Cougars spotlight: Katie Polischuk

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Prepared to rain down threes./Arthur Ward

Prepared to rain down threes./Arthur Ward

A closer look at one of the Cougars premier athletes

Bram Lerat – Contributor

Position: Guard
Height: 6-0
Year: 3

Major: Human Kinetics
Hometown: Brantford, Ontario

As the University of Regina athletics head into 2015, there is one team that stands out among the rest. The Women’s Basketball team is currently 10-4 and is an early candidate for team of the year at the U of R. Leading the way for the women’s team is third year, Katie Polischuk. Polischuk leads the team in playing time and is known as being the “shooter” for the Cougars who currently sit second in the CIS Pioneers Division. Along with playing time, Polischuk is second on the team in points, first in steals, and is known as the deep threat with 57 3FG’s and a .380 3PT%. I had a chance to catch up with Katie in the middle of her University of Saskatchewan road trip and got to know one of the school’s athletic leaders a bit better.

BL: Each season, your playing time and average points per-game have increased. Along with experience and patience, what have been some of the main factors contributing to your progression in these categories again in the 2014/2015 season?

KP: By practicing more and getting in the gym on my own, I’ve been able to transfer that over to games and I’ve become more comfortable on the floor, especially in pressure situations. Things just become easier because I am not as scared as I was in my first year to make mistakes. This year I am just trying to improve even more on those and that has helped my numbers increase.

BL: You and the team are set to play the Huskies this weekend. Talk about the rivalry that you have been part of for a few years now and how you match up against them this season.

KP: It’s always been a huge inter-provincial rivalry. These are games that we always look forward to and we know will always be competitive and aggressive. Match up-wise we match pretty well to them. The play a smaller line up and we play a bigger one so we both have our advantages in different areas, but over all we are pretty even teams so these games should be interesting.

BL: What is a personal and/or team goal that you have had coming into the season and do you think you’re on track for it?

KP: Team goal we had was to get to final four. We knew coming into the season that it was going to be tough because there are so many good teams in our conference however; we are confident that if we can get to final four, we will be able to grind out a win and get to nationals. If we can play our game the next four weeks, stay healthy and improve each week then I have full faith that we can do it. A personal goal was to improve on my game from last year and do more. I have always been distinguished as a “shooter,” so I wanted to be able to expand and be known as more than just that.

BL: Are there any areas you can improve on despite your individual and team success?

KP: One thing that can be improved on is consistency, both as a team and individual. When we play well, we are very tough to beat because we are playing disciplined and doing what we are supposed to. This is something, though, that is not always present. If we can change that and become disciplined every time we step on the floor, our success will continue to grow and goals will be met.

BL: Game day rituals?

KP: Before every game Jennilea Coppola and I always shoot during warm-ups. Ever since my first year we always spend 10-15 minutes going around the three-point line getting shots up. I can’t think of a game that we haven’t so that may be the only superstitious thing that I do.

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