Although the Douglas Royals women's basketball team has experienced their best start to a season in the program's recent history, head coach Curtis Nelson is still planning for the future.
Sunshine Coast native and current Elphinstone Secondary School player Ellen Fallis has committed to Douglas College for the 2013/14 season.
The Royals sit in second place in a very competitive PACWEST division, and for the first time in the program's history were previously ranked nationally at number 10.
"I knew that it was the right place for me," Ellen said. "The team and coaching staff were all so welcoming and made me feel likeI wasa part of their family, which was really comforting for me coming from a small town. I really likecoach Nelson's coaching style andcould not picture myself playing anywhere else."
Since playing at the senior level for the past four years, Ellen has received a number of individual awards including Elphi's junior basketball MVP award, Elphi's senior basketballMVP award, the Grizzly Invitational first team all-star award(2010), West Point Grey's tournament MVP(2011 and 2012), and the St. Johns tournament MVP(2012 and 2013).
"For the past four years, she has been the backbone of our team," said Elphi senior girls' coach Lynn Moran. "She has brought a tremendous amount of leadership to Elphinstone. She is one of those special students who can be counted on to step up and help out in a pinch.
"At the post-secondary level, I expect Ellen to continue to develop as a player. She has always seen the floor well and is very unselfish while creating scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates. When it comes to athleticism, Ellen has that extra gear that allows her to kick it up a notch and change the momentum in a game."
At the end of the year the young Royals squad will be losing two of their starters, including the PACWEST's leading scorer and rebounder Amanda Francis and starting point guard Patti Olson.
"I envision Ellen being capable of stepping right into our team and adding some skill, size and depth to our guard rotation," Nelson added.
Next season, Ellen will be joining Devan Haynes (2007, Chatelech Secondary School) and Andrew Baron (Elphi) as three members from the Sunshine Coast representing Douglas College basketball.
