Barry Wright
After playing a key role in the University of Saskatchewan's national women's university basketball championship this year, Laura Dally is now wearing the maple leaf in the first phase of Team Canada’s training camp leading to the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.
Dally and her Canadian teammates are in the midst of a pre-Olympic exhibition hoops series in Europe against some of the top teams, including Australia, Spain and France, ranked second through fourth respectively in the world.
Canada is ranked ninth.
In an interview prior to the five-game European series, The Northern Collegiate grad said she was excited to again wear Canadian colours and wanted to “soak up the whole experience.”
She previously represented Canada at the World University Games and as part of both the national development and U18 squads.
Dally says making the Canadian Olympic team would be a dream come true, but admits she has a better chance of being selected to play four years from now, instead of this summer in Rio.
“Hopefully, 2020 will be in the cards for me.”
Before heading overseas the sharp-shooting guard also signed a one-year contract to play professionally this season with BG ’89 Avides Hurricanes Rotenburg, of the Damen Basketball Bundesliga (DBBL) in Germany.
“It will be challenging leaving my family and friends,” said Dally. “But, other then that I am really looking forward to having the opportunity to play the game I love as a career while experiencing new cultures and countries.”
The reigning Canada West Outstanding Player of the Year was inspired to take the European plunge by close friend Melissa Rondinelli, who has played professional basketball in Germany and France the past two seasons.
Rondinelli is a St. Christopher grad and was a teammate at the Western University before Dally transferred to Saskatchewan, where her collegiate career soared.
“(Melissa) has told me how awesome her experiences overseas has been and encouraged me to go.”
Dally was also encouraged by another Sarnian who has played professional hoops overseas, Kendel Ross, as well as her former Vikings head coach John Thrasher and her family.
In a news release, her German team said Dally's exceptional skill set and strong character will benefit the club on and off the court.
The Hurricanes finished seventh in the 12-team league last season with a record of 10-12 and lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Training camp begins Sept. 1.