Chatham's Bridget Carleton in her old gym at John McGregor Secondary School, May 16, 2016 (Photo by Jake Kislinsky)Chatham's Bridget Carleton in her old gym at John McGregor Secondary School, May 16, 2016 (Photo by Jake Kislinsky)
Chatham

Local ball player in disbelief to play NCAA game in Chatham

A hometown basketball player still gets chills every time she thinks about playing in the upcoming regulation NCAA game in Chatham.

Bridget Carleton is a Chatham native currently playing guard for Iowa State in Division I NCAA basketball. She grew up playing for the Chatham-Kent Wildcats of the Ontario Basketball Association before earning a spot with the Cyclones in the U.S.

Carleton is entering her senior and final year with the team. She explained how she was hoping to play a game in Michigan so her family could watch in person and never thought of playing a game in Canada, let alone Chatham, would have been possible.

"It's unbelievable," Carleton said. "It's going to be really exciting playing in Chatham again. I haven't played there since high school. To be able to play in front of my family and friends one more time, because I don't think this will ever happen again, will be really special."

Carleton said her coaches were the ones who put it all together to open the regular season November 21 at the St. Clair College Thames Campus' HealthPlex in Chatham against Eastern Michigan. The 6'1" guard said the coaches try to schedule games near players in their hometowns in their last year. She said her whole family went pretty crazy when they heard the news.

"Even my extended family were messaging me right away asking 'how can I get tickets?'" Carleton said. "They were really excited and it's really special because Chatham is obviously a huge part of who I am and I love going back home. For my family to have me back there one more time and playing is really special for them too."

Carleton is currently trying out for the national team in Toronto and hopes to represent her country at the upcoming tournament in Spain later this month. She said making the team will get her one step closer to her ultimate goal of playing for Canada in the 2020 Olympic Games.

The guard added she's learning all she can from some of the players she respects the most.

"Kim Gaucher is one of the veterans on the national team and kind of has the same position as me so I've learned a lot from her," Carleton said. "She's been my role model coming through the national program. I've definitely tried to steal a lot of her ideas from the game and her tips and tricks."

Carleton plans to play professionally after college as well, whether it means in WNBA if she is drafted or overseas in a European league. Carleton said she would prefer Spain or France, but will go wherever she can continue her career.

Read More Local Stories