Troy Shantz
A former St. Patrick’s High School student has accepted a basketball scholarship to play for Western University in London.
But the adjustment won’t be a big one for Laurin Moro. The 17-year-old has lived in London since 2016 when she joined the fledgling Southwest Academy basketball program at Regina Mundi Catholic High School.
Moro is one of 12 girls from across Ontario immersed in the program’s synchronized athletic and academic schedule.
The team competes in the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association as well as several sanctioned NCAA scholastic events against other prep schools.
The league has 15 girls’ teams in three divisions and was created to raise the level of basketball competition in the province.
“I loved it,” said Moro, a 5'8" point guard, who was recruited to the new program “last minute” when she was just 14 years old.
“Not everyone gets to experience this.”
She billeted with two different families and both of the experiences were great, she said.
Adjusting to life in London wasn’t difficult, and living just an hour from family and friends allowed for frequent visits back home, she added.
Moro is one of three students to graduate from the prep program this year. Each was offered a scholarship to a different university.
York University in Toronto also expressed interest in Moro but the extra distance made Western an obvious choice, she added.
She has received early acceptance to Western’s food and nutrition program and has set her sights on studying kinesiology.