Cutler off to East Wyoming
Playing college basketball in the United States could be just what Manawatu’s Nicole Cutler needs to launch her career.
Cutler leaves for East Wyoming College, a junior community college, next month, in what will be the biggest thing she’s done in the sport.
‘‘I started playing basketball properly at the start of high school, in year 9, then I started loving it,’’ the 180cm forward said.
‘‘I gave up netball which was my main sport.
‘‘Some of my coaches saw potential in me and it stuck with me.’’
East Wyoming is a division one school and they play in region 11. They did well in their regional conference last year, but lost the final to West Nebraska.
The 18-year-old Cutler does have a few ambitions in basketball and playing for the Tall Ferns is something she would fancy in the future.
‘‘I want to see how I go over there.
‘‘If I really start loving it I will put all of my energy into in and try and get a scholarship to a four-year college.
‘‘Hopefully it will be a competitive one and maybe go to something further.’’
She organised it through Custom College Recruiting and sent them some footage before a coach got in touch with her.
Cutler, who trialled for the Junior Tall Ferns two years ago, finished at Palmerston North Girls’ High School last year and has been playing for Massey in the Manawatu club competition this season.
Because there hasn’t been a Palmerston North Storm team in the national women’s competition since 2012, Cutler joined the Taranaki Thunder this year.
Girls’ High student and New Zealand age-group rep Maia Watling also played for Taranaki this year.
Taranaki reached the women’s national final this year, but were beaten by Canterbury 57-43.
It won’t be Cutler’s first trip to the United States, having twice been to Las Vegas with New Zealand academy teams, but she was expecting a different kind of basketball this time.
In 2014 she went with the New Zealand Basketball Academy, with Palmerston North coach Michelle Swain, and last year she went with the New Zealand Storm team.
While at Wyoming she will be studying an associate degree in physical education and rooming with one of her team-mates
Until she leaves she will be playing basketball and working part time in the call centre at Foodstuffs.