Lauren Overeem is excited to continue her basketball journey this upcoming fall with the St. Clair Saints of the OCAA. The St. John’s College student will look to come in and make an immediate impact on the court while also furthering her studies in the veterinary technician program. Overeem says that after seeing the campus, her decision was a simple one.

 

“After touring the campus and seeing the facilities it felt like such a great place to be. It felt like home.”

 

Overeem spent her high school playing days with the Green Eagles where she was a multi sport athlete excelling in basketball as well as soccer. In her final season on the court, Overeem helped lead her team to the city championship before losing in a tightly contested contest to the eventual OFSAA silver medalist in Brantford Collegiate. Overeem was thankful for her opportunities playing for St John’s especially as a mentor in her final season.

 

“It was a great atmosphere. Being an older player you can connect with the younger players and help them along in so many ways.”

 

St John’s head coach Matt Lynch was very proud and thrilled for Overeem to have achieved her dream of playing at the next level. Lynch says that Overeem’s impact as a leader both on and off  the court had a lasting impact on her teammates.

 

“She was always the first one on the floor for loose balls, always guarded whoever we needed her to, anything we needed done on or off the court she was willing to do it.”

 

In addition to her playing career at St John’s, Overeem has also played for Soldiers Basketball since she was in grade nine. Overeem says that the competitive environment the Soldiers brought helped her take the necessary steps to reach her potential.

 

“Soldiers helped me develop as a player and a person in a number of ways. Whether it be opening the gym whenever we need, taking us to the most competitive tournaments, or just being able to talk whenever I needed it, the support was amazing.”

 

Soldiers coach Candice Wright says that Overeem brought her energy and determination to every practice and game, making her a great teammate and competitor throughout her time with the program.

 

“Throughout her years within the Soldiers program, Lauren has exemplified what it means to be a soldier. Her hard work, grit, and dedication never went unnoticed both on and off the court.”

 

While Overeem is thrilled to have reached her goal, she was humble when discussing her journey, saying it was not always the smoothest. In the summer going into her grade eleven year, Overeem suffered a torn ACL while playing soccer, an injury that would sideline her from all sport for an entire year. While there were some very challenging times throughout her recovery, Overeem says it was her passion and desire to achieve her goals that kept her motivated to come back even stronger than before.

 

“My mindset totally changed. I learnt that I not only needed to take of my body but my mind as well. I just kept telling myself that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.”

 

Overeem was also very thankful to all of those who supported her throughout her journey, noting that one of her most influential supporters was her older sister Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn herself has had a successful basketball career to this point as she enters her fifth year at the University of Waterloo as part of their women’s team. When talking about the impact her older sister had on her, Overeem says she was the perfect role model for her.

 

“She has always been my role model. No matter what she always pushes through and gets the job done. I just wanted to be like her.”

 

Overeem will be joining a St Clair team that had a fantastic run in the OCAA last year finishing the season 17-1 with their only defeat coming in the OCAA final against Humber College. Eager to learn and compete with her new teammates, Overeem will look to continue to help the Saints compete for championships for years to come.