter.
