Q& A: Averill Park alumni Wood moves on to St. John Fisher College
AVERILL PARK, N.Y - In her first season competing at the collegiate level, Mallory Wood is excelling on the basketball court.
The freshman at St. John Fisher College has started all 11 games played this season and has piled up 82 points, 57 rebounds, 18 assists, 13 steals and six blocked shots. Mallory has finished with a double- digit point total five times this season with a season-high 13 points coming against Hilbert College.
At Averill Park, Mallory helped guide the Lady Warriors to four straight sectional appearances and was named to the Section II All-Tournament Team as a senior last year.
We recently caught up with Mallory and asked her a few questions about competing on the collegiate level and her time at Averill Park CSD.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Averill Park CSD will be sending in
Q& A’s of former Averill Park athletes. If you are interested in seeing a Q& A done with a collegiate athlete from your school, email us at sports@ troyrecord.com
Q: What’s the biggest difference between playing in high school and college?
The biggest difference between playing at the high school level compared to the collegiate level would have to be the pace of the game. At Averill Park our games were always pretty high-paced, which helped prepare me for
playing basketball in college. The day after I moved into my dorm at Fisher we started playing pickup and having basketball workouts. Getting a feel for the pace of college basketball before the season even started also helped me a lot because I knew what to expect in-season.
Q: What is a typical day like for you during the season at St. John Fisher?
A typical day at St. John Fisher while in season is pretty jam packed. On some days of the week the team would have an 8 a.m. lift followed by all of our classes for the day. Depending on what day of the week it is, you could also have your in-
dividual with coach, which is when you have one- onone time with Coach Kuberka and you focus on certain areas of play that will make you better. After everyone’s classes are done, we would have a two-hour practice. If it’s a day before a game, we would watch film together after practice was complete. Then as a team we would go and eat dinner at the dining hall. After dinner I start my homework that is due. I then go to bed and when I wake back up, do it all over again.
Q: What made you choose St. John Fisher to begin with?
I knew Fisher was where I was supposed to be since the second that I stepped on cam-
pus. The overall atmosphere of SJFC is so welcoming and upbeat. The other reason I chose Fisher was because of their outstanding reputation for my major. Nursing at Fisher has had a very high passing rate and all of the professors associated with it are amazing, they really know what they are talking about. Basketball was also a huge deciding factor for me choosing St. John Fisher College because I immediately felt the connection, not only with the coaching staff, but also the players on the team.
Q: What are some of your best memories of playing basketball in high school?
The best memory that I
have from playing basketball in high school would have to be all of the life-long friends that I have made that I can also consider a part of my family. Because of our strong connection as a team and with our coaches, we accomplished a lot. Winning the Class A, Section II title all four years I was on varsity is also something that I will forever hold close to my heart. There is no quite feeling like the adrenaline rush you get when you hear the final buzzer go off and you knewyou had just won sectionals. To experience that with my teammates and coaches is really just special and with each year it just meant more and more.
Q: Do you have any advice for anyone playing sports in high school who may want to compete in college?
The best advice that I can give anyone who is currently playing a high school sport that may want to play in college is DO IT. If you truly do love the sport that you play in high school, continue it by playing in college. Playing college basketball has been the best decision I have ever made. Another piece of advice I would give would be to never take a day, practice or game for granted. Work as hard as you possibly can every day because you never know what could happen or who is watching.