Last weekend, fourth-year post Erin Skippon recorded two solid performances, leading her team to victory against the Waterloo Warriors and the Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawks.
Against Waterloo, she scored nine points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds. Against Laurier she recorded 22 points and added nine rebounds.
Skippon season is averaging 12.4 points and 8.8 rebounds per game this season, just short of a double-double average.
Having pulled down 44 rebounds this year, eighth in the OUA, she said she sees individual persistence and team communication’s the key to good rebounding.
“[The key is] not giving up on the ball and taking it,” she said. “A lot of people think it’s your job to stay in front of your man or your check, but a lot of times it’s not done until the ball goes out of bounds. Always chasing the ball. And it’s a team thing. If I box out my man but my guards don’t talk, someone quick can run right under me. So it’s very much a team effort.”
Skippon finds herself on a young team. The Gaels have five first-year players on a 12-person roster. She said she’s playing the role of the veteran leader and she likes what the younger players have brought to the team.
“I’ve had the most fun this year by far,” she said. “We have a lot of young players—a lot of first-years. … They’re not scared to go out there and compete with the older players to make an impact on the team so it’s a lot of fun.”
Skippon said she started playing basketball in her early years of high school and sees her father and older brother, both of whom are big sports fans, as responsible for spurring her interest in the sport. She has played on the Queen’s team since her first year.
The fourth year psychology major describes being a student-athlete as a hectic yet irreplaceable lifestyle.
“[It’s] busy—very, very busy, but so much fun,” she said. “I wouldn’t want to experience a year without it. You miss out on a lot, but it’s worth it to me.”
-Scott Kawaguchi
What’s your favourite team in any sport?
Phoenix Suns. I like Steve Nash.
Who’s your favourite superhero?
Anything Disney. The Incredibles I guess.
What’s your favourite bar or club?
On campus, probably Alfie’s.
What’s on your iPod right now?
Everything. Lots of everything. Pop country. I love country music.
Mullets or Mohawks?
Mullets.
Any hidden talents?
I don’t think so. Oh, I can make really animated ugly faces.
Who would you trade lives with for a day?
Taylor Swift.
Childhood dream job?
Working in Cinderella’s castle at Disneyworld.
What would you choose for your last meal?
All-you-can-eat sushi.
Where would you go if you had a free plane ticket?
Somewhere hot. I don’t know, Hawaii.
What would you rather be doing instead of this interview?
Sleeping.
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