http://www.emyouthemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/PakmodeWebLogo.pngBy Jason Idalski
jason.idalski@emyouthemagazine.com
Cassie Schrock is a prototypical point guard.
Coach’s daughter. Coach on the floor. Says coaching may be in her future. 12th in the NCAA in assists. Says “I like to try to have a certain number of assists per game.” Probably been a point guard since …
The end of last season?
“I never actually really played point guard until I got here,” Schrock said. “I was more of a wing, and my freshman year I played three (small forward) and I even played in the post. And it was not ’til the end of last year (coach AnnMarie Gilbert) started using me at the point guard.”
Not exactly like Schrock was miscast in her earlier roles; she averaged 6.9 points and 4.5 rebounds as a freshman, and increased that to 13.3 points and 7.4 rebounds as a sophomore. She made 169 free throws last season, obliterating the old Eastern Michigan season record of 113.
“To start the season, to be honest, assists was not one of my goals,” Schrock said.
That changed after Schrock had 40 assists in the Eagles‘ first four games. She has 107 assists through the first 17 games, already beating her total last year (94). The 6.4 apg is 12th in Division I; Courtney Vandersloot of Gonzaga is tops with 9.0 apg. Schrock may threaten the EMU season record of 186, held by Erika Ford.
However, despite all the accolades, neither Schrock nor Tavelyn James was picked first- or second-team pre-season All-MAC.
“We both realized that neither one of us got picked,” Schrock said. “It kind of made us a little bit more hungrier.”
After EMU beat Central Michigan in its first conference game of the year in early January, Schrock pointed out that CMU was picked above EMU in the pre-season poll (Eastern was picked fifth of six teams in the MAC West) and that it was a motivating factor.
“We still feel like an underdog. They still picked us fifth and everybody else ahead of us.,” Schrock said then. “We want to prove everybody wrong.”
And while it may seem Schrock could suit up for most teams in the country, she wasn’t heavily recruited coming out of high school. Akron and Kent State were among the MAC schools that showed interest, convenient since Schrock went to high school in Wadsworth, Ohio, a few miles south of each school. But outside of the MAC and Colgate, the other offers were from Division II schools.
Former EMU coach Suzy Merchant, herself a point guard at Central Michigan, recruited Schrock.
“I just fell in love with Eastern,” Schrock said. “I just loved the campus.”
Merchant then left to take the job at Michigan State, meaning her recruiting class could leave. Schrock said she never considered it.
“I could’ve backed out of my commitment, but I tried to find a place that I love being at,” Schrock said. “I just knew when I came to Eastern that it was the school for me.”
Fortunately for Gilbert, she didn’t have to work too hard to convince Schrock to stay.
“Cassie Schrock is the glue to this team,” Gilbert said. “Cassie Schrock is a tremendous leader. She’s one of the best players in the MAC … She’s capable of doing so many things.”
Schrock said that while Gilbert is a tough coach (and can be very demanding of her point guard), she’s learning a lot about basketball … and life.
“To bring good attitude to everything you do,” Schrock said when asked what she’s learned from Gilbert. “We’re just really fortunate where we’re at right now; we’re playing Division I college sports and just to come every day with a smile on your face and have a good attitude.”
It’s not hard to see Schrock following in Gilbert’s footsteps, or, perhaps more accurately, her father’s. Schrock’s father compiled a 478-92 record at Doylestown Chippewa High School in Ohio before retiring. Her mother is a special education teacher, which is somewhat related to Schrock’s major of speech pathology. Schrock has a 3.07 GPA.
“I would like to be a coach, but we’ll just see right now,” Schrock said.
One thing she’s got going for her: She knows how to play just about every position, as anyone who’s followed her career can attest.
Major: Speech and Language Pathology
Minor: Language Arts
Year: Junior
Favorite book: “Standing Tall”
Favorite music: Country
Favorite movie: “Elf”
Favorite thing to do in spare time: Hang out with my teammates!
Describe yourself in three words: happy, caring, fun
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I see myself either still playing or coaching basketball or working in an elementary school as a speech pathologist. I just want to make a difference in other people’s lives.http://www.emyouthemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/PakmodeWebLogo.png
